---I got this through email. I think it should be mandatory reading for any theist. Beyond that though, I don't feel that it needs any commentary.
Radio's commentator Paul Harvey read this on his Noon News, Saturday, May 16, 1998. The response was overwhelming. Harvey's Chicago office was inundated by phone calls, mail and faxes, as were the offices at The Big 550. Here's the text:
An Open Letter from God:
My dear children,
and believe Me, that is all of you, I consider Myself a pretty
patient guy. I mean, look at the Grand Canyon. It took millions
of years to get it right. And about evolution? Boy, nothing is
slower than designing that whole Darwinian thing to take place
cell by cell and gene by gene. And I have been patient through
your fashions, your civilizations, wars and schemes, and the
countless ways that you take Me for granted until you get
yourselves into big trouble again and again. I want to let
you know about some of the things that started ticking Me off.
First of all, your religious rivalries are driving Me up a wall.
Enough already! Let's get one thing straight. These are your
religions, not Mine. I'm the whole enchilada. I'm beyond them
all.
Every one of your
religions claims that there's only one of Me, which, by the way,
is absolutely true, but in the very next breath each religion
claims that it's My favorite one. And each claims its bible was
written personally by Me, and that all of the other bibles are
man-made. Oh, Me. How do I ever begin to put a stop to such
complicated nonsense?
All right, listen up
now. I am your Father and Mother, and I don't play favorites
among My children. Also, I hate to break it to you, but I don't
write. My longhand is awful, and I've always been more of a doer
anyway. So ALL of your books, including those bibles, were
written by men and women. They were inspired men and women, they
were remarkable people,
but they also made mistakes here and there. And I made sure of
that, so that you would never trust a written word rather than
your own living heart.
You see, one human
being to Me -- even a bum on the street -- is worth more than all
of the holy books in the world. That's just the kind of a guy I
am. My spirit is not an historical thing. It's alive right now,
right now, as fresh as your next breath. Holy books and religious
rites are sacred and powerful, but they are not more so than the
least of you. They were only
meant to steer you in the right direction, not to keep you
arguing with each other, and certainly not to keep you from
trusting your own personal connection with Me.
Which brings Me to My
next point about your nonsense. You act like I need you and your
religions to stick up for Me or win souls for My sake. Please,
don't do Me any favors. I can stand quite well on My own, thank
you. I don't need you to defend Me, I don't need constant credit.
I just want you to be good to each other.
And another thing. I
don't get all worked up over money or politics, so stop dragging
My name into your dramas. For example, I swear to Me that I never
threatened Oral Roberts. I never rode is any of Rajneesh's Rolls
Royces and I never told Pat Robertson to run for president, and I
have never had a conversation with Jim Bakker, Jerry Falwell or
Jimmy Swaggart. Of course, come Judgment Day, I certainly intend
to.
Now the thing is, I
want you to stop thinking of religion as some sort of a loyalty
pledge to Me. The true purpose of religion is so that YOU
can become more aware of ME, not the other way around. Believe
Me, I know you already. I know what's in each of your hearts, and
I love you anyway with no strings attached. So, lighten up and
enjoy Me. That's what religion's best for.
What you seem to
forget is how mysterious I am. You look at the petty differences
in your scriptures and you say, "Well, if this is the truth,
then that can't be." But instead of trying to figure out My
paradoxes and unfathomable nature -- which, by the way, you never
will -- why not open your hearts to the simple, common threads of
every religion? You know what I'm talking about. Play nice
with each other. Love and respect everyone. Be kind. Even when
life is scary or confusing, take courage and be of good cheer,
for I'm always with you.
And learn how to be
quiet, so that you can hear My still, small voice. I don't like
to shout. Leave the world a better place by living your life with
dignity and gracefulness, for you are My own child. Hold back
nothing from life, for the parts of you that can die surely will,
and the parts that can't, won't. So don't worry, be happy. (I
stole that last line from Bobby McFerrin, but Who gave it to him
in the first place?)
Simple stuff now. Why
do you keep making it so complicated? It's like you're always
looking for an excuse to be upset. And I am very tired of being
your main excuse. Do you think whether you call Me God, or
Yahweh, or Jehovah, Allah, Wakatonka, Brahma, Father, Mother,
even the Void of Nirvana? Do you think I care which of My Special
Children you feel closest to -- Jesus, Mary, Buddha, Krishna,
Mohammed or any of the others? You can call Me and My Special
Ones any names you choose, if only you will go about My business
of loving one another as I love you. How can you keep
neglecting something so simple?
No, I am not telling
you to abandon your religions. Enjoy your religions, honor them,
learn from them, just as you should enjoy, honor, and learn from
your parents. But do you walk around telling everyone that your
parents are better than theirs? Your religion, like your parents,
may always have the most special place in your heart. I don't
mind that at all. And I don't want you to combine all of
the great traditions into One Big Mess. Each religion is unique
for a reason. Each has a unique style so that
people can find the best path for themselves. But My Special
Children -- the ones that your religions revolve around -- all
live in the same place in My heart, and they get along perfectly,
I assure you.
The clergy must stop
creating a myth of sibling rivalry where there is none. My
blessed children of Earth, the world has grown too small for your
pervasive religious bigotries and confusion. The whole planet is
now connected by air travel, satellite dishes, telephones, fax
machines, rock concerts, diseases and mutual needs and concerns.
Get with the program! If you really want to help me celebrate the
birthday of My Son Jesus, then commit yourselves to figuring out
how to feed your hungry and clothe your naked, and protect your
abused and shelter your poor. And just as important, make your
own everyday life a shining example of kindness and good humor.
I've given you all the resources you need, if only you abandon
your fear of each other and begin living, and loving and laughing
together.
Now, I am not really
ticked off. Not really. I just wanted to grab your attention
because I hate to see you suffer. But I gave you free will, so
what can I do now other than try to influence you through reason,
persuasion, and a little old-fashioned guilt and manipulation?
After all, you know I
am the original Jewish Mother. I just want you to be happy,
and I'll sit in the dark. I really am with you
always. Always. Trust in Me.
Your One and Only, God