Let's talk God

Quite frankly, I am a big fan. I believe in God 100% and nothing anyone says could possibly make a dent in my faith. I do not adhere to any particular religion because none of them quite match my beliefs, but I'm looking. I don't believe that God is exclusive and I do believe that most religions are. In fact, I would go so far as to say most religions are not very God like. They make hierarchies for living creatures and for the ranking of  humans and I have a very hard time accepting that God agrees with that. I cannot accept that God decreed Man is the head of the household and woman was made to serve and obey her husband. I cannot accept that we are to hate others in the name of God. I cannot accept that animals are lesser beings without souls that humans get to rule over but do not have a responsibility to treat with kindness. I have a pretty hard time accepting the Bible because it was written by men for men. I grew-up in the Catholic church, which is corrupt as can be and has been since it was formed. The God our priest spoke of was full of wrath and fury and our lives were to be ruled by sin and shame. And no one can convince me that we can put negative human emotions on God.  Sorry, I don't buy it. I believe that we can attribute all that is good in this world to God. And all that isn't gets to fall on human shoulders.

Anyway, my issue is with people who are stray so far from the obvious that they feel that the way they worship or the religion to which they belong makes them superior. I know that as a Catholic I was taught that "we" were the true religion and everyone else was going to hell in a handbag. I mean, most of us were going to hell, too, because we would never be good enough for God, or at best we would languish in Purgartory for all eternity, but if you weren't Catholic, you didn't even get to be in limbo. Just hell. Except of course for our parish priest who drove around in a CADILLAC and smoked cigars. It's that vow of poverty he took. He could only afford a Caddy. And priests? Why are they higher than nuns in the ranking? I am fairly certain that my 98 year old great aunt who wanted to become a nun and do God's work so badly but was forbidden to do so by her father that she had to wait until her father died and then took her vows and entered the convent in her 30s is no less devoted to God simply because she is a woman.

Off topic again. Big surprise. Anyway, I just don't like it when people use God to deem themselves superior to others. It doesn't work that way. I know plenty of people who are deeply devoted to God but don't use it as their label or a bumper sticker but rather a way to try to live in the kindest fashion that they can.  I am uncertain why people need to define themselves by  wearing God like He's a Gucci handbag. Define yourself by your actions if you wish to be Christ-like. Don't list it as your label on the internet or on your shirt or the back of your car. What? You think you won't get into a car accident because you've got a Jesus fish? Do you honestly think that's how shallow God is? Why don't you stop with the proclamations and start with the helping someone with a walker load groceries into their car? Why don't you stop walking past the bin asking for blankets or coats for those less fortunate while you wear your WWJD bracelet and actually take off your coat and put it in the box? Why don't you stop with the handholding and singing and praying at rock concerts and start with the food donations and sponsoring a family in need? Why don't you try putting your neighbor's newspaper on their porch when you know they're out of town or shoveling the driveway of the elderly couple next door and stop telling everyone how into God you are? Man, just be a good person. That's what God wants. It's pretty freaking simple. 

P.S. When I say "God", I mean in whatever incarnation one believes in a higher power. I call this being "God" because that's what I was taught, but I think we are all worshipping the exact same deity, no matter what religion or belief is held.