Frustration at faith.

A nice man I know, who has helped me in the past has faith.

Faith however, messes with his reason.

I see that. Yet, I can not tell or explain it to him, because its so imprinted upon his mind that there would be no way to unwind it.

So, he said a number of things. He had been in trouble with the law, and in jail as a result, yet during that time his grandmother was praying for him, so things got better, he got out of jail and got a good job.

Well, it took "god" awhile to get him out of jail I suppose god couldn't rush the justice system along, but go grandma - pray his way out of jail... at the same amount of time that the system would get him out anyway! Hmm. Seems to me the prayer had nothing to do with his change of behavior. He behaved himself in jail. He reformed, was a model prisoner, got good behavior. That lowered his time. 

As far as getting a job - well, god must have hooked him up as soon as he got out right? Like just someone there at the door, waiting to give him a job right? No? Oh, well he had to look for work, make calls, apply, ask for work. Hmmm seems like god wasn't doing much there, but hey grandma is still praying away! So life is good.

Then grandma dies. Mortality sucks! Uh oh- now he has back problems! Well CLEARLY that is because no one is praying for him now. I mean it's not because he is older or got into a car accident or anything like that in fact the car accident must be because no more prayer .... hold on, isn't grandma up there WITH GOD NOW? Surely she would be asking god for help even now right? Or is it that prayer only works when you are alive? Hmmm seems to me he got a hurt back because of the accident and getting/being old.

Nah, must be the prayer!

Now he says that he was wise in the ways of the world - ah yes, don't be wise in the ways of the world, be stupid eh? No well what he means is that he thought he was smart by beating the system (doing illegal things) well no, that was not wise - if he had been wise in the ways of the world he would have known were doing illegal things would land him... but what he really means is that one thing was "the world" and to not be wise in that aspect of the world that is bad. Ah yes, a convoluted way to just say that doing some things are a bad idea, all because of what the BIBLE says about being "wise in the ways of the world" .... SIGH.

So, he has been cleaning up his area - that is good, we need to pray for the area! Why? Well.. that will somehow get people to clean up as well. Or well, maybe - and just an idea here, but perhaps others will see your actions and want to mimic it, or still others if you just say "hey clean up" they might do it, still others might have to be offered money to do it or be scared into doing it in fear of a fine - or both! Nah, pray! PRAY for things to change - yes all that work and effort are clearly not needed, "god" was cleaning up that area long before you started to do so... although... well no, because it wasn't clean. God wasn't doing a god-damn thing.

YOU WERE.

YOU ALWAYS WERE.

YOU ARE THE ANSWER.

NOT PRAYER!

If there is a god - it's not doing a god-damn thing to change anything.

But YOU are.

The faith you should have - is in yourself.

God doesn't deserve it.

Until God picks up some litter. Or gets you a job. Or fixes your back.

Until then, it's all you, and always has been.

Ah well, I can't tell him any of that.

Because his faith is stronger than facts.

He is a kind man.

But he is also a blind man when it comes to faith.

And - it frustrates me.

Because there isn't anything I can do about it.

..... so I'll just complain online!

Well... I wasn't going to not complain but that's a whole other thing.

Sigh.