Simplistic and Fundamental

"From a distance the world looks blue and green,
and the snow-capped mountains white.
From a distance the ocean meets the stream,
and the eagle takes to flight.
From a distance, there is harmony,
and it echoes through the land.
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace,
it's the voice of every man.

From a distance we all have enough,
and no one is in need.
And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease,
no hungry mouths to feed.
From a distance we are instruments
marching in a common band.
Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace.
They're the songs of every man.

God is watching us. God is watching us.
God is watching us from a distance.

From a distance you look like my friend,
even though we are at war.
From a distance I just cannot comprehend
what all this fighting is for.
From a distance there is harmony,
and it echoes through the land.
And it's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves,
it's the heart of every man.
It's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves.
This is the song of every man.

And God is watching us, God is watching us,
God is watching us from a distance."
sung by Bette Midler (don't know if she wrote it)

How far away do we have to get to see it that way, too?

I admit that I am having a good deal of trouble these days about the nature of god - or nature as god - or god's name, and what have you...

And I KNOW that I don't understand all the points of view about things religious, particularly when war and killing become involved...

But, is not the basic fundamental teaching of ALL religions love & peace?
What am I missing?
Explain the (oxymoronic) meaning of 'holy war', please.

I was listening to the Dixie Chicks newest CD earlier today. What they wrote (even if in anger and hurt) was some powerful music with VERY moving lyrics. Now, they were a little angrier than I might have been (or not). But it seems to me that they turned a tidal wave of hate and anger that was focused at them into some wonderful poetry and some interesting lessons for us.
And I even grew up in Lubbock. They are not wrong about that place, either. And even that does not make Lubbock a bad place.
It just points to some weird thinking that goes on in the minds of some.

I confess that I just don't get it.

Joel and I were discussing it (again) today on a short road trip.
Spirit v. religion, I mean.
(My background is Christian, very fundamental Christianity) so, how did we get from Jesus and 'love thy neighbor' to where we are today? I've listened to some members of my extended family and old friends from the church I grew up in, talk about gays (did I mention I'm lesbian?), about Muslims, about our borders...about countless topics where they prove to me that there is NO 'love thy neighbor' in their minds at all. But they're Christian, so they are right in their own eyes. I'm not Christian, so I must be wrong... ?

I'll bet that's true everywhere. I'll bet that right next door to that Muslim fundamentalist who's throwing (and wearing!) bombs, is a family who just wants to live in peace with their neighbors and have the right to believe what is true for them.

I know there are turf wars and oil wars and religious wars.
I know that every side has right ideas and wrong ideas.
I've tried to find out a little about the basic beliefs of most of the major religions (and some of the minor ones) in the world. I read more blogs and news sources than most people I know, and I have in inkling of how little I really understand about the nature of the fighting/hating/grasping that I see all around us.
What I have not been able to find is ANY basic religious text that teaches that God Hates or that God kills. What am I missing?

I do know that this country, and perhaps others/all, has produced a huge flock of sheep that would rather be told what to do and think than to search for their own answers. Is that what is wrong with all of us? Maybe it's that, combined with the possibility that those in control of our religious organizations may be really wolves in the clothing of sheep.

'Organization' is a buzz word for me, too.
It seems that there is a great deal of money and power residing in religious organizations.
And in this country, it's non-taxable money in most cases. Hmmmm....
It seems that proselytising is very like marketing.
Results = more people = more money = more power. Hmmmm...

So I blunder along, seeking spirit (Spirit) rather than religion;
saying I'm not Christian, but not knowing what else I might be;
longing for a nunnery without a 'religious' leader; reading Lao Tzu and watching my knee jerk when I hear the word 'bible';
thinking maybe Laura's right, and Nature possesses the only real Law.
If that's true, to whom do I say "Thanks"?

I show my age when I long for the 'old' days when things were simpler...
even that's not right, I was young and saw the world through tinted lenses (not always rosy).

I want to imaging a different world, one where this is true:

"Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the peopleLiving for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one."
by John Lennon