One of the questions long stuck in my brains is, “Why was there a snake in the garden of Eden?” Why would a place by definition created perfect have a fatal flaw in it, one consigning Holy Paradise to a long-term future of weeds, painful childbirth, chaos, and death? For centuries theologians have argued endlessly about why a benevolent Creator would put the ultimate beguiling poison pill in Nirvana. It was only a couple of days before humans were running around ashamed of their nakedness, blaming others for their woes. Religious wars have been de rigueur ever since.
Throughout history hundreds of religious sects, both Eastern and Western, have claimed special knowledge of holy truth. Countless manuscripts and books have been written throughout time and ascribed the status of inspired holy text; given down as inerrant voice from Heaven. Millions of adherents have followed teachings of diverse gurus, prophets, and those claiming to be Deity itself. Alas, many of these teachings contain strong seasonings of exclusivity to them – creating polarities of ‘us versus you’, ‘we versus them’.
Throughout my university years I was involved with proselytic campus religious groups with stated missions to convert everyone else to their way of thinking; embracing their tenets of doctrines. It was mentally exhaustive to journey to Daytona Beach during spring break and endlessly pass out religious tracks in attempts to garner subscription to my way of thinking, a way of thinking and belief I was all too unsure of for myself.
It’s been my good fortune to visit the best available vestiges of paradise in an ostensibly sin-fallen weed-infested acrimonious world. Just before I went overseas last month, two missionaries loaded with books and scriptures came to my door. Rather than flicking them off as fleas, proclaiming my busyness in preparing for my journey to Paradise, I let them start on their spiel.
Holding up a magazine one of them asked if I had ever seen it.
“Many times”, I stated.
“What did you think of it?” the one holding a small child asked.
I declared it was like many others, claiming special knowledge of holy truth; one believing other ways of spiritual practice and belief are false. Instantly they declared this one to be different because the present earth would not be burned up in the end-time scenarios promised by other groups!
I proceeded to tell them it could not matter less to me in any way, shape, or form whether this planet got burned up in a Revelation end-time scenario or not. The only thing mattering to me is the next right thing; asking God to show me what the next right thing to do is, for the next five minutes. I explained how my thoughts on theology and dogma had greatly simplified since studying these in excruciating detail decades ago in Europe.
If I can merely chain together a sequence of ‘next right things’ then my life will have no regrets and it will have been maximally useful to God and those around me. It won’t matter which of the amillennialist, pre-tribulation, post tribulation, or eternal security pundits are right. Mattering even less is if I’m Catholic, Protestant, or some other species of belief. God, what is the next right thing for me to do? They left without ever opening their books, asking only if they could quote me. I told them to have at it; it wasn’t original with me.
The Genesis story tells us Adam and Eve got in trouble because they believed the snake’s promise of being able to gain special knowledge about stuff only God is supposed to know about. They were afraid of losing something or not getting something without this knowledge. Their quest for special knowledge or enlightenment didn’t work out so well. In the garden fear suddenly came upon Adam and Eve and God found them hiding in the bushes. If you believe the story, soon weeds began to grow and everything else started to die except the weeds. Weeds don’t die.
If I believe God makes Himself known to all of those who seek Him, I don’t have to be driven by a fear I’m going to miss out on something because I don’t have special knowledge. Even Christian scripture declares, “They are without excuse because He has made Himself known through the handiwork of His creation.” I don’t have to run to the nearest religious sect or buy the magazines brought to my door. I don’t have to change your thinking. Evidence is hard-coded into Creation suggesting something far more benevolent is at work than a God with his finger on the smite key, waiting to burn up the planet.
Perhaps the real serpent in the Garden was fear, fear of losing something or not getting something we wanted. In recovery work we learn quickly fear of losing something or not getting something we want drives most of our other fears and the ensuing self-destructive behavior. As we say in recovery, “This short word somehow touches about every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through with it. It set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. … We think fear ought to be classed with stealing. It seems to cause more trouble.”
Personal liberation comes when we let God take the serpent of fear out of the gardens of our lives. Bill Wilson, as one of the co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous., declared as will millions of others, “The practice of AA's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions in our personal lives also brought incredible releases from fear of every description, despite the wide prevalence of formidable personal problems. When fear did persist, we knew it for what it was, and under God's grace we became able to handle it. We began to see each adversity as a God-given opportunity to develop the kind of courage which is born of humility, rather than of bravado. Thus we were enabled to accept ourselves, our circumstances, and our fellows. Under God's grace we even found that we could die with decency, dignity and faith, knowing that "the Father doeth the works."
We now find ourselves headed to a paradise free of the great serpent. It’s an equal-opportunity destination for those wanting to live fearless lives. It doesn’t matter if you believe the world gets torched in the end or not.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Blessings,
Craig C. Johnson
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