The New and Improved Crucifixion
Evangelical nutjobs are always asking, "Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?" For starters, Christ is the Lord, not just my Lord, and He is the Messiah, the savior of all whole world, which I suppose includes me. So, yes and no; He is my Lord and Savior without there being anything personal about it. I find the notion of a "personal" relationship with Christ hard to swallow. First of all, He died for my sins. While He was up on the cross dying one of the worst deaths ever devised, He was paying the price for sins I wouldn't commit for almost two thousand years. And because He did, when I die I can go to Heaven. How am I supposed to have a personal relationship with the man who died for what I've done wrong? Given the opportunity, I doubt I could even look Him in the eye without collapsing into a sobbing heap, much less have a few beers or watch a football game or any of the other things people do with those they know personally.

Secondly, He's God. You know, God, the guy who said, "Let there be light" and there was light. He called the universe into existence with a word! I am, to say the least, intimidated. And Christ is not just God, He is a man, too. During his life, He had diarrhea and got splinters and stubbed His toes in the dark. The power to call the universe into existence with a word contained in a guy who scratches His arse? Frankly, that scares the daylights out of me. I have a hard time imaging a personal relationship, a friendship even, with anyone who scares me silly. So, no, I have not "accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior," because I owe Him too much to be His friend and because He frightens me more than anything else in the world.

As a third point, I find the notion of "a personal relationship with Jesus" rather offensive. Who the fuck do you think you are? Jesus is your buddy? He's your boyfriend? By Lucifer's beard, show some respect! He DIED for you! He had nails put through His hands for you! He is God! He created the universe! Have enough respect for the man to address Him by His title, the Christ. It is more than a little presumptive to casually call Him Jesus, as if He's just another guy you know. I worship Christ, which rather precludes a mere friendship.

Anyhoo, tomorrow is Holy Thursday, the day of the Last Supper, the last full day of Lent. Ballpark one thousand nine hundred twenty-four years ago, a very nice man, the nicest to ever live, in fact, was about the enjoy the last full day of His life. He was away from His home, having come to be near the Temple, then the literal center of the Jewish faith. He was about to be betrayed by His people, and put to death by their Roman overlords. But before all that unpleasantness, He would have a nice meal with His twelve closest friends, knowing full well that one of them was about to sell Him for thirty pieces of silver, but sharing His hospitality nevertheless. Just something to think about when you're enjoying your tacos tomorrow.

The Revenge Begins
Volume II of Star Wars: Clone Wars rolls on. Through the first three of five episodes, it's wicked cool.