Morning commute and the one thing I hate “Preaching on the Train” (1)

Hello Everyone,

How are you? The ride to work is always, well not always but sometimes, the most interesting part of the. There  are about 20 million people in NYC during the workday, and it seems like 200 times more during rush hour. One of the things you will get use to seeing on the train is people who come in preaching.

Sometimes they come singing off key really really loudly a christian hymn. Other time they have pamplets telling you how the end of the world is near, and that this or that politician is the beast of revelation. Its really really annoying and funny at the same time. Today I was fortunate to be subject to a lot of off key singing at 149th Grand Concourse station and I was told how I must repent to enter the kingdom. I was told how beautiful heaven is. It turns out if I get there I could eat and eat and not gain weight and no, I know what you are thinking,  I can eat everything I want not just subway sandwiches.

Nothing I like more than being scared into treating people nicely, and doing good things because God will burn me with fire. Somehow despite hearing   this for years and going to catholic school and hearing the same things in another more toned down way [ do this or be punished] I have come to feel that [warnings of paina dn torture to comes, hellfire, brimstone] isnt Christianity at all. I feel at times  that what was once sublime and living in Christianity has in many cases been forgotten.

Looking at today’s trends and  what problems we are facing I feel we are long past the days of ‘what religion is better’ or ‘Who is going to be saved’ or ‘Who is in allegience with The Beast’. I can hear Sister Margaret’s call warnings trying to keep us from the grilling and charring of the hellfire. To me what is important is our personal experience of the Divine in the arena of our day to day life  most of the times. We are all people first. I think the real church, masjid, or temple ultimately is the human heart. The Question at the end of the day is how big is our heart. How large an experience can be keep and hold in our hearts. There are as many ways to the truth as there are people.

What do you think? These are just my commuting musings.

Dave