Several weeks ago I was talking with a friend via IM when he started asking questions about whether or not I believed in fairies and such things. As I was about to respond I stopped myself and thought for a moment. My trained Christian reaction said "No, I don't there is no such thing.", my romantic (adventurous) side said "It is possible they exist.", then my philosophical side spoke up "Is that what we're calling them these days?".

I sat back for a moment and considered what my philosophical side had suggested. As I know them faeries are spirits, typically occurring in nature. They can be good, sometimes a little mischievous, and other times they can be downright evil.
Looking to my trained Christian side I asked if there was any kind of spirit that could be good or bad. They hesitated but the answer was obvious. "Angels are spirits who can be both good and bad.".
My linguistic side choose that moment to throw in their two cents. "To-may-to, to-maa-to.". My philosophical side agreed with a "Bingo.".
For a moment I was stunned by the thought. What if my beliefs weren't as different from everyone else's? What if my friend and I believed in the same things but we were just calling it something different? After all every belief system out there has its fanatics who flaw it.

Bringing myself back to the conversation I gave a vague answer. As he asked more questions I provided more vague answers, still considering the revelation I had just had. When he finally called me out on being vague I told him that I felt we were talking about the same things and just calling them by different names. I gave him the example of the faeries and angels which he thought was interesting.

Since then I can't stop thinking about the revelation I'd had. It gives me hope and understanding that God has built one path to him but given it many names; I've never liked that idea that we all have to shove our beliefs in a tiny man made box or be cookie cutter Christians. Now my trained Christian side is freaking out that this is going to land us, as in me, in hell for such blasphemous thoughts. My Christian side is in favor of it "God isn't narrow minded like humans are. Besides being goth hasn't gotten us kicked out.".

I still can't help but feel that it seems a little bit like playing with fire. I know there are a lot of people who could point out all the differences between belief systems but where has focusing on the differences got us?
Is it playing with fire or a divine revelation?

When I was pondering a question posed by a group I am a member of I had the urge to trace my right hand on one side of the page and my left on the back. As soon as I had done this I felt God silently willing me on and began writing my feelings and my realization about the exercise on the front side of the page, on the back side I continued the revelation and felt God smile at me.


The power of this experience leads me to feel that God wants me to share it, so here it is.

 

I hate all your show and pretense
the hypocrisy of your praise
the hypocrisy of your festivals
I hate all your show

Away with your noisy worship
Away with your noisy hymns
I stop up my ears when your
singing ‘em
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood
of justice
An endless procession of righteous
living, living
Instead let there be a flood
of justice
Instead of a show

your eyes are closed when you’re praying
you sing right along with the band
you shine up your shoes for services
but there’s blood on your hands

you turned your back on the homeless
and the ones that don’t fit in your plans
quit playing religion games
there’s blood on your hands

Ah! let’s argue this out
if your sins are blood red
let’s argue this out
you’ll be white as the clouds
let’s argue this out
quit fooling around

give love to the ones who can’t love at all
give hope to the ones who got no hope at all
stand up for the ones who can’t stand up at all
instead of a show
I hate all your show