rone | GOD: THE INTERVIEW

It struck me last night as i was drifting off to sleep that people's relationship with God is not unlike the one people have with celebrities. People are aware of the celebrity's life to varying degrees; some read People and watch The Style Channel assiduously, while others just see them in movies, or TV, or just hear about them. These would be your median worshippers, from the devout to the nearly-lapsed. Some people stalk celebrities, and these are your religious nuts. Some bump into celebrities in normal places, and they're like people who have witnessed miracles. Some people go to places where celebrities are often seen, and scream and shout and even pass out when they see their favorite celebrity. These would be like Pentecostals, or maybe also whirling dervishes. Then you have people who hate celebrities because they're rich, beautiful, and/or famous, and mock those who are part of the cult of personality; yes, atheists.

As an agnostic, i'm not interested in celebrity; i'm interested in people. And i think (if i may be so presumptuous) that believers should stop treating their god like a celebrity, stop treating their holy text like it's a weekly glossy magazine, and should start cultivating a real relationship with their god, because of the simple fact that he's there for them. All the answers you want are very likely inside of you, as well as all around you; all you have to do is look. Asking people in the "entertainment business", that is, your priests, might not necessarily be the best option, because they might be blinded by the glare of celebrity. Ask your friends; ask people who follow other "celebrities"; heck, ask an atheist. But don't settle for the Joan Rivers Fashion Special.