Woke up this morning with a thick head, sore throat and the sniffles - like yesterday. But thinks - is a gorgeous crisp and crunchy day. Not going to let that get in the way of our plans for pottering
The ma rang around 9ish asking the Izzie among other things if we wanted to go to some cathedral service in the city tomorrow evening around 8pm. She wants to go but does not care for lurking in the city alone that late. Izzie politely declined the offer and said we'll just stick to the usual Good Friday Tenebrae (Izzie just loves gloom and doom). Let's keep her wondering about the nocturnal activities of her evil spawn. She accused us of being a pagan Godless infidel to which we could only snigger and smirk.
Slinked off soon after to Fremantle. First stop was the Garden of Arcane Delights. Perfectly planned to arrive at the start of Question Time but it turns out the lazy buggers have got yet another week off. Was so so looking forward to more bucketfuls of mud being tossed about in copious quantities
Next stop was the weekly art and craft markets but yet again the bookbinding lady is not there. Must have given it up as a waste of time but maybe even now she is busy binding a bunch of green leather blank notebooks and black furry cat boxes. Then it was munchies at the Juicy Beetroot followed by a second visit to our favorite garden and lunatic asylum
At the moment, there's some group doing the rounds - the Impact World tour - a bunch of born again happy clappers. They had shows both last night and this evening at the arts centre. Would have gone tonight - any excuse to lurk late around our most sacred site but we had other plans. Sculpture by the Sea finishes this weekend so that's where the Izzie was going instead. A beach and sunset and lots of pretty objects - not to be missed.
Sat at a table near our favorite tree. As well as reading, squiggling and ratty little picnics, we often save starting special books or playing with new toys for this particular place. And today's toy was the very
gorgeous gilt edged Devil's Picture Book that arrived in the post on Friday.
The cards are in a very pretty blue box and while based on the rather plain and boring Rider Waite tarot decks, that is about the only thing they have in common. The pictures began life as an online deck only but due to popular demand got released in the traditional form. Sort of funny really considering that they are based on medieval and Renaissance art. Was amazed to find that they are actually collages since each picture looks like a proper painting. But the collage is so well done that you don't notice all the extras are an add in. Some of the critters do have grumpy ugly faces - is a bit scary seeing an Alexander Downer clowne from the middle ages looking rather pompous and Popish. But they are truly in the minority.
While drooling over the gorgeousness of them all, some young thing comes over to the Izzie's table with a tattered book in his hand. He's seen us with these cards and concerned about the error of our ways. A bit taken aback when we inform him that there's lots of angels, saints and even Jesus among this collection. He was so not expecting that.
But then he launches into the usual spiel about God so loved the world ...... Izzie replies "Well. What sort of God would expect some innocent person to die for our sins" as well as adding that we did not care for such a petty vengeful old man in the sky who expects to be adored and worshipped constantly.
"It's just an old boys club" full of people projecting onto God their own petty misconceptions and ego trips.
or something along those lines and that with this whole Father and Son business, females were nothing more than spare ribs in their religion.
Oh but there's plenty of women in the Bible he replies and gives the usual spiel about the scene in the graveyard on Sunday.
He then goes on about false paths and Jesus being the One True Path.
Yesss. That's precisely the problem. Each religion claims that it alone is the One True Way and all the others will rot in hell. Added for good measure "In the Beginning was the Word, but the Word had to be interpreted"
But missed a chance there. Should have also added "What is Truth" and play him at his own scripture quoting game
The next line - decided that we'd be the one doing the questioning rather than him trying to keep his poor victim on the defensive as such sorts are so used to doing "The problem with too many religions is that there's no room for questions. You'll all tell me what exactly will happen after we die but the truth is that neither of us has died yet and those who have are not in a position to tell us, so we don't actually know but no one is honest enough to say that"
Of course - he knew exactly what was going to happen and that gave the Izzie a sneaking suspicion. Changing the subject again - we asks "Do you believe that God made the world in 6 days?" Oh yesss. He certainly did and then started spouting the usual creationism crap to which Izzie replied that we see no contradiction at all between evolution and the existence of a Divine being and that once again this is a sign of people projecting their limited conception of reality onto the Divine.
At this stage, it was 5pm - time to be catching our bus to Cottesloe.
Izzie added wickedly "I'm a daughter of the Serpent and proud of it" and flashed our snake ring at him. He looked most peeved indeed.
"I'll pray for you that you see the error of your ways and turn away from misguided paths to Our Lord and Saviour" Izzie says "You do that but it will be a full time job praying for this soul"
Funny thing is - Jesus himself did not seem to have much time for such unquestioning and grovelling obedience and was probably a bit of a rabble rouser in his day. But all this suffering, resurrection and miracles stuff means that folks can overlook just how quick witted he could be and how damned good his stories really were
It was so amusing to then get the bus to the beach, look at the pretty critters, trees and birds and of course the waves and sunset. Now this is the one book of God that Izzie never gets tired of.
Yesss. Had another little picnic for sunset and wondered what this poor fella would have thought if he'd seen those rather thin wafery biscuits we were munching with our wine before he turned up. Sat looking through the cards again after sunset thinking what an evil Godless creature we are.
So that was the catch. Free concerts but an army of the Soul Saving Squad moving amongst the audience looking for sad sinners.
It's as well he did not peek into the bag of books sitting on the table. Dropped into Vinnies after seeing a copy of Tulipomania in the window for only 4 silver sickles and came out with Shadow of the Wind and the 3 Conversations with God books as well - two in hard back and each also only $$4. Got them from the library years ago - dismissed them first as yet another pompous John Donohue wannabee jumping on the spirituality bandwagon but soon thought differently when hearing the fellow on the radio and then actually taking the trouble to read them. Reminded Izzie very much of a cross between that John Denver movie and many of the Anthony De Mello books. So needless to say - liked them very much. Now that's the sort of God that Izzie can relate to. Seems very Taoist but with a twisted sense of humour. But pure blasphemy as far as our happy clappers are concerned - especially as this particular god has no problem at all with science or evolution
Full of lots of little one liners. Rather liked "Enjoy everything. Need nothing"
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
