Jesus loves me, this I know....

I would like to say I wrote this. But Athenae did.

Credit where it is due, and all.

I just ... Honestly, at some point in this country our entire spiritual thing just went completely off the fucking rails and I don't know how to get it back on because every time I talk about that I get called condescending to religion and smug and stuff that Barack "Man on God" Obama says is turning off evangelical voters.

It's like talking to five-year-olds. Yes, Jesus loves you. Yes, that's important. Yes, you're a very special snowflake, unique in your own special way and redeemed by the Lord and stuff. Now get OFF YOUR ASS AND GO FEED SOME POOR PEOPLE.

Honestly.

A.
Athenae

Honestly.

Isaiah 57_414-58:14 (NRSV)

It shall be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way."

For thus says the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

For I will not continually accuse, nor will I always be angry; for then the spirits would grow faint before me, even the souls that I have made.

Because of their wicked covetousness I was angry; I struck them, I hid and was angry; but they kept turning back to their own ways.

I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will lead them and repay them with comfort, creating for their mourners the fruit of the lips.

Peace, peace to the far and the near, says the LORD; and I will heal them.

But the wicked are like the tossing sea, that cannot keep still' its waters toss up mire and mud.

There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked

Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins.

Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that praciced righteousness, and did not forsake the ordinance of their God: they ask of me rigtheous judgments, they delight to draw near to God.

'Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?' Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight, and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fastings as you do today will not make your voice heard on high.

Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in spread sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?

Is not this the fast that I choose; to loose the bands of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them; and not hide yourself from your own kin?

Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,

if you offer your food to the hungry, and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness, and your gloom will be like the noonday.

The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong: and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.

Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.

If you refrain from trampling the sabbath, from pursuing your own interests on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, and the holy of the LORD honourable; if you honour it, not going your own ways, serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs;

then you shall take delight in the LORD; and I will cause you to ride upon the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.