Doing Our Best

I recently saw the book of Mormon for the first time. I have to admit, I loved it. I totally enjoyed every inappropriate minute of it. I am not sure it is one I will ever see again, but it was wonderful to see it once. It's irreverent. It's raunchy. It is offensive. It insults just about every religion. And yet in all that irreverence, I picked out a very important message.

I never would have imagined that a musical would have such an effect on my view of faith.

I already believed that all people are trying to understand God. Jews were trying their best, and all these different Christian denominations are trying their best. And Muslims and Buddhists, all trying their best. And God understands it all. And GRACE people. It's all going to be OK.

But before I saw the book of Mormon. I thought the Mormon church was pretty out there. I mean, religion is not like Oprah's favorite things.

You get a planet and you get a planet and you get a planet!!!

 EVERYONE gets a planet!

(Please excuse my ignorant oversimplification of the Mormon faith, I have not studied it. I have seen a musical. Also it's supposed to sound ridiculous for literary effect.)

There's a song in the show where it says the bible has two testaments old and new, or only one if your a Jew. It describes how the Mormons have a third book from the prophet, found in the USA. (This is where my inner skeptic goes, yeah right, seriously people?)

And it hit me like a ton of bricks. The way I feel about that third book, well that's probably just about the same way Jews feel about Christians and the new testament.

Jesus. I mean, he was a cool guy and all. But he was God? Really? 

I don't think you Christians understand what God is.

Hint: He is Not a man. He is God.

Now personally, I get the whole Jesus package. Died for us. For our sins. Because frankly, we can't seem to stop screwing it up and there's no way we could ever get to heaven without grace. This whole package works for me. It connects me to God.

But that doesn't make it right.

And 

(and this is a really BIG And)

There is nothing that says I have to be right.

Who says there is only one way to connect to God?

We are all, ALL OF US, Jews, Christians, Mormons, Muslims, Buddhists... even Atheists professing not to believe in any God, or Agnostics who can never really know...

ALL OF US

We are just trying to understand that which is completely beyond our comprehension and always will be.

God is unknowable.

It even says so in the book. Job 36:26 (I chose the God's word translation)

"Certainly, God is so great that he is beyond our understanding."

I thought I had a pretty inclusive faith to begin with. Everyone is in; as my favorite bloggers like to say.

We're all just doing are best. We are all IN. We are all welcome at the table.

I didn't even realize my faith still needed to be expanded.

That my everyone wasn't quite everyone yet. 

Well, Everyone is welcome at my table. Even if I haven't realized that I forgot to welcome you yet.

So if you want to talk about Jesus Christ, or Muhammad, or Joseph Smith or ??? You're welcome to dine with me and there will be laughter and there will be love and wherever two are more are gathered, there will be God also. However you believe.