It’s
important to know what contrast dogma
is before making that all important “fight or flight” decision. The phrase,
however, is not easily defined and when defined, not always understood.
By definition, contrast is to compare in order to show unlikeness
or differences;
note the opposite natures,
purposes, etc.,
of whatever the subject might be. Dogma is a specific tenet or doctrine authoritatively passed
down, as by a church. So, contrast
dogma would be a comparison of differences in the doctrine of the church
and alternative doctrine or concepts. The question that begs an answer
is; should we fear contrast dogma?
The answer, like the
definition, is not easily interpreted. For more than two thousand years, people
all across the globe have been dominated by the dogma of the Catholic Church;
that of the omniscient and vengeful God. A God who, throughout the stories of
the Bible’s Old Testament, incited war, famine, genocide, incest and an
innumerable amount of iniquities upon his own creations. Not only is such a God
worthy of complete and paralyzing fear; the Catholic Church dogma demands that He be feared!
By contrast, Jesus as
portrayed in all three novels of the Imagine Trilogy is a soft spoken, kind
young man (mostly like the Catholic version). He performs miracles that help
people in need (like the Catholic version). He has come to save humanity from
oppression (sort of like the Catholic version). He has returned to save the
world (a tiny bit like the Catholic version). He has returned to teach the
people of the world The Way to
happiness and immortality (not anything like the Catholic version).
This Jesus…Eloah…comes from a parallel universe
(not the womb of a virgin). He says that an omniscient God does not exist, nor
is there a place called Heaven and another called Hell. He claims that the
spiritual energy of all people is immortal. In addition, this energy instills morality
and ethical behavior and is genetically passed along to every human and mammalian
physical life.
Eloah (Jesus) is a human
being from a society that is technologically and sociologically advanced. His
sole purpose is to do good deeds and to teach others how to live harmoniously
throughout all of the multiverses. Eloah and all that he represents are the
walking, talking contrast dogma to
the Catholic Church and all other monotheist religions.
Would you be afraid of a
man like Eloah… of contrast dogma? Not
likely. On the other hand, the omniscient God that dominates the religious
beliefs of Christians, Islamists and Jews has often been characterized as a
fractious God. He has been described as loving and gentle one moment, and
extremely vicious the next. If He existed, I would be very afraid of this God,
wouldn’t you?
Although I’ve no proof,
it is said that Stephen King appointed himself the Master of Horror. So, it is that a close associate to a
professional partner of mine, after reading the first novel in the Imagine
Trilogy, labeled me, Master of Contrast
Dogma.
I like it, although most
people simply scratch their heads and walk away whenever I try to explain it to
them. That’s okay… not every new idea or phrase becomes an overnight success;
sometimes it takes a week, a few months or even years. Whether or not contrast dogma ever becomes a household phrase
or even a new fiction book genre, is not a question. The original question was
should we be afraid of contrast dogma?
You tell me.
No comments:
Post a Comment