by Gary Wright

Created on: June 14, 2009   Last Updated: June 16, 2009

Mortality: My thoughts

In the recesses of my mind is the enigma we all ponder death. Fear of death is number one in our catalog of what-to-be-afraid-of-in-this-life and yet it is the one thing we will all share at sometime.

There are a lot of cultural biases on this subject. Since this is America and we are taught using the Christian Bible, let's start with that reference guide.

It is wrapped in a neat package, but when we dissect it, the creature takes on a completely different form, it mutates to something not quite recognizable. Genesis has us being created out of love and compassion. A giving Father who derives great pleasure in giving his first creation, a son, all that he needs. There is a beautiful place to live, plentiful supply of foods, and even a perfect mate. Then disaster strikes and they are thrown out of their place of perfection and the threat of death ensues. From there on out, it is a downhill spiral, and Man, did it take a plunge?!

Next, we see that everything and everyone dies. The first murder, the first sacrifice, the continual wars ad infinitum, are all documented for others to read and more clearly understand the consequences of certain actions. Now there are established rituals which are supported by superstitious believe systems from all different cultural influences that help to embark our ancestors on this metaphysical journey.

We see death as a punishment from that same loving Father-god figure, who has turned into a dictator and executioner. Fear of the consequences of disobedience are then demarcated and a new enterprise is bornthe organized religious format used to distribute these new embellishments, which we now call the church. It was a great set-up. Jurisprudence created as a salve to calm mankind worry about and explanation for the actions of what is by this time an almost maniacal Father in the sky with judgments galore and fates for every wrong action conceived by man, woman or child.

And this is where I come in. I was a young child reared in a Methodist Church and heard all the scary stories and later in life became a member of the Assembly of God church, born again and filled with the holy spirit. I did and said what I was taught and had experiences like some others, but obviously my own version and I loved and adored the family of which I was a part.

Then reality hit! I started to change inside and discovered there was a term for it. I was coming out. Yep! I started to act on the

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