Government and religion

To diminish the risk of sounding obsessed, I'll come back to the tweenagers later.

I'm getting my new passport today: how's that for a subtle change of subject! I had to send for a birth certificate, to confirm that I was born, and that on the day of my birth I had this long sorry-assed name. My government, well not so much MY government but rather the government I have to put up with, has decided a few years ago that my long-standing-official-asked-everywhere certificate of baptism was no longer valid nor in good standing.

Obviously the first remark is that since I didn't have a name until I was baptised, how can the government issue a certificat of birth in my name! The wonders of modern bureaucracy. I did get the certificate, and it is indeed in my name. I am so very happy that my government, well not so much my - you get the picture- , recognizes that I exist. It fills me with a sense of being!

I kid you not.

When you are officially recognized as being, by an entity way bigger than yourself over which you have no control, there is a certain smugness to it. You think to yourself: "I'm here! No matter what anyone says, I'm HERE!", because in reality once my government, well not so much - I must stop that- , recognizes that I AM, no one can debate the point. It's an absolute certainty which mere mortal cannot comprehend, nor combat. It's almost religion.

In fact it really is religion. Why did my government, - well - , decide all of a sudden that flock-managers in the clergy were no longer trusworthy individuals? It became obvious that the clergy will answer to a higher power, but not necessarily to the government as the highest power. For whatever reason, suppose there is a tug-of-war in the flock-manager's heart between God and the Almighty. Which do you suppose will win out? My chips are on God.

So the government finds intself in a situation of second-string which is, of course, totally unacceptable. The clergy is no longer trustworthy as representative of official government documentation. Enter the sworn-in public functionary. This person obviously has only one highest power and that would be the Almighty, and not so much God, and by the same token is delcared to be beyond reproach, or at least more beyonder than our clergy-type.

I don't know for sure, but I'd be willing to place a small wager that functionaries have to put their hand on a bible to be sworn in as official government reps! When I worked on election census a few years back, I had to swear on the bible that I would accomplish my tasks, blah, blah, blah. Little did the Almighty government realize that I was really gonna swear if I didn't collect my paycheck. It's all an act of conscience, and they hope that the bible will intimidate you enough to fess-up if need be.

Like I'm really more afraid of the bible than the government? The bible may smite me where I stand, big f-ing deal! The government can truly make my life a living hell. Which of these two is worse?

But now my government, - need I say it?- , recognizes that I exist! I have an official document that says so. In religion parlance, I've been admitted into heaven. I can now go on about my life and get even more proof that I exist from yet another highest power. I'm thinking of taking this up as a rewarding career.

What could be more rewarding than a higher power acknowledging your existance? Hell, I didn't get nearly as much acknowledgment that I was worthy when I did time at Nortel!