A Tribute to the Train

I once got accused of being a Renaissance man. I believe that is overstating the case more than a little bit, but there is some truth to the fact that I very much like some things that others have written off as old fashioned or obsolete. One of those things is the train.

I love Amtrak. Sure, it isn't perfect. Its on time record could be better, but I have learned in riding the train that there are circumstances that are beyond Amtrak's control that do impact timely arrivals. Did you know, for example, that the actual train tracks in this country are owned by the freight lines? That means that freight trains have priority over passenger trains, and sometimes passenger trains have to stop to allow a freight train to pass. I have learned to cut Amtrak some slack now that I know about track ownership and right of way.

The train reminds me of a time when we weren't so self important, when we didn't have to be there as fast as possible. In fact, we really don't have to be anywhere nearly as fast as we think we do. Much of our sense of urgency is self created, and so is a false sense of urgency. On the train you can see the sides of a city the city attempts to hide from you - the back side, if you will. Buildings are constructed with their back sides to the tracks - on both sides of the tracks. Junk yards tend to be built near the tracks, as do homes of the economically disadvantaged. The homeless often camp near the tracks, I suppose because they afford a measure of privacy. Not too many people walk behind warehouses and junk yards to explore the railroad tracks.

The train also offers a wonderful opportunity for people watching. What kind of people ride the train? Near as I can tell, the same kind of people who ride the plane. Whatever people's preconceived notions about train passengers might be, I have learned that for the most part train passengers are everyday people. Of course, there is always a character or two on the train, and that is part of the fun. The train also offers an opportunity to catch up on reading, and to take naps. You tend to arrive at your destination well rested when you take the train because it has a way of rocking you to sleep.

The other nice thing about the train is that you don't have to go through the nightmare that has become airport security, and they don't charge you for baggage. You don't have to take your shoes off before you board the train, and you can take you nail clippers and just as much shampoo as you want on board. You can even take beverages that haven't been purchased past the security check point, because nobody wants to hijack the train. Well, they might want to, but the reality of the train is that you have to drive it on the tracks which means that hijackers would pretty much have to hijack the train to its normal destination - and there isn't a whole lot of call for that.

The train also reduce our carbon footprint. An almost unlimited number of people can ride the train - they just add another car. Trains never have to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River. In fact, trains are a very safe way to travel, and the train is an experience I believe everyone should have at least once in their life - so why not this year?

A Word About Comments

I have received some rather negative comments about my last post. Unfortunately, none of them were signed, and I do not post "anonymous" comments. I have the courage to stand behind what I write, and I only post comments from people who have the courage to sign what they write.

I would like to respond to some of the issues raised. Some folks felt it was inappropriate for a bishop to be angry and encouraged me to reread my Bible. Actually, I read my Bible regularly and have never found a passage that says it is inappropriate to feel, or inappropriate to be angry. What's more, there certainly is no indication that ordained folks should not feel - in fact, not being able to feel would be a terrible detriment to people in ministry as they would proceed on a rather heartless basis.

There was also mention made that I and the people whom I sheppard would all end up in hell. Since I do not believe in hell - in fact, the word "hell" does not appear in the New Testament in the original language - I am not too concerned about that. In fact, my personal feeling is that those who hold to some sort of hell have huge doubts about the efficacy of Jesus' redemptive role in the history of humanity. Such calls for damnation result from human beings projecting their anger onto God, not from any biblical understanding of anything

There was also a call for me to be reported to my supervisors for the angry tone of my last blog. How interesting, and yet how predictable. First, this is a personal blog and this is still America, where freedom of speech exists. I also took great care not to identify any individuals involved in the subject of my post. I assume the comment writer comes from a rather conservative theological position (given the tone of his comments), and I have always found it curious that conservative folks' answer to any disagreement is not dialogue, but rather an attempt to silence the person with whom they disagree.

So, to summarize: it is ok for people to mistreat other people, even people close to me I would assume, but it is not ok for me to have strong feelings about that. Very interesting, and in fact very curious.

I'm afraid we will just have to agree to disagree. I suspect that will be a problem for you, but that is your issue, not mine.

Back!

I have been out of action due to a death in the family, but have returned!

Speaking of family, what is it about a death that brings out the worst in everyone? It never ceases to amaze me that people who could not have given the tiniest little damn about someone while they were alive all swoop down after the person dies and engage in a festival of self deception and, frankly, lies about their motivations.

You aren't trying to "do something for the deceased" because you now recognize you failed to do anything for them - even spend the smallest amount of time with them - while they were alive. You are trying to control the deceased and those who actually meant something to her - you know, the family she built because the family she was biologically burdened with couldn't make time for her. You motives are not the least bit altruistic, they are all about greed. How do I know? I know because even when you are told that nobody gives a damn about the contents of her house and you can just take them all out, you still need control and you deny that you want anything.

Fortunately, the universe has a way of balancing things out, and each of you will be the victims of the same kind of heartless stupidity you now engage in - and your memory will be disgraced just like you are trying (but failing) to disgrace your sister's memory and wishes. You see, the problem you will have is that because you care only about yourselves no one is going to really miss you when you are gone. Take heart, though, your family will still fight to control you after you are gone.

It's a pathetic excuse for a life, and it is repeated on a daily basis when people pass away. It also represents a failure of religion, which has focused so long on fear and control that it actually encourages this kind of nonsense rather than teaching the reality that God is love - which would clearly also teach that we can't be in control of anything. Life is lived in letting go, love occurs in letting go. Those who love little only have control to turn to. Not much of a life, is it?