A flurry of stuff.

So many bloggers are discussing today how Sept 11, 2001 affected them and where they were. Since I answered Bonanza Jellybean's post about that, I'll just send you to her if you ever wondered where I was when the first tower got hit.

I will say this, that I will be 29 on Thursday. I tend to love and fear my birthday at the same time. So much has happened during the week before and after my birthday in the past that I fear what could come along next. One year, my grandfather died. Same year, my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. Sept 11. C once broke up with me the day after my birthday. (we started seeing each other again about a month later). My father and all his jail stuff... I think last year was different and I pray that this one will be too. We will see. I will be on pins and needles until next week sometime.

Yesterday, Biker Bob and I were watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. We had a very interesting discussion about The Holy Grail. Ordinarily, I don't discuss religious things with Biker Bob because he's Catholic and I'm NOT and well, we just aren't going to agree on the schematics, and we accept this of each other. However, we definitely agreed on this:

That if there is a Holy Grail, and it holds the power of eternal life then...

A) If you believe in Jesus and the idea that your belief in him shall provide you everlasting life, as quoted in one of the few Bible verses I actually know ("For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believith in him shall not perish but have everlasting life"*) It is possible that the cup would poison you, allowing you to join God in Heaven. Unless, of course, you are Catholic in which case the very act of killing yourself is a mortal sin...I just thought of that. Does it count if you kill yourself on accident??

B) If you believe in Jesus, and all that stuff I just said, stopping at the poison cup thing, and the Grail did provide eternal life on Earth, why would you choose immortality on Earth as opposed to life in Heaven with Jesus?

C) It could be that finding the Grail would force you to decide whether you truly believe the words of Jesus and by not drinking of the cup, you choose everlasting life in Heaven with him, and by choosing an everlasting "mortal" life (I know you are immortal if you never die. Work with me here) you are essentially rejecting the possibility of life after death and therefore your faith in Jesus is invalid.

D) Unless, of course, like the Knight in the movie, you choose immortality in order to serve the Grail as protector.

Now, I am not Christian, so it is doubtful that I would go out searching this treasure, although there are chalice myths in many traditions, and I do keep a cup upon my alter. However I have to ask myself, if I were to come across the Holy Grail and have the opportunity of eternal life (which, really, as the whole conversation started out, by believing in the power of the cup you are accepting that Jesus was indeed the son of God) would I take it? I would like to say no, as that would remove me from the greater life cycle and holiness that I do believe in. But given the opportunity, it is difficult to say how I would choose. It's difficult to say how anyone would choose.

Certainly a thought provoking and interesting conversation. What would be your choice?

*Please do not correct my quote. I know many of you are far better biblical scholars than I. This is how the verse is written in my Great Grandmother's Bible. I have seen it written differently, but this is the way I learned it. Each Bible version is different.