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I'm sure like most of my readers, all of us that have some kind of a brain have pondered things such as, "Where is God?" and "What can I expect from prayer and from God?" Well, these thoughts have gone through my head since the age of reason. After 60 years of wandering around this scary planet, I think I have come up with a hypothesis that I think makes sense. I'll start off with a quote from the
Bible: Genesis 1:26This is what I have learned in my youth during religious instruction. Since then, the idea has been festering in my head that mankind, womankind, or humankind (all the genders) is God. If we're made in his image, how can we not be? Every time I do something exceptional in the way of helping another human, I am often times the answer to their prayers. Just imagine if we all believe this, that all of our actions could directly affect the welfare of another human. Right now, I have a dog that I love dearly and she is near death in veterinary hospital. I can pray for God to make her better, or I can ante up the $900 a day that it takes until that happens - if it does. Almost every day in our life, we stand in a position to help some unfortunate animal or human. That is when we can play God. Just imagine, if we all subscribed to this theory - the person next to you in the subway, your fellow employees - you could tell them your wishes and needs and some of them might be in the position to grant you succor at once. Every day, many of us are in a godly position. Head of the parole department, doctor, lawyer, judge. If all these dignitaries knew that the decisions they have to make are godly decisions, they might become more introspective and expeditious. Just as they would wish their prayers would be answered. I know that a lot of you are going to condemn me for saying this but I personally believe that you can pray until you're blue in the face and the real help can only come from another human. Every day in the week, many of us are faced with these decisions: shall we fire the employee that we know really needs the job, or shall we continue to bear with them and their incompetence? And what about the employee that is really useful and significant that leaves without warning knowing full well his absence would be harmful to the firm? We all have the ability to met out punishment to all of those around us. It is nice to believe that some of the things that humans do would certainly not be done by God but then, remember, if you're a philandering husband and you're made in God's image, you may not be unique in your philandering. Well, for the last couple of years, I secretly and quietly have subscribed to this theory and whenever come to a crossroads where I have to make a decision that will greatly affect another human being, I step back and give it some very, very serious thought. Hey, if I'm part of God, I have to do that, don't I? It is not easy being God, let me tell you. It is very discouraging. A couple months ago, I read a story in the Wall Street Journal about an United States soldier who was allegedly wounded in Afghanistan at the start of our current problems here. Then I was very dismayed to read that he was in his early twenties, trapped in Indiana with mortgage payments due and a baby on the way. To make matters worse, his legs had atrophied to the point where his only movement was made by dragging himself along the ground with his arms - analogous to a dog who has worms. The reason that he was penniless was that the Veteran's Administration, were deciding whether he deserved any relief in the way of monetary payments. As a matter of fact, from this tribunal of pinheads, they could not even determine whether or not he was in Afghanistan. Well, good old godly Carl was outraged by this and I immediately called my good friend General David Young to see what he could do. I then called the Wall Street Journal to get this gentleman's name and address so that I could send him a check for $500, which I was able to do later that day. I attached a not saying that if the check would not provide immediate relief, he could call me and ask for more. Well, such is the obligation of carrying around the mantel of God. I'll tell you, it still feels good, despite the fact that I gave him my Toll-Free number and now 8 or 10 weeks later, I have yet to get any word of thanks or appreciation from him. Well, some of the harder hearts would say that this is absolute evidence that giving something to somebody is absolutely ludicrous. But, I believe that somebody on this earth is going to come forward and do me an awfully good favor someday in thanks for this. In the interim, I shall bide my time and wait. In other words, my philosophy is that, rather than wasting a bunch of time praying, go ye forth and do good for some other human being and try to answer some of their prayers and let's see if it'll be returned. If any of my readers could go and help me with this mission, it would be good to know and would make the world a better place to be in. My recently married son's wife is pregnant and a recent sonogram diagnosed that this poor little creature with Truncus Arteriosus. Now, the situation is that this little tyke is born with a defective heart, requiring immediate surgery upon birth. We're not going to waste time praying to some god because I know who the god is going to be, the executive of the insurance company. Who will have to pay for this operation, them or us... is he covered? And, of course, the ultimate god will be the surgeon. If all else fails, and $125,000 has to be put up for the operation, I'll have to be the god who provides it, no other. I was watching the pope on TV the other night on CNN and this semi-senile old geezer purports himself to be in touch with God. So it's not so strange that I should feel that way. Like it says in the bible, as ye shall sow, so shall you reap. Go forth and do good now. I firmly believe that you'll gain brownie points. Years ago, when I started in business, I had a wonderful partner by the name of Nate Rogers. He was the founder of Caesar's Palace and Texas State Optical, which later become Pearle Vision. One of Dr. Rogers' credos was to "Do the right thing by people. You're in a business which always has an odor about it of scam and fraud and duplicity. So either do the right thing or find different people to do business with, and people will be the path to your door. It's not easy; it's the slow way, but it's the solid way." He was right. So, if you want the answers to your prayers to happen, then you'll have to earn them. Do some good. Several years ago, when I lived in Beverly Hills, I was given the horrible job of raising money for charity. It's like trying to sell a Kirby vacuum cleaner. Basically, people are not very generous simply because they do not understand what they're going to get out of their generosity. They may need instant gratification, but it doesn't work that way. You have to be secure within yourself that by doing good, you're going to be getting good. And so what if you don't. You're a one person attempt to bridge the chasms and precipitous geography that our existence is strung with. I'm being hassled by some major watch manufacturers, which has proven to be frightfully expensive. Now, I'm hoping that good will triumph over evil. But, if it doesn't, I'm not going to give up. Hopefully, I'm in this world for the long haul and this is the way I choose to finish it. Shalom for now, Carl Marcus P.S. I will appreciate your comments. Feel free to email me here Stay tuned for my next very controversial monograph regarding the Jewish position on playing God - maybe that is what we were chosen to do. Was Jesus Jewish? Yes. Maybe in every Jew is the genetic material that is the vestigial remnants of our creator. More soon... P.P.S. The dog, Goldie, died... and it was up to $3,000 a day but such is the way of this godly business. It's like cyberspace... sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. |
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...