Religious questions

From Hey Jules, via Claire Joy

Your opportunity to let your imagination go wild and see what kind of answers and adjectives you can come up with to these questions.

1. What do you imagine the earthbound Jesus smelled like? How does that differ from the post-resurrected Jesus in your mind?

My presumption, knee-jerk in its entirety, is that Jesus probably smelled of sweat. Maybe of wine once in awhile, too.

Post-Resurrection, he probably didn't smell sweaty at all. Clean and fresh. From a practical point of view, though, maybe he smelled worse? Lazarus surely did...hmmmm. Nope, I'm sticking with Tide-fresh.

2. When you think about the Holy Spirit, what picture does your mind conjur up? How do you picture Him moving about? How does He interact with the other two parts of the trinity?

The Spirit is more female than male (certainly more female than the rest of the Trinity). Her name is Sophia, after all.

Anyway. There's that dove thing. It's a long story, but I do picture my conscience as a dove, too, sort of the good angel on my shoulder.

3. What do the voices of the angels sound like? Deep and throaty? Light and lyrical? Do they speak in your native language or do they have their own?

Angels are serious creatures. They have serious voices, I suspect. I think they have their own language but can obviously speak human languages as well. Their voices, while solemn, are lovely to listen to.

On the other hand, I don't think I believe in angels in the traditional sense.

4. Out of the three parts of the trinity, do you feel especially drawn to one part? Can you express why that is? Do you feel closer to one part in times of stress and a different one in times of joy?

I'm drawn to all of them for different reasons. When I feel close to God it's because I feel a need for security and rescue. When I feel close to Jesus, I need friendship and intercession. And the Spirit is around when there is fluidity of experience happening. I prefer the Spirit and God; Jesus usually means I messed up.

5. When you say a prayer, do you imagine them taking on some shape or substance and going actually going somewhere or do they instantly vaporize? Or, are prayers "just words" to you?

Depends on the prayer. Normally they are 'just words." Sort of a verbal telegram to God. Sometimes, though, if I can get there, I actually feel them moving around inside. It's a little like gas, or baby kicking, for lack of a better analogy.

6. What color would the following items be if they could be seen? Mercy. Grace. Blessings. Joy. Sorrow. Peace. Gratitude. Okay, now what would each of these things feel like if you could hold them in your hands?

Mercy: blue, sky blue and heavy with solid edges. Grace: white and soft like a baby blanket. Blessings: sparkly silver, like lightweight heavenly money. Joy: Yellow and orange, very neon but all visual nothing holdable. Peace: blue-gray and soft like a summer dusk, or colorless and smelling like a sleeping baby. Gratitude: Gold and big like a Christmas present.

7. When you think about being in heaven with Jesus some day, do you imagine yourself talking freely and having open back-and-forth conversations with Him or do you think He'll still be in the role of teacher - speaking in parables and constantly challenging your thinking?

Oh dear, I hope he's not lecturing. I hope it's back-and-forth conversation with lots of challenging stuff. I'd rather he treated me as a disciple not one of the five thousand.

8. When you picture heaven, is it always day? Day and night? Do you picture it as being back on earth or up in the sky?

Heaven is a summer day with a light breeze. Of course, it's hard not to picture it being "up in the sky." I'd kind of prefer if it were in the mountains somewhere, personally.

9. What does the voice of God sound like? Is it actually vocalized or will it always be this telekinetic-type connection between He and us?

I'm not sure I could actually hear God. It strikes me that God's voice might be too much for our senses. I think it would have to be partially ESP-ish or we'd go mad.

Can one go mad in heaven?

10. What will it feel like to us to be in His actual presence one day? How do you think you will react?

I would hope that I'd have sense enough to fall flat when I knew God was in the house. Pretty sure I'll be terrified, at least until I was told to stop being terrified.