Yep, pretty much those topics in the title of this blog was what I was exposed to this evening when David and I joined our friends Julie and Robert to see Owen Egerton’s film, “The Best of God” along with co-host and fellow author Michael Largo at the Alamo Draft House. Both are in Austin for the Texas Book Festival to tout their new books, Owen’s is “The Book of Harold, The Illegitimate Son of God” and Michael’s is God’s Lunatics: Lost Souls, False Prophets, Martyred Saints, Murderous Cults, Demonic Nuns, and Other Victims of Man’s Eternal Search for the Divine. The film was a compilation of real films, commercials and television shows exclaiming their beliefs about God.

Michael was rather droll but a good straight man for Owen who was pretty hilarious and “real” at the same time. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this film but felt somewhat mollified as I looked at my fellow audience members waiting in line with me who all seemed bright, aware and with a sense of humor located somewhere inside themselves. I must admit that I was a bit taken aback when Michael and Owen walked on stage with the backdrop on the screen of their two rather mocking books. Wasn’t quite sure what we had walked into but it actually seemed to be an honest attempt to ignite conversation and awareness about our beliefs. Owen was disarmingly funny and very good at volleying very different concepts and beliefs simultaneously while repeating the wish for people to have conversations with each other and to be kind to each other. In my opinion, can’t argue with that.

This evening did make me wonder about a few things. One of the audience members asked the authors if in their research they acquired a sense of any kind of a “trend” that they were aware of with humanity and our beliefs and Michael Largo responded with a good answer around how in major economic upheavals like we’re in now, etc., we tend to see surges in cults and religions. Still, I sure wish we had time to explore that topic of conversation further. I’ve been hearing from several of my friends and relatives lately about the “mean spirit” that seems to have invaded the American public towards each others, towards just about everyone and everything that does not comply with our own beliefs. Usually when mean spirited behavior shows up or at least when it has shown up in my world, it is because of fear. Fear of being hurt, fear of losing someone or something, fear of abandonment so if a whole lot of people are being mean spirited now, I wonder what it is that we are all afraid of so deeply?

Perhaps talking with each other and really listening to what the other says is a starting point to unlocking the shackles of fear. Just a thought. Oh, and being kind to each other while we’re in the process, that too might help towards our healing.

Who will you start a conversation with today?