DON’T BOTHER POPEYE [T, 12-30-25]

BEYOND WINTER: The Feverish Mutterings of An Old Man—DON’T BOTHER POPEYE [T, 12-30-25]

 

Is it possible to have Christmas without Jesus? Well, sure, most of the world just did.

Is it possible to have Christ without Jesus? I hope so, for I do.

Is it possible to have Jesus without Christ? I hope so, for I do.

Is it possible to have God without Jesus? I hope so, for I do.

Comedienne Kathleen Madigan, Irish Catholic by culture, has a delightful schtick called “Don’t Bother Jesus.” In prayer, you go first to the rosary. Then to the priest. Then to your guardian angel. Then to your personal saint. Then to the BVM [Blessed Virgin Mary]. Only if all those fail to solve your problem is it okay to bother Jesus.

Being a hillbilly Methodist, it has never occurred to me to bother Jesus at all. I’ve always gone right to God.

But, it would be wise to pay no attention to my beliefs. I hold totally opposite views of God. I believe both in Borden Parker Bowne’s Personalist God, and Paul Tillich’s “ground of being” God.

Can they both be God? Well, why not?

I call God “Father” and also agree with Tillich that “…as soon as you’ve said ‘God,’ you’ve lost God.”

We get into a theological pretzel when we get orderly and logical about God. God is nowhere and everywhere. God is beyond pain and feels our grief. God is the lamb of sacrifice and the high priest who makes the sacrifice… or is that Jesus? Or is that Christ? Oh, who knows?! God is Mystery. As Martin Luther cried, “Let God be God!”

Or as God themself/herself/himself said “I am who I am.” [Exodus 3:14]

Or was that Popeye, the Sailor Man? Could they both say that? Well, why not? God can speak through Popeye as easily as any other way.

Just don’t bother Popeye until you’ve tried Jesus.

John Robert McFarland