Religious Nut Jobs

It's not even noon yet and already I've had an interesting day. You can't see him, I understand, but sitting in Interview Room 3 is this guy wearing a red hoodie and blue jeans that haven't seen the inside of a washing machine since Carter was in office, claiming he has to blow up Chicago because God told him to. I had to cuff him because he had two knives and a loaded pistol on him. Sometimes, I just don't understand people.
On our way to pick up this loon, we passed another clown on the corner of W. Jackson and S. Wells wearing a sign saying, "The End Of The World Is Near." He was jabbering into a bullhorn trying to scare everybody. Doing it a block away from the Sears Tower is a pretty decent spot to get people's attention. The local boys were dealing with him, but there was a news crew there filming this nut. They were all smiling and laughing at the guy, clearly they didn't take him seriously,but they were still there.
That got me thinking.
Remember a few years ago when that painting was supposed to be crying real tears? Or when that teenager sliced open an apple and claimed there was a perfectly-shaped design of Mother Mary's head inside. Or the statue that cried tears of blood? That one is my personal favorite. My point is this: religious nut jobs are everywhere, and people seem to listen, and give credence to, these nut jobs. Are we, as a people, this desperate for something supernatural in our lives? Do we want to believe so strongly that something greater than us is out there somewhere that we will grasp at anything, no matter how ridiculous and bizarre it is?
I was born and raised in Chicago, folks. I come a long line of cops. My ass was in church every Sunday morning growing up. Still is today, I'm a man who believes in God and Jesus with all my heart, but I don't believe God or Jesus works in such an outlandish way.
What I mean is, I believe it's possible to talk to God. I just don't think that God is going to tell you to blow up the city of Chicago. I don't think He proves He exists in the core of an apple, or by making paintings or statues cry. Somehow, I just don't think that's His style. You want proof of God; check out a thunderstorm sometime. Or a rainbow. Listen to the pure harmonious sound of a child laughing. Gaze at the sheer beauty and scope of a mountain. Watch a tidal wave (but not too close.)
That doesn't do it for you? Okay, how about this; explain to me how somebody gets shot in the head at close range - and lives. Or gets struck by lightning and survives. Explain childbirth to me, or that time the kid fell into the Gorilla pit at the zoo and the Gorilla protected him. Explain a person waking up from a coma after years and years. Explain the Earth already having everything we need to survive (air, water, food, plant-life) by the time we humans took it over. Explain how a bird flies when science has proven that it should be impossible for them to. While I'm at it, explain why there are so many different kinds of animals, bugs, mammals, fish, plants, trees, on the planet. Why are there dogs, or cats, or mice? Ever stop to think about these things? I have. Of course, I've come close to dying before as well. That may have something to do with why I've thought about all this stuff before.
My point is this; I understand the need to have a Higher Power in our lives. Some kind of supernatural force that guides us, leads us, helps and protects us. Trust me, I get that just fine. What I'm saying is, don't go to such bizarre lengths to prove it's there. Don't walk around saying "God told me to blow up Chicago." That will just result in me slapping some cuffs on you and dragging your ass down to the station for a little chat. You want proof of God? Look around you - all around you. The proof is everywhere and in everything. The things you don't even think about or notice, that's where the proof is. A wisp of wind across your cheek, a pleasant smile from a stranger, that annoying urge that finally makes you pick up the phone and call your mother, a hug from a loved one. People, trust me, it's all there.
Kind of mushy for a cop, huh? Well, what can I say, I'm just a big softy at heart. No promoting of Original Sin today, that's not what this particular blog was about. Just do me a favor and don't tell Lang. He gets all kinds of pissy when I'm not in my selling mode all the time. A part of me understands, I mean the man is just trying to raise a noise about his novel, I get that. And most of the time I'm more than willing to do my part, but this blog was different. I had something on my mind. Lang, and Original Sin, can wait until tomorrow for me to ramble on about how good of a story it is, and how it's coming out soon on i Universe Books. For now, I gotta go talk to a nut job in a red hoodie and filthy blue jeans. This ought to be good. Wish me luck. Until tomorrow, this is Detective Dallas Holden signing off.