Impertinence

Impertinence

As long as history has been recorded, there has always been at least one of our species who just can’t seem to follow the rules. At least one who always has to go where we shouldn’t, who disobeys the sacred laws and draws divine wrath upon us all through the lightning rod of impertinence. It never seems to matter what deity is offended, Zeus or Odin, Shiva or Yahweh, but there have always been certain boundaries that man should not cross, and when they are crossed, the family, the clan, the tribe, or even the nation suffer. The odd aspect is that in a generation or two, it doesn’t seem as bad, and no divine being seems to be especially bothered. Maybe gods just aren’t as concerned as people seem to think. Maybe we were never actually kicked out of a garden, maybe lies don’t make baby Jesus cry, maybe Oppenheimer’s usurping of Shiva’s role wasn’t that big of a deal, maybe Muhammad really doesn’t care if someone draws a picture of him. Maybe it’s just us that condemn and blame and connect random occurrence with some sinful expression of physical frustration, while our divine overseers wait for our daily lives to go to commercial so they can heat up some nachos. If decadence was so despised, why would it be tolerated for so long without consequence? Maybe we’re supposed to learn how to deal with it, and leave the angels to more important things.