R.E.m. Cycles
by Chuck Van Drunen
Dream tidbits from noctural notions
I
t was a long week of dealing with a variety of life’s naggings, but it was a particularly disturbing week as I was researching the founder of my childhood religion commonly known as Calvinism.
I I
was quite heated.
n this dream there was a stack of books that suddenly appeared ohn Calvin was a very influential figure of the protestant reformation while I was referring to them that in the early 1500’s and helped in the success of uprooting the sole Calvin had written. And while I possession of Christianity away from the dominant Catholic empire. continued my ranting at Calvin, A very brave, dangerous, and daunting task. he looked at me with complete et, unfortunately, in my personal research of Calvin it had become indifference. And when I finally stopped spewing fire, he was obvious to me from various biographies, his own writings, and completely unrattled, unemotional, his own theology that he was actually, for lack of a better term, in my and he simply shrugged his opinion, quite a “well-intentioned asshole.” This conclusion seemed shoulders as if to suggest he could to suddenly take the mystery out of other observations I’ve had care less what I said or did in regards to him or concerning Calvinism. his books. o when I went to bed, and fell into a dream you can imagine my surprise and relative horror as I was visited by John Calvin himself. nd then he slowly pointed to the stack of books he had written He looked human, not ghostly, with a long-pointy beard, but seemed and said, to be coming from a heavenly/spiritual realm to our meeting. My initial response was that I was shocked, rattled, and a bit afraid, and THAT’S NOT WHO I AM.” while he said nothing upon approach; I began speaking a nervous, compliant, and apologetic mumbling. here was another moment of silence between us as these words fell over me. It completely extinguished my internal fire. I stood perplexed at his words, at his indifference. alvin seemed impatient with my rambling and stumbling with words, as I tried to rationalize and backtrack my distaste for his theology, and perhaps my overly harsh criticisms of his life. He was nd then he put his hand down and looked at me squarely. And disinterested in my deferments and held his hand up as if to cut me off, with a gentle sternness said: and there was a brief moment of silence where we just looked at each other. And then he spoke. Not softly, but not harshly either, he calmly said: AND THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO THINGS I REALLY KNOW. GOD IS LOVE. (and again pointing to his books) THAT’S NOT WHO I AM.” GOD IS LOVE.”
J
Y S
C “ T T
hen there was silence again.
hese words sunk into me. And then rather quickly they lit a fire in me. It was like a match to gasoline. It was a fire of justice, a fire of rightness, or righteous anger. And I was no longer shy or cowering, and I rose up and let Calvin have it. I told him…”Oh that’s great, your going to say that NOW!…, but guess what? That’s not what your books said! Thats not what you wrote! That’s not what you said! And that’s certainly not what you lived! And you know what? I’m going to show the truth of your perverted books, because most of what you’ve written doesn’t work with your statement just now. And what are you going to do about it! Huh? What are you gonna do about me exposing your work , your books, …as shit!”
A “ T A
“
A
nd with no other words, Calvin turned and walked off into the distance.
A
nd then I woke up.
