The Reverend Clovis Jones invited Texas Buddha to services one Sunday morning. Watching out of the corner of his eye, the Reverend noticed Texas Buddha singing the hymns with gusto and even saying the Apostles Creed.
At Luby’s Cafeteria after church, Rev. Clovis remarked, “I was surprised to see you reciting the creeds today. Did you believe what you were saying?”
After finishing putting sugar in his iced tea, Texas Buddha responded, “Creeds represent the best and worst of religion. At their worst, creeds are like the words we teach a parrot to replace the song of its own heart. At best, a creed sets the song of our hearts into harmony with the cosmos and with each other. At best, a creed is a hymn calling every bird into the one vast sky. At worst, a creed only teaches the dutiful parrot to make peace with its own cage.