The Conversion

She’d come down alone from the house on the hill,

But changed, I could see that too,

‘I can’t, any longer, keep seeing you Phil,

I just don’t believe in you!’

She’d listened too long to the words in her head

That were placed there by somebody else,

A secret agenda misled her, I said:

‘You need to believe in yourself.’

 

‘I know they sound plausible, up on the hill,

They’re experts at twisting your mind,

They plant their subversion so deep in your will

That you leave your own feelings behind.

But listen instead to the beat of your heart

And the things that you know, these are true,

Don’t let them divert you, confuse you or hurt you,

Hang on to the essence of you.’

 

‘I need something deep to believe in,’ she said,

‘They offer that, up on the hill!’

‘They offer submission to what they commission,

And part of their creed is to kill.

The secret of living is give and be given

Allow every man his own creed,

For nothing is certain, there’s no iron curtain

Between what you want, or you need.’

 

‘The rules are laid down in their Holy Book,

They tell me they come straight from God.’

‘In whose estimation, or interpretation,

Which version, don’t you think it’s odd?’

The next time we met she was swallowed in black,

Her head bowed, three paces behind,

Her lips had been sealed, couldn’t answer him back,

It was like the blind leading the blind.

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[R Smith]

Excellent David, it reflects to me a situation occurring now in the world where young people are being brainwashed to cross the world and fight for an organisation whose message seems to be hate and kill anyone who does not believe as they do, a situation we must pray soon comes to an end, live and let live please.

[Jennie Baron]

Richard is spot on in his statements. This is very timely.

[TL Boehm]

OUCH! This is a good one with a subtle barb. I was thinking more of a close family member who converted to a religion that I consider a cult - but Richard Beevor hit it right on the money with his review.
It was like the blind leading the blind. Yup.

[Avinash]

Anything born out of submission to fear will only yield darkness. One of basic human traits is not to stand alone for truth but to conform to lies told by your group. I can read many things between the lines here but all I can say the purpose of human life is the freedom of the soul and not slavery for sure. It will send us back to dark ages. I loved the intricacy interwoven with certain element of romanticism.

[Marie]

At first I thought this woman had entered a convent, but then I realized it was something far more sinister.
People who are lacking something in their lives think cults will give it to them. But that isn't the way to wholeness either.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "God has no religion." Religion is a man-made dogma meant to control other men. Anything that breeds hatred among men is not of God. I think the Hindu religion probably represents best the concept of embracing all religions and not forcing one's beliefs upon another.

In reading this poem, while overtly pointing to religion, I couldn't help but think of the government as that "house on the hill," capitol hill, that is. Government operates pretty much the same, controlling men with its dogma --- it's rules and regulations.

Men were not meant to live in bondage; yet, so many willingly submit themselves to the chains of ignorance. Sadly, it's really not a case of the blind leading the blind. It's a matter of evil men wanting to rule the world and the men within it.

I've missed reading your work.

Linda Marie

[MomzillaNC]

This one really hits close to home for me. My husband is from the Middle East. We have a friend and a niece who are Christian converts and cannot go home again without literally laying their lives on the line. I've never understood how someone can embrace a dogma the subjugates rather than liberates. Christ embraced everyone. He's the only faith leader I've ever heard of who made the woman and everyone equal. He allowed a woman to have the prime place of the honored student, at his feet. Sadly, most people don't realize what an honor that was in those days. Wasn't it Socrates whose student killed another student over that privilege?

It also seems to me, that our technologically and socially advanced Western culture can find a direct correlation to the advances in women's rights. Just think what resources and man hours those other countries expend policing their woman and girls, keeping them subjugated, and policing their rigid moralities.

Dogma sacrafices humanity and real Faith. Faith cannot ever be forced upon any soul. Faith will only ever be between an individual soul and the Devine. Legalized dogma is evil: in my opinion, that is Satan and all that concept implies.

[Helen Crutchett]

Loved it......very cleverly written in your easy to read style David. Brilliant in fact, much enjoyed it. Thanks! Helena :)