An Epiphany

I have a friend who claims that she will return here reborn one day The essence of morality bereft of our mortal decay

Payton and I

I have a friend who says that she

will return here reborn one day

The essence of morality

bereft of our mortal decay

 

She claims only those who believe

will be allowed to live here then

This tapestry her god will weave

from all faithful women and men

 

I have a little misgiving

that I pose to a faithful few

What is it makes life worth living

if not the character we hew

 

Tolerance be the holy way

humility tempers us true

So why curtail what others say

as if this world were just for you

Our religions seem a bit grim

even somewhat selfish at best

Save ourselves by worshiping him

and to hell with all of the rest

 

No good man worships another

nor our father wish that from you

He'd rather you helped your brother

as any good father would do

If the Word be Truth let it shine

and echo out over the seas

May the Dreams be both yours and mine

as the winds that blow through the trees

 

Author's Note

Born and raised a Catholic I still find I often think on this conundrum. Why would a god want worship anymore than a father of his children? It would seem counter productive for a god to demand worship of you at the same time telling you as a father to be humble. God did not give me a brain to follow others like sheep. It would be wrong not to use it to question the concepts we hold dear. If this upsets someone I am sorry. Not for the idea but for the injury. I am forced by nature to question all we hold dear.

Reviews

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

This is a beautifully written and thought-provoking poem. For all of those who worship "God" for the sake of their own skins, forsaking all the rest, I wonder what that same "God" thinks of him being forsaken for all the rest. So many profess to believe; and yet, they try to mold God in the shape of man rather than the other way around.

Take any issue: abortion, same-sex marriage, couples living together before marriage, etc.; and one can clearly see how society as a whole has forsaken "God" in favor of themselves. Even those who act most fervently in the name of their "God," do so for their own selfish reasons that have nothing to do with God.

Beware the man - the beast - as lamb.

[Tate Morgan]

It is funny how god takes on our characteristics isnt it

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Predictable and true. :-)

[Glenda]

Jesus, the Son of God, said, "I am come so you may have Life more abundantly."

I believe in Jesus. Screw what's going on in the world and what anybody else thinks!

See? Doesn't that make life more enjoyable? Thank You, Jesus! (awesome poem, btw)

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Glenda Nice of you to stop by

[Fabian G. Franklin]

The thoughts of God are not the thoughts of man nor can God be likened unto a man, shall the clay esteem itself as its own creator or the vessel the same as the potter which shapes it? Shall it speak out and say, "He did not make me!" No. But He says, "I receive no honor from mankind." And nothing our worldly minds can conceive can add to His honor, His glory, His power or His sovereignty. Without mankind, God is still every bit God, but without God, man is nothing.

[Tate Morgan]

Fabian nice to hear from you. We all have questions ideas and wonder on our future. I hope yours is bright.

[Chris Shaw]

Not a fan of organized religion Tate. I have seen too much of what that does. Tolerance is key and regretfully, there isn’t much of that floating around these days. Too many think their way is the only way. Everyone else can go to hell. Was good to read you. It’s been a while. All the best.

Chris

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Chris nice to hear from you as well. Christmas is well underway. I hope youre well. I know tolerance is the last thing we see in religion here anyway

[jacob erin-cilberto]

It surely does seem to be a contradiction...humility vs. worship...
I was raised Catholic as well....but found too many aspects I could no longer abide.
Organized religion tells us too many things that we should have the right to choose for ourselves.
This poem really hits home.

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Jacob. Hope youre well. Merry Christmas. You know I argue all the time with my better nature over this

[Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn..]

Tate,

As I have shared with you, I am not an advocate or supporter of Organized Religion, though I spent many years as a Baptist Preacher wherein those years of in depth research and study revealed to me that which the Church does know historically of that man they have dubbed as Jesus in embracing the Gospels (literally: God-Spell) as magically mythological accounts (accounts which the Catholic Encyclopedia confesses were anonymously written & the RCC gave them their names of today) of Jesus the Sun-God's life and execution by the Romans via crucifixions which was the mandated Roman punishment for those found guilty of sedition and open revolt against the occupation forces of the Roman Empire ...

Religion, as with so many other things regarding the affairs of Mankind, is a form of supremacism, a form of presuming oneself to be better than others, above others, more worthy than others, with those others being relegated, in one's snooty snobbery laden self-righteous mind, to a lower level of worthiness, righteousness, and sinlessness, even to that of a sinner's Hellfire where a God who loves them shall roast them alive forever without end, without pity, and without mercy, as those better than thous look on in glee of witnessing Human Beings suffering in agony that shall have no end ... Poppycock & Horse Manure is that which all Religion is made of ... This is a most excellently written piece of poetry ...!

Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham

[Lorry]

If only religions could agree on some basic principles, like helping fellow msn and woman and do some good, rather than telling us what we do wrong, as in anything they don't agree with, then all it succeeds in is division, and we already have enough of that to go round.
We can only hope, like everyone else, that treating people like how we wish to be treated is a small step in the right direction and that we set a good example for our future generations to learn and grow from.

[angel]

FOUND IT! It was worth my lengthy search, too.
I'm one who was raised to believe. I can't remember any time when I was unaware of God, who was, and is, to me, my Father in heaven.I have felt his presence and I hear and feel His breath in the wind. I see Him in everything around me, the works of His hands astonishes me daily.I have just always known he existed, always was aware of Him.

[Tate Morgan]

Angel somehow I missed this review. I realize I haven’t been paying much attention to the café unlike days of old I’m sorry I really do appreciate your comments Time just seems to fly by anymore

[angel]

Perfectly all right. I have been busy also, with fixups and rewrites of the book I am getting published.
I am not here much lately, myself.
Thank you for taking the time to reply!
You were right to refer me to MY IMMORTAL SOUL.
I cannot say enough in praise of this book.

[Tate Morgan]

Many thanks for that comment Sometimes I wish the inspiration that led me to write that book would revisit me

[angel]

It will. Just don't try to force it...you're a writer, man, and you can't lose that. It's in your DNA.

[Tate Morgan]

I howled you are right

[angel]

Ewe will sea...it's awl inn side ewe.

[Johari]

A worthy sentiment beautifully expressed.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Johari Nice to hear that today

[melissa]

Another amazing poem tate Keep up the great work and keep them coming

[Tate Morgan]

thank you melissa

[melissa]

You're welcome

[Leslie Philibert]

It is always difficult to write about belief. I am an agnostic, their may or may not be a God. If there is one then he or she ( I think ) will forgive all, and not care about individual belief. The rest is revenge.

[Tate Morgan]

Oh I so agree with thus each if us is a pieceof the life on earth each a member of the chorus from which life sings both diversity and melody make life much more interesting