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. :-)

[SpokenWord]

Tate, Has the religious people come to get you yet and take you off to be brain washed again yet? People often don't question religion, they believe what ever is told to them with a blinding faith then try to force it down everyone's throat. I have many thoughts on this and often never share it because I tend to piss of religious people to no end and I get tired of them telling me I am going to hell just because I can think. I am christian/baptist but I study other forms of religion and I study spirituality and universal principals on top of it. I think of myself as a thinking Christian in many ways.

Your poem asks the question here about what we believe and follow without thinking first and it dares us to think first. Bold, strong and great write.

[Sel Whiteley]

Beautiful, you've distilled the essence on so-called truth central to religion and the so-called onehood of the trilogy. This reminds me of the best of Lord Byron. Have you ever read, "The Vision of Judgement", it's a stunning social critique from a committed atheist. From the other perspective, even Aquinas said that the questioning was the sign of a true Catholic, look at Doubting Thomas. I am a committed atheist already so this just reinforces my perspective. I love the new angle, that of a father looking at him as a father in the heavens and what behaviour he should want. I think that's very clever. The rhyme is strong and the poem isn't cluttered with imagery but simple and direct, all of which remind me of Byron. I think he might have written a masterpiece like this. If you haven't already maybe look into this man. He's a big hit in the U.K and Ireland too. http://richarddawkins.net/

[Dream Weaver]

I also was raised Catholic but that’s where it ends.
I don’t see eye with their stubborn ideologies, does
that make me a bad person, I think not. I never
begrudge anyone’s religious beliefs, everyone needs
something to believe in. What I loath is that they
try to cram it down your throat and if you don’t
accept it, you automatically burn in hell. I would
never push my beliefs on someone else who wasn’t
interested. Therefore I think this is a very poignant
write.

[Tony]

Yes, this is an issue of much controversy.
I think that in the trying and illuminating times we are living... it's becoming clear that religious organizations, while maybe having good intentions, simply create sheep. It occurred to me that most religious people consume the same things as the heathens, and the same consequences of the mindless consumption of the planet, cannot rationally be called 'righteous'.
So, what is the difference between the two? I see nothing.

I am reminded of a BlackSabbath song that is very spiritual, even christian, and one line says;
'are your thoughts so small, that you have to fall, in with the pack wherever they run?
will ya still sneer when death is near, and say the may as well worship the sun?'
That is how I feel really,
I don't think your poem is anything but illuminating. Salvation, reincarnation, spiritual transcendence, ... none of this will occur because we went to church, or did nice things, or got baptized.
It will happen when we correctly interpret our incarnation, through proving it, just like Jesus said.
Good work, Tate.
This one was a bit of a different twist for you!

[Nobody.]

beautifully said. faith is a wonderful thing when it is ALIVE. Living faith helps others rather than condemning them. I am moved by the sentiments expressed in this piece. they make me review myself, and my faith. thanks for that. cheers!

[M.Babu]

Being open minded is at times very hard....especially when it comes to religion. This is very bold and the tone of curiosity carries the reader with you on the exploration of the probability of reincarnation and perseverance of different beliefs.

I avoid religious pieces but this one has an edge of objectivity that i can commend on.

Once again,
Well written my friend!

[Judy Ponceby]

Questioning our faith seems to me to be a natural process. Given our brains and freewill, we are wonderful creations. And yet, I feel we do not know what God is in truth. So we explore and learn and question, finally coming to what we believe, each of us, to be our own truth. I applaud your questions and your desire to understand, Tate. A well written piece to provoke thought and discourse.

[NoneOfYourBusiness akaK..]

one who is not religious but understands the spiritual and humanE responsibility we have to care for each other~our world and all she carries~this is a relevant expression of the same~

[Cherrie]

good flow of both word and rhyme

[Neva Flores Smith - Cha..]

Tolerance be the holy way humility tempers us true So why curtail what others say
as if this world were just for you.

I consider myself to be a spiritual person not a religious one and this poem hit home in a very good way. Love it Tate