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. :-)

[ice]

We old hippies still call this type of poem "Heavy"
And that it is, and hard to lift and carry for many.
The scent of this poem floats everywhere any of us have questioned our faith..
I also was raised Catholic, but preferred to be called a Friend, as an adult that has atomically examined the various religions, and found everyone of them marvelous, until I examine the dogma everyone of them professes to be the ultimate truth..

What I have found in life is that there is only one truth..and that is that everything temporary-impermanent.

You can call that dogma if you like, but it does have something to do with your poem..

Who will help this man? Do you leave his only spiritual comfort to his dog?
Or just damn him to hell in this only existance that is proveable.?.
Or will you take the advise of one who was said to be perfect, and be your brothers keeper when you can?


One of your best poems, because of its thought provocation.

Namaste, my friend.

[Sujash I. Purna]

"No good man worships another
nor our father wish that from you
He'd rather you helped your brother
while in life those wonders renew"

This is spectacular! I really appreciate you sharing this marvellous work! I have a very little knowledge about Catholicism. So I guess I should be an spectator here.

[Robin]

I could fill this page with my ideas and experiences about death and religion. so I will try to be brief and use this analogy - you could go to Yosemite and take a guided tour , see all of the landmarks in an afternoon and have a wonderful experience to draw upon ... or... you could set aside time and set out on your own , and explore the canyons , mountain tops and rivers . and along the way you meet like - minded souls and you share the far deeper experience .

[.]

in death we will all see the Truth...and for many it may be a big shock!

[Rory CJ Frankson]

Tis a good poem lad ;) I think the content is challenging and generates thoughts about why we believe for sure. Some of that is passed down from generation to generation and just accepted. It's right to have a mind of your own. "Faith can be conditioned by no man save himself."

[Lourisa]

Excellent! I fully and completely agree with you. I have just about a million questions and then a million more on issues like this. It is great to read something like this and realize you are not alone after all, not the only fish swimming upstream in search for cleaner, clearer waters.

[Tommy]

I think we all ponder about these things, or at least I do. The nature of God, I like to think of Him as love. I have been told and tend to believe there is only one sin unforgivable, and that is to deny God. I think this is true, because if you deny Him you are not willing to accept His forgiveness, which He readily offers. I tend to just follow my heart. I don’t want to go too deep into this, because so many believe different things, faith is so personal, but I don’t think you crossed any boundaries; it is natural to question, and search for answers. I also believe everybody will be offered the truth at some point, and in the end it will be up to us to accept it…No one really knows how we will be judged...

Great flow of conscious thought Tate!

Great Write!
RLG,
Tommy

[EMW]

I think this is done very well. I can't see anyway of someone brining wrath down on you. When it comes to writing anything related to religon it can be hard for that to not happen. I think we need to be or own person and stand up for our beliefs. The last paragraph again is my favorite. This whole poem just makes you stop and think. Good job. 100/100.

[Helpless]

You are absolutely correct in this! people that claim to be so holy and believe in God, usually miss the whole point! that we should caring for others and thinking for ourselves and doing what we feel is right. Not Following the crowd of sheep that want us to think like them and walk like them, so we can all be lead to the same slaughter house! life is for living and loving and learning! not for being blind to emotion and beauty! this world would all be so much better if we all understood that. the more we question society, religion, beliefs, etc., the more we realize what is truth and what is not! fantastic writing, this is going in my favorites. 100/100