My God

Mark Twain

If I could create my own god

a soul of both solace and mirth

He who needs no one’s flatteries

nor demands them from all the earth

 

He would not possess jealousy

a trait that even men despise

Showing each one he is equal

within the lord of this worlds eyes

 

Having made of each a sinner

he would love all of us the same

Blaming himself for our failings

not tempering us in a flame

 

Our lives would be a tapestry

a quilt of love, that beauty built

Where he'd take pride in what we are

and not punish us, for his guilt

 

Author's Note

We have to keep our God placated with prayers, and even then we are never sure of him -- how much higher and finer is the Indian's God......Our illogical God is all-powerful in name, but impotent in fact; the Great Spirit is not all-powerful, but does the very best he can for his injun and does it free of charge.
Mark Twain

It seems that it truly is our own intolerance of others that will do us all in. We need to occasionally look at ourselves and the things we believe. How else can we ever effect change. It almost makes me wonder why Jesus decided to come here as a 6 ft white man with blue eyes. This in a area where the population is under six ft tall and has light brown skin and brown eyes. He certainly would have stood out. We all know what populations do to those who are different. It is enough to ponder that a man doesn't know if he should laugh or cry! Could it be as simple an observation as this? Could it be true that man created God in his own image? That would surely be one way of explaining him acting like us.

Reviews

[jdr / Jennifer]

A very powerful, very courageous write. Although we all seem to think differently about religion- I wanted to comment on the beauty and elegance that this poetic piece of writing exuberates. 'Our lives would be a tapestry, a quilt of love that beauty built'- stunning imagery- and this piece has a wonderful flow about it. On a more personal note of its contents: ‘Do I believe In God?- Yes.’ But I also believe that God would want us to ask questions and to never stop searching for what ‘we’ believe in as individuals and as a whole. To find out what helps us get through life and experience it in all its glory. To learn to from every step we take and to pass our experience, our lessons and our love on to others. Not to doubt that there is a higher power than ourselves, but to find what it is that we believe in our own heart of hearts. I do not think that it is for us to prove in our own time, but to just believe… And to have the vast majority of the world believe… That is some miracle. No matter what name you give to it.

Thank you for sharing your incredible talent.

[Tate Morgan]

You always seem to intently study what you read.i appreciate that immensely. I never have been one to be led by the masses .I always make up my own mind. I look at the Soviet Union for instance and there was a government and way of living adhered to by an entire culture.Yet flawed to the core. I think we always need to evolve.If I were thew father of humanity I would not create a subspecies below me in every way. As a father i want my son to become more than me not to strive to be worthy of me.

[lee von cleef]

"More than me" , (A hitch hiker on your conversation) "More than me" I believe is a very Christen thought,not a universal one ,though it would be nice if all thought that way.

[Tate Morgan]

You are no hitch hiker lol To me you are a fellow traveler on the light /

[Carolann Dowsett]

Wow ok not the way I see God or feel God for me God is full of love and mercy. He created us and we sinned, we let Him down, we chose to go our own way and ever since He has been trying to bring us back into His loving embrace. Nicely written though.

[Droll Prole]

Tate man did you even bother to read the bible or even take note of the description of Jesus there within? Man you need to let go of all your old Catholic ideas and start again.

[Tate Morgan]

Yes I read the Bible.While I found many interesting things I also found one thing that stood out over the rest. This the claim that man was cast from Eden for eating the fruit of The Tree of Knowledge. Heaven forbid we ever become sentient and learn the truths of life. Would I rather be ignorant and content or enlightened and puzzled. Ill take enlightenment any day. We are responsible for our own transgressions. That because we are enlightened sentient and we know better.

[Droll Prole]

And because we are so enlightened and better now I'm guessing that the ten commandments were a waste of time too, you need a crown to go with that big head of yours Tate lol

[Tate Morgan]

The ten commandments are common sense Is what i would say .It does not mean a person has a big head just because they refuse to believe in BLIND FAITH! That is the easy way out. Pretending someone else will pay for our sins .The mature thing is to realize our culpability in the way the world is and responsibility for our own condition.

[Tate Morgan]

As to a all knowing all loving god I'd say try to tell that to Anne Frank. If the Jews are the chosen people I'd hate to think what we are. As the all knowing and loving god let 6 million of them be burned in the ovens of Germany!

[Droll Prole]

lol Tate, if you don't want to be a Christian it's ok, you don't have to be. If you don't like the Jew's religion you should totally find another one that does it for you.

[Tate Morgan]

I like the Jews just fine Had a Jewish girlfriend once she was great .I have no opinion of them really they seem nice.I think ill look for a better fit in religeon

[Droll Prole]

You'd make a fantastic Buddhist I just know it :D good luck man

[Tate Morgan]

this might fit
Panentheism

[Pax]

I keep reading this again and again... I always see the richness and power of its words in your understanding mr. Tate... your god is a perfect example of compassion like what we have talk about... I find this poem really overwhelming because of the emotions you put in it...

a very well expressed poem...

[Tate Morgan]

Pax.Thank you. i suppose we need to learn to question our belief system. Just because something is held as doctrine for 2000 yrs does not mean it is true.We once thought the moon was green cheese for example.

[Tate Morgan]

Of the 57 reviews this piece has gotten it has but one true abstention. That from my friends Mark.But either from respect kindness or deference He offers no alternative line of thought that would lead me to believe this is incorrect. I would say his tolerance of me though says a lot about his character and intelligence.I tip my hat to you sir Mark!

[Pax]

I nothing wrong for questioning our belief system... we human its part of our nature to seek truth... so its only natural to question our belief as we question everything around us.. even the universe we are still uncertain of its vast information out there... and also every thing has its own flaw even the tiniest bit can be considered flaw... for i believed nothing is perfect in this world and it can only become perfect in our own understanding of the truth we have found behind the imperfection...
I wouldn't say this is incorrect or correct for I am not sure how to answer that....other that than i highly respect your view and the amount of emotions & thoughts you put in this write makes you an admirable thinker....
and your welcome as always... a pleasure to review this...

[Tate Morgan]

I thank you I may not know the full truth But i know this a man cannot imagine being enlightened unless he is willing to bend and change his beliefs as new ideas and evidence incline to teach and show the path of our lives.So to that i say I respect that you too are asking questions and seeking answers .I myself believe there is nothing too great for us to one day not find the answer

[Epipsychologist]

It would be nice if a good and loving god existed. I understand why people tell themselves he does, I just don't have that much of a problem appreciating the pain and suffering as well as the moments that make us decide to keep living. I guess what I don't understand is how you could believe that God would create a devil, and tempt us, for the Hell of it, and then not hold that god responsible.

[Marie]

Well, this back and forth between you and Richochet and Pax and Tate has decided me. Tomorrow I'm posting IS HE DEAD OR WHAT? And that will be an opinion I'm sure you can all agree with.

[Tate Morgan]

Hello all on the road again today .In the bible belt of the Carolina. Point of note half the radio stations here are religion based and a inordinate amount of them are espousing that we teach creationism over fact!

[Dr. Wood ?]

I believe that Man created God in his own image...yes....We all have our own version of God inside us to guide our path.....I agree about the white skinned Jesus..something I have been saying for years...This poem speaks volumes.....The accompanying music takes me back to my youth...My feelings regarding God were no different then

[Mary]

Man does create God in his own image, hence the angry, jealous, punishing god who is needy to be adored and feared. I like your creation. Very well written.

[Mark]

Afraid I can't give my usual glowing review of this piece, Tate, as I disagree with every single premise within it, both in the poem and the notes that follow. Sorry...

[Yarelis Vidal]

Hey Tate =). Nicely written and many of us can agree. But God nee to not have any guilt for he is nthe one who makes us sinners...we sin outselves willingfully. I guess its how youchoose to look at the perception of God. For he IS God. he created us. he has the right to be jelous if we praise and bow to other man made Gods. BUT us we have no right to be jelous or envios of eachother for we are all sinful, equal in how we fall short...instead we should encorage eachother, planting seeds of Jesus in one anoher's heart. For even Jesus came down and was given the name above all names but did not come to be served but served others and made himself dwell amongst the poor no the rich.

[JB Murray]

You certainly outdid yourself on this piece! Fantastically written. Well thought out. A hammer driving the nail home. What more can be said? One of your best thus far!

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

A human perception of the divine, perhaps conceived by what the eyes and human logic can surmise. Experience, being the Teacher of of us all proves otherwise, making this discourse on the Deity and Character of God, at best, limited. The poem is well-written and reflects what we all go through in life and our search for a more Supreme Being which has been the subject of many poetry and prose works. In the end, each man has the free will and the choice to believe, be transformed, and experience the Truth. The frailties of humanity such as jealousy and anger, do not nullify God's Love and His Existence. Stories about God abound, true - but one needs to experience Him that to find out, and then decide. We can choose to be good and kind, we can choose to forgive and restore. Man decides what he becomes, sinner or victor - and his choices result in what you say here as "having made each a sinner". We make our own mire and guilt, with ourselves as our own little gods.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you for the review.I have to disagree on the idea it is limited .To me it our conceptions unquestioned that are limited. For me I have spent a lifetime looking for god.He is a great disappointment.maybe it is religion that is the disappointment for me.It might be better if i just concede that as a father he is but an absent one. Leaving us to raise ourselves. If he ever does come back i hope he stops by I have a lot of questions