Where Was God in That

Some of you aren't going to like this.

I've heard the southern preacher lie

to his congregation 

I fought the Imam's followers

Sent them to damnation 

The priest who touches little boys

gets swept under the mat 

The only thing I wonder is

Where was God in that

Jews were Yahweh's chosen people 

The tribe he favored most

The diaspora and holocaust

God's chosen paid the cost 

They finally got their promised land 

In Israel's caveat 

The one thing I keep asking is

Where was God in that 

The fundamentalist mind set

thrives on stupidity

Trying to make pseudoscience

out of mythology

Public school creationism 

Kids dumber than doormats

The only thing I wanna know is 

Where was God in that 

We fought against the Jihadis 

Put bullets in their head 

Every Marine a rifleman 

We shot their asses dead 

We killed a generation off 

Genocidal bureaucrats 

The toxic riddle dogging me  

Where was God in that 

Twisted scripture for agendas 

Churned out of basic greed 

Xenophobic tribe rivalries 

Based on a primal need 

To kill off those who threaten us

Our neighbors we begat

I'll shout it from the mountaintop 

Where was God in that 

The day I shed this mortal coil 

I pray to God I find

Whatever I was looking for

Within my short lifetime 

or just a simple answer to 

why life has so much crap 

Hey Yahweh bro I wanna know 

Where was God in that 

Author's Note

The old preacher asked the Sunday school class what faith was. A boy raised his hand and said "I know what Faith is preacher. Faith is believing in what you know ain't true."

Reviews

[Ees]

Really well done. What is done in God's name rarely has God present. People forget to listen to the message of piece and acceptance. One of my new favorite songs is "Give God the Blues" by Shawn Mullins, the words are something like:
God don't hate the Muslims
God don't hate the Jews
God don't hate the Christians
But we all give God the blues
God don't hate the atheists
The Buddhists or the Hindus
God loves everybody
But we all give God the blues


for some reason your poem made me think of that song in answer.

[Baby Ricochet]

I can understand why. Thank you Ees

[Daffy]

My thought, .....there are some brilliant people on Writerscafe......

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Daffy

[Mark]

Good work. If there was meant to be one true religion, you gotta wonder why God let there be so many of them :P I love discussing God with fundamentalists LOL

[Baby Ricochet]

They can be entertaining that's for sure. Thank you Mark

[Tom]

Pondering, probing questions that I often ask myself and the Almighty through prayer whenever I see, hear or read about tragedy, suffering, inhumanity and pestilence etc. But to date I know not the answers too!

A profound, purposeful and indeed a brave poetic write !

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you tom

[Tai Ryens]

What really gets to me is that religion has evolved to suit society's demands as of right now. Prior to recent history when religion actively influenced a majority of the people (and it still does), women were actively discriminated against, slavery was f*****g JUSTIFIED, children were abused and even killed, wars raged on (i.e.the Crusades, the Thirty Years' War, the French Wars of Religion, the Nigerian Civil War, etc), and still they brush it off as nothing more than a misinterpretation of a Bible verse or verses.
1 Timothy 2:12 (NIV) directly states:
"I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet."
How else could that be interpreted? This single verse is only one of many.
Completely reading through the Bible is exactly what's done it for me, Baby R, and I doubt I have the courage to post anything that blatantly refers to my atheism, or my hostility to religion, or anything religious in context at all. Well spoken, once more, Baby R. You've portrayed your thoughts well

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you for your thoughts Tai. I'm not much of a believer either. That's for sure

[Pryde Foltz]

Hard to argue with this piece. My faith, still trying to figure out what it is, leads me to empathize or at least try to. A faith that asks you to kill, is not faith … I see only fear and hate in that.

[Baby Ricochet]

Whatever faith I had I lost in Afghanistan and Iraq. What in the hell kind of God lets s**t like that happen? No God I'm going to pray to. That's for sure.

[Seamstress]

As a Christian and teacher I know this question well and have been asked it many times. All I can ever respond is that God gives man free will and that free will affects the way the world moves. God has His plans and yet if man chooses not to follow them then problems will ensue.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thanks for stopping by Seamstress. It's good to hear from you

[Rita L. Sev]

Mark, I always know that when you add a disclaimer, I am going to have something to think about after reading your poem. In this case, I have to tell you - your last stanza brought tears. I believe that there is something bigger than myself, which we call God - beyond that, I can't begin to fathom, or suggest that I know all the answers - and yours is the biggest question of all. Thank you for sharing this.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Rita

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

Well it negates reason as in all things we can't see really, well done, good read.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Thomas

[Daniel Sala]

Great poem that works well, the repetition of the question at the end of each verse reinforces the need to ask. A sadly funny/funnily sad philosophical question addressed through many examples of the things which lead some to scorn religious faiths and others to describe them as "trials set purposely". This game has no referee, that much is apparent, either that or there are so many players on the field he/she/it can't keep up with the game...
(Don't let the pseudoScientologists know there may be doubts, they'll be here on WC trying to bully brainwash us all into believing THEM...!)

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Danial. I appreciate your input.