Pagan

The society we have become is far more darker than any horror story. These inherent hatreds stem from a darker place in our history as human beings.

Pagan

(Inherent hatred)

By

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada 

The pyre burns in right of passage 

fueled by bone and flesh

A distant rumble omens storm

as Gods reveal unrest

The chants begin in murmured tone

as raindrops fall from sky

Their frenzied eyes gaze maniacally 

as ferver amplify...

Such wretched things are we

Duplicitous in faith and apostasy 

We drag our crosses amongst the ash

Naked on a ground of broken glass

bodies contorted like gnarled tree

wander aimlessly; in conformity

Bereft of sorrow; immoral eye

like waning moon in listless sky

Apparitions that wail in hymn 

Beg the sun to shine for them

For depraved Gods that they praised 

In the towers of Babel they have raised

As these tribal roots proliferate 

Within hateful seeds we propagate 

Author's Note

This poem can speak to many things that define us historically. It has many elements about it which it touches upon. Many influential to this day. The true horror story may be within the recesses of our own hearts and what we deny despite the truths we are faced with. Feel free to share your thoughts on feelings about how these words may resonate in your mind. CLE

Reviews

[Oxenholme]

Hi Carlos. A fascinating poem. I am a devout atheist. Yet, when people try to agree with me by condemning religion as the fount of all evil, I disagree. Yes, much evil is done in the name of religion, sure. However, Stalin and Hitler were atheists (Putin is an atheist, too, as far as I know). So, if I understand your thesis it is that we - human beings - are the ones with evil, almost as part of our DNA and we then invent religions, etc as crutches for our lives and use them, as if a clan, to oppose everyone else - resulting in victimisation, war, genocide, etc. Hope I understood correctly - as I wrote, a fascinating piece. Thank you.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

As we see in today's world a segment of society has a warped sense of religiosity. It is not to say that the foundation of belief is corrupt but the mind that seeks to manipulate it for its own gain. In today's world Jesus would be seen by some of his suppossed followers as a socialist liberal cuck, a beta male who wants to tax hard working middle class to feed the poor. When an incurious mind is feed this type of propaganda constantly and consistently by those who they follow then it should be no surprise that they will disregard their moral teachings and allow vice to define their morality. People like Stalin, Hitler, and Putin know and knew how to manipulate those of faith by using it to push an ethno nationalist ideology. It would be unsurprising that if a survey was conducted on those who committed the insurrection and it was determined they held religious beliefs. In more definable context my older brother is gay. When he came out to my parents as a teenager back in the 70's he was thrown out of the house and disowned by my father. Who held some religious views along with my mom. Years later my mother would state to me that she loved him but that because of his choice he was going to burn in hell. I was horrified by that comment. I consider myself agnostic and hold no belief in organized religion. I admire the beauty of religious text and their aspirations to teach moral character but recognize such things can be manipulated quite easily. As history has shown. An incurious mind is pliable towards manipulation. It can turn a righteous heart into a hateful one. It can make a mother devalue the love for a son. It can make a society accepting of children in cages because they're not really like us are they? When people are told consistently that the are part of the greatest nation to ever exist what are they apt to believe? When its history is defined by the mantra of manifest destiny what will they see as belonging to them by right? My uncle was a devout jehovah witness and became an elder within its faith. He was also a pedophile. Teachings are only as strong as the teacher, or as moral as them. Kind of like a pastor who is called out for owning a luxury jet and who replies that God has gifted these vast riches to him because of his faith. Really? The foundations of religion are built on the words of imperfect men, not any God. For in most faiths the divine as always been synonymous with love. An action, an emotion, an experience. Not just words. By the way not to it pick but Hitler grew up as a Christian, later in life he may have changed his views on faith but he understood how to manipulate it and use it to his advantage in his propaganda. As do many Tyrants throughout history. I apologize for this long rambling rant. And I thank you for taking the time to read and share your thoughts with me. I really do appreciate it.

[Oxenholme]

Hi, thanks for your interesting reply. The only awkward part was the lack of paragraphs. An irony you spotlit was that your brother was exiled from his family for being himself, yet hurting no one, whilst your uncle was embraced but was a traitor to cause and group. I am sorry for your family traumas.

I am not sure there is anything to debate here; my intellectual and emotional empathies and sympathies are closely aligned to yours.

Yes, evil-minded (and single-minded) psychopaths do, indeed, manipulate everyone else via temptation, persuasion and coercion. Putin in an excellent case of that.

I also take your point about an isolated, smug mentality, isolated from the rest of humanity. I am not qualified to comment on it re: USA but I do have a perception (true or false) that the US seaboards are more open-looking, cosmopolitan and educated, whereas the inner-states can be more isolated, lack cosmopolitan populations and more inner-focussed. I fully accept that: (i) as with all stereo-types this will be highly imperfect (ii) there will be many people of both experiences and outlooks located in both types of region and (iii) my perceptions are entirely from US tv/film fiction and news reports. (iv) I know how wrong many American's perception of the UK is - not least President Biden's - so I expect mine of the USA to be wrong too. In truth, all generalisations and external perceptions are wrong; one must really immerse oneself in something to comprehend.

All the best.

[Sami Khalil]

Hate poisons individuals, societies, nations. Humans always look for scapegoats when they can't find solutions to their problems. The human heart must be purified. Now, standing up for truth and righteousness is not hatred. It is to benefit us and others whether in equality or justice for the society.
All religions, whether we believe in any, tend to emphasize the society over the individual, who must balance freedom and responsibility in a delicate balance.
I could be wrong, but I observe things like you do.
An excellent 👏 write.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Sami for your thoughtful comment on this piece. Selflessness is indeed a rare character trait now a days. It is much easier to be angry, hateful, and untrusting towards each other then exhibit any type of empathy. When faith teaches one that they can simply pray away their transgressions without suffering any repercussions it lacks any righteous atonement for sin. What saddens me are those of hypocritical nature who fail to practice what they preach. For they are literally legion. Unable to recognize their vile nature because they feel they have prayed it away. Would they recognize the ideals they believe if it confronted them? What you have done to the less of you...you have done to me. The same heart that spoke those words would be seen as a woke liberal cuck socialist. And he would probably be crucified again. The towers of greed are greater than the virtues of love in today's world. Because quite a few in our society lack any sense of curiosity to want to know the truth so they are easily manipulated by propagandists. Those who are pernicious enough to use the context of faith to instill hate. It shocks me how we have learned to fear each other more than we love. It is a rot that took years to manifest. By feeding society cynicism, division, and hatred as a reason for one's personal failures. We have made these vices into virtues. And the cruelty is the point. Homer was correct in his statement that we are wretched things. Easily pliable against our own values in the towers that we build from hate. I hope as a society we can learn this lesson before it is too late. CLE

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! You are welcome sir Carlos.

[Sami Khalil]

I believe in the universal truth. I question all fake doctrines especially the ones came from paganism. I have done lots of research and comparison.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Yours is a rare mind in these days my friend. If more had the intellectual curiosity and wisdom as you we would be a much greater and enlightened society. Thank you my friend for your thoughts and wise words.

[Sami Khalil]

You do too good ole' friend. You are welcome..............

[jacob erin-cilberto]

some never want to see the truth...it is too inconvenient...
God or gods...what we believe is our crutch...and often what we won't just buy on faith...maybe that is intelligence, maybe not.
Really good poem, Carlos
j.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you J for your insightful comment that I wholeheartedly agree with. It is a crutch used for redemptive purposes to justify the indefensible. Our own lack of moral character and ethics. Why bother with change when we can simply consult some figure or ideal that automatically attones our failures and foul behavior through some restitution that fails to equal the sin. Whether it is a tower of greed or a belief of some sort. These symbols of idolatry never lessen the pain inflicted upon those undeserving victims. Ask the Jewish people who were almost extinguished, or the native Americans, or those lost cultures the spanish conquerors decimated. History is rife with our human failures to recognize the value of every life. Manifest destiny a mantra that resonates with some even to this day, as we see in our current society. They originate from the darkest places of our souls. Pagan speaks to this. Thank you for recognizing its message my friend. CLE

[Lorry]

We do have a nasty habit of thinking "we" are right and "they" are wrong, without putting in much thought as to what makes "we", which usually equates to me, so great in the first place.
The simplest answer to that I think is that all those "we's" are stuck inside their own heads and can't see that others have their own thoughts and hopes too.
Maybe we should just accept that we're not that great at the whole selflessness thing and practice that instead of hate a bit more.
Even being indifferent is still a step up from hate, and one step closer to acceptance than we would have been.
Different strokes for different folks, etc.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Lorry for your thoughts on this poem I appreciate it. I feel culturally we inherent these ideological tropes which ingrain themselves in us through time and communal environment. When you are taught these things as a child we never question them. Because we are still learning impressionable creatures. We buy into the fact of our own nativism and superiority which in turn are reinforced by such beliefs as manifest destiny. That our rights are ordained by a higher power. They become our symbols and towers of immovable faith. The pillars of our society built on underlining hate. Evolution begins individually and becomes eventual within the construct of community. We have to want to be better, and that begins by disavowing and letting go of this hateful ideologies that divide us. CLE

[Ken e Bujold]

hateful seeds indeed CLE. The ever-rising levels of vitriol and desire for inflicting as much pain as possible is a distressing harbinger of destructive times on all our horizons.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Ken for sharing your thoughts on this poem. History will judge us harshly for our silence and inaction. For to not speak out against injustice we become complicit in the ravages of its aftermath. Some seek to conceal their pernicious behavior behind the veneer of freedom. Yet, Freedom doesn't alleviate one's responsibility to be a better human being towards others. Thank you kindly again.