"Be a Light unto Yourself"

It's funny how the followers

Of one religion often find

The myths of their religion as real

And true and easy to get behind,

 

While the myths of other religions

To them are merely stories, fiction,

Implausible beliefs, and they

Express their feelings with great conviction.

 

Oftentimes the god or gods

Of someone else's religion become

Devils or evil forces to certain

Believers. A case of zero sum.

 

It's also odd how many believers

Profess that their beliefs are strong--

That followers of other religions

Are in the dark, deluded, wrong.

 

In other words, they insist

That their religious point of view

Tops all others, as though they're saying,

"What's good for ME is good for YOU."

 

I resent it when anyone

Tries to make it his or her goal

To tell me what I should believe

And then attempts to "save my soul."

 

I also resent it when legislators

Use the pulpit to make our laws

And very conveniently ignore

The fact that such a process has flaws.

 

"Be a light unto yourself."

Beware of any religion that smothers

The truth, deceitfully pressuring us

To blindly follow the path of others.

 

-by Bob B (2-20-24)