“But
the Lord says, 'be submissive wives; you are to be submissive to your husbands.’"
- Rep. Michele Bachmann
“We should create law based on the God of the Bible.” – Sarah
Palin, ward of the state
“I
just believe in me” – John Lennon
The
struggle of reason – to accept, solely on faith, that which logic, life-experience
and rationale dictate to be, by every possible measure, incredulous, implausible
and ultimately unbelievable. And then, if choosing to dismiss such blind
faith, finding a balance between a dislike, distrust and even disgust of the
fiction of religions and the immeasurable destruction that they have wrought
upon society and civilizations; the inherent negativity of building lives, laws
and cultures around this man-made construct designed to control and constrict
human thought and behaviors, and the every-day practicality that those who hold
this non-belief are a vast minority, in a certain sense, always strangers in a
strange land.
Perhaps
we need a prayer of our own.
An Atheist’s
Prayer
Sing praise to
thee
On bended knee,
For fear you’ll
strike us dead.
We genuflect
Not from
respect,
But censured years
of dread.
Give alms to
thee
A fiefdom’s fee.
A tribute paid,
A soul remade
Erasing every
sin.
The price for Heaven
admission, not contrition.
Weekly
contribution buys absolution,
And you’re in.
No freedom’s
free,
Our guilty
plea.
We pray to thee
On bended knee
A God conjured
of mist.
A God of love
Shines from above
When not
perpetually pissed.
Part sacred
retaliation,
Bloviated
threats of harsh damnation,
Simultaneous
claims of salvation,
All too
tempting to dismiss.
Why think us
profane,
Sent to the
Devil’s domain
As the cost of
a forbidden kiss?
Some pray for
love
Some pray for health
Some pray for
lasting peace.
A fiction man
envisions,
Causing
cultural collisions,
False
historical revisions
Fulfilling wants
that never cease,
All for the
hopes of those deceased.
The point of
sacred mumbling
A god that
keeps you humbling,
Disavowing personal
choice
And yet the devotees
rejoice,
For this sacrosanct
illusion
Favoring
bigoted exclusion,
And centuries
of conflict and confusion.
We can summon our fabrication
to calm our fevered soul,
Or be the lord of our
own creation and actually reach an earthly goal.
Is this the irony of men
To craft a god who looks like them,
Only to surrender in his name
What makes us human and humane?
So, now I lay me down to sleep,
Resolute to find a truth to keep
If I should die before I wake,
I have no need for Heaven’s sake.
Any comments, questions, criticisms, candid confessions,
cash contributions? Contact me at butchersaprons@mail.com.
You are an excellent poet! In addition to your many other talents, and your right-on rationalism. this is the best:
ReplyDeleteIs this the irony of men
To craft a god who looks like them,
Only to surrender in his name
What makes us human and humane?
so many ironies, so little time. Religion's best feature is that it gives its followers comfort. But it's a comfort based on illusion, and so many of them know it (if they give it any thought). At least us atheists have the comfort of knowing that we have the sense and the strength to face life as it is, and accept what will ultimately happen. I can't believe that religious people are better off with this acquiescence to their unsatisfactory lives in hopes of a future better life, because to some extent it precludes them from truly appreciating all that this life has to offer - to the fullest extent, every day. That 'don't postpone Joy' stuff. But then, there's a lot I don't believe.
kudos!
-RationaLady
Thanks for your generous feedback, you are too kind, as usual. You make a great point about the postponement of fulfillment and joy, all for the hopes of a highly suspect future that will very likely never happen. Such a waste of the finite time we have to use our lives to the fullest.
DeleteThanks again.