Race_9togo

Oct 15, 2009 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

The Church

not for me, the shout of hate
proclaimed as gospel
not for mine, the spew of judgement
shrieked as love from spittled lips
not for us, intolerance in
the guise of wisdom
mortal sins
all simmered in
the terror of the faithful
where deity insane burns innocence
with eternal fires of unforgiveness
while the fearful nod so merciless
agreeing to the filthiness
of murdering for faith

ours can never be the call to prayer
that sets the heart to foul deed
relished against all unbelievers
not for us the tremble of a maggot
knelt before a frowning god
of disaproval
for no being supreme demands the
blood of that which She creates
no Lord Of Dances ever hates
the precious glories that He makes
no god of love and mercies slakes
His thirst for vengeance
with unsuspecting innocence

our's is
the hookers on the corner
stamping in the cold
who laugh at offered help
then ask for it when others
are not looking
our's is
hunger overcome by generosity
and acceptance of a
man who loves a man
we are
the athiests and anarchists
who think that love is something
freely given,
not earned as payment for belief
mine is
the wiccan circle on samhain
chanting softly
for the paradigm shift of world change
to something as beautiful as peace
mine is
the pagans buying gifts for children
on the birthday of a god
that they do not believe in
mine is
the man who helps a victim
when others shrink away
the woman who lifts up the poor
from filth and denigration
so they can die with dignity
and mine is
those who simply think
the only thing God cares about
is whether you do good

— Race_9togo, Oct 15, 2009

About This Poem

About the Author

Region, Country: Earth Vicinity (within a five light-year radius), ZZC

Favorite Poets: John Donne, T.S. Eliot, Serendipity, Emily Dickenson, Kailashana, Charles Bukowski, Kabir, Rett, Dalton, W. B. Yeats, William Blake, Rainer Maria Rilke, and many other Neopoet poets; Neopoet has heavily influenced my poetry and my ability to write it well.

Critiques

Seren

16 years 7 months ago

Amen to that Jim … I was

Amen to that Jim ... I was brought up in strict religious house and well it wasnt always sane in my opinion ... I have a belief system of my own but dont push it down others throats and definately believe just LOL my own system ... loved this write it speaks in layers I had to read it three times to digest it ... its incredible you know I think I have to come back and read again to really be able to leave the comment you deserve ... I am still processing it all there was layering here I havent seen in an age .... much love and hugz Jayne x x

Race_9togo

16 years 7 months ago

Hi Jayne

I was fortunate enough to have a mother who deliberately refused to decide for us what we should believe in. But I have had many bad experiences in churches, mosques, synagogues and temples, all of which I have tried to worship in at one time or another, and all of which ended up being demagogic, intolerant, elitist and occasionally downright evil. In the last but one church that I attended I walked out when it became clear that I was being labeled as a sinner because my wife and I do not share the same skin color. As I said in other posts here, we are now hopeful that we have found a place of worship that accepts all without reservation. I am very glad that you enjoyed this so much! Respectfully Jim "Laws and rules don't kill freedom: narrow-minded intolerance does" : Race

Candlewitch

16 years 7 months ago

hello

When I saw the title, I thought this was going to be another declaration of love and faith in a "Christian" God,by one of the sheep. Those poems that I ignore because they turn my stomach. I only read it because Jayne did, and I thought to myself, if Jayne has read it, it can't be all bad... so I took a chance and man, was I surprised! You must have read my mind and heart, for you have expressed my thoughts in a way that I never could have done. Wonderful job. I could go on all day praising this poem. Always, Cat

Race_9togo

16 years 7 months ago

Hi Cat

Surprised you, huh? That was why I chose the title, to send a bit of shock through readers to make a better impact, lol. I've always believed in shaking loose the mired pebbles of ingrained thought from other people's minds, which does not sit well with stolid Christian folk, but then I'd rather be the goat on the mountaintop than the sheep in the fold, if you know what I mean. As I told Rett, I may have actually found a church that mirrors these sentiments. I sure hope so. I am glad that I made such an impression, for such was my intent, and I am happier still that you enjoyed my little subterfuge! Thank you, Cat. Respectfully, Jim "Laws and rules don't kill freedom: narrow-minded intolerance does" : Race

Rett

16 years 7 months ago

Hey Jim, Good write

I was brought up in the church and found many faults and rebelled. I believe a persons belief is his. I believe in God, but do not force my belief on others. I expect the same from them and most do. A disturbing trend these days is from those who don't believe that would force others to subscribe to their idea of non belief which I find appalling. They have the right to deny belief, but that isn't good enough, they want others belief denied also. I loved the poem. The only so-called "Golden Rule" I try to consistently follow is..."Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Keep writing my friend and let others take note. I enjoyed it! thank you. Respectfully, Rett: "Telling me Illegal Immigrants have a right to be here is like saying the burglar that breaks into your home, now has the right to live there with you." Rett

Race_9togo

16 years 7 months ago

Thanks my friend,

I am glad that you enjoyed this. In fact I wrote this in response to a new church that my family has started attending on Sunday. We've only been going for a little while, but the beliefs that I express here - which have always been my own - seems to be their's as well. I may write more on this as time goes on. Yes, there are far too many holier-than-thou fools on both sides of faith that believe their creed and dogma - God-centered or not - is the one that you should follow. I myself believe that any belief system that causes it's adherents to want to force others to behave like they do is frankly more than a little suspect! And yes, that's pretty much my rule for living as well. Respectfully, Jim "Laws and rules don't kill freedom: narrow-minded intolerance does" : Race

themoonman

16 years 7 months ago

Jim...

What the hell is internal logic? It is really more a mathematical term for do the formulas all add up, but I think (just me) in poetry, it relates to the central theme, and the tenses of wordings... does it add up. where deity insane burns innocence ... maybe, insanely or, an insane deity just thought I'd point that out, maybe it is fine like it is, but I paused on the read there. You and I already know we agree on these things, but I will gladly tell the world, I loved the content, and it is warming to me to see this write shared and received so well... excellent writing, Richard

Race_9togo

16 years 7 months ago

Hi Richard

Thanks for reading, man. You know, I struggled with "deity insane" for a good long while. I settled on it because I thought it flows better: where de-i-ty in-sane burns in-no-cence where in-sane de-ity burns in-no-cence I really can't tell which should be the one now though, so perhaps I'd better re-write that line! Yeah, I sorta kinda thought the you would agree with this stuff, lol Thanks again Richard - always valuable when you critique. Respectfully Jim "Laws and rules don't kill freedom: narrow-minded intolerance does" : Race

seabhac

16 years 7 months ago

The title would have put me off

Luckily I was grabbed by the throat by the first stanza on the stream. This is a spiral of a poem and even on the second reading there is more and still more to find and nod to. My favourite lines were not for mine, the spew of judgement shrieked as love from spittled lips Because it puts me in that cold cowering place of pew and altar, made it visually alive I am still working out the 'not for me', changed into the 'not for mine' and then the 'ours'. It changed the direction of the poem and the audience of onlookers within it. I love it when a poem gets my brain to work. Kind regards Liz

Race_9togo

16 years 7 months ago

Thanks Liz

LOL I see that I surprised you too. My intent is to surprise, and to some extent shock, because I want the reader's mind to be pried open a little, for lack of better words, lol. My use of 'me', 'mine', 'us', etc.: In the first two stanzas the idea is to show that first the writer alone rejects the dogma, and then to extend that rejection first to family ('mine') and then to a wider group ('us') that includes the reader, to show that there are many who feel the same way. It is meant to change the reader's perception of who it is that is voicing these opinions, and also reinforce any empathy that the reader might gain from such points of view by including him/her as a part of them. The last stanza then attempts to run this backwards, from a plurality of belief back down to the single individual again. I am glad that you enjoyed my efforts! Respectfully Jim "Laws and rules don't kill freedom: narrow-minded intolerance does" : Race

deelilah

16 years 7 months ago

This is excellence

Knowing ahead of time where you would take this (these types of poems among your best), the title fits with the way you do things. Like Cat, anyone who gets past the word, church, and reads it, can't help but know the truth in it, whether Christian or not, churched or not. Somehow mankind (with the exception of Jesus Christ) needs to judge no matter what. It somehow exonerates our own failings. That is why legalism insists in raising it's devlish head in religions. And it is insidious. That is why churches like many of us grew up in (like Rett's and Richard's and mine) have failed to preach the real gospel: that there is a loving God, Who will receive us, any of us, just like we are, in all of our dirty underwear, if we but ask. Any church that would still judge marriage of mixed color needs to have their doors closed. 'where de-i-ty in-sane burns in-no-cence' 'where in-sane de-ity burns in-no-cence' I agree with you on the flow question: deity insane works best. I liked your explanation on going from individual to mankind, back to individual. I think this work is a bit of genius. Yours, Deelilah PS I would be curious to hear more about the church you found that you like.

Race_9togo

16 years 7 months ago

Hi Deelilah

Thanks, as always, for reading and enjoying! I had to laugh....you know my work so well! LOL yes we humans do seem to need to be judgmental, don't we? I think that we should be, with many things - it often keeps us alive - but religion isn't one of them. In fact, self-righteous judgmental intolerance is the ultimate shortcoming of all organized religion, and will be its eventual downfall as far as I'm concerned. So I suppose I'm guilty of it too, in this poem! heehee But here's the kicker: I don't think that we even need to ASK. I don't think that choice comes into it, and God feels sorrow and pity and worry when we screw up, not anger and rejection. But that's just me. 'deity insane'....ah, now you've put me in a quandary, because I thought so too, but I changed it the other way! I guess I'll have to change it back, lol, although I'm going to have to stop editing SOME time! I'm going to attend this new church for a little while, before I comment further on it. Thanks again Deelilah Respectfully Jim "Laws and rules don't kill freedom: narrow-minded intolerance does" : Race