Maybe we could put forth the fact that people become wood Start a religion that is far more easily understood So rather than to a bearded guy who's up in the cloud layers We could all kneel in the green grass to say our prayers And so churches would disappear, gone in a tick All the previous devotees now forced to mix Right there upon the field so we would find The bombs and guns and beheadings, would be left behind
William Rocket, most people of religions around the world don't believe in a "bearded guy in the clouds." That's an unfair characterization of people of faith.
I think that's a lovely poem. Also, said "religion" is actually true (in the sense of the nutrient cycle), unlike other religion, and hopefully would cause less harm than religion has and continues to do. Humorous oversimplification doesn't seem like it negates all that.
Kyle, I understand that the postulated "people-to-wood religion" of the poem would be beneficial to the natural world, but it is being propounded as a counterpoint to current religions that are described as believing in bearded guys in the clouds. I am totally fine with atheism per se (and I have been agnostic for much of my life), but I do not support "aggressive atheism" that insults and degrades persons of faith, which is equivalent in my view to what happens when believers in a religion condemn nonbelievers to a burning hell. Not all religions are characterized by pedophile priests, fake "prosperity gospel" charlatans, or warmongering land-grabbers. I try to curate the comments in TYWKIWDBI to promote tolerance of other viewpoints. It's a delicate balancing job. I think you would be repelled by some of the comments I vaporize before they could be published. Fortunately readers here can always go elsewhere if they disagree with my approach.
Steve Perry (formerly of Journey) sings a song as a tree called "I Stand Alone." Worth a listen!
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile Amazon has a whole warehouse of trees turned into stories.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that sometimes it's a reward, sometimes a punishment, and other times a way to save someone.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we could put forth the fact that people become wood
ReplyDeleteStart a religion that is far more easily understood
So rather than to a bearded guy who's up in the cloud layers
We could all kneel in the green grass to say our prayers
And so churches would disappear, gone in a tick
All the previous devotees now forced to mix
Right there upon the field so we would find
The bombs and guns and beheadings, would be left behind
William Rocket, most people of religions around the world don't believe in a "bearded guy in the clouds." That's an unfair characterization of people of faith.
DeleteI think that's a lovely poem. Also, said "religion" is actually true (in the sense of the nutrient cycle), unlike other religion, and hopefully would cause less harm than religion has and continues to do. Humorous oversimplification doesn't seem like it negates all that.
DeleteKyle, I understand that the postulated "people-to-wood religion" of the poem would be beneficial to the natural world, but it is being propounded as a counterpoint to current religions that are described as believing in bearded guys in the clouds. I am totally fine with atheism per se (and I have been agnostic for much of my life), but I do not support "aggressive atheism" that insults and degrades persons of faith, which is equivalent in my view to what happens when believers in a religion condemn nonbelievers to a burning hell. Not all religions are characterized by pedophile priests, fake "prosperity gospel" charlatans, or warmongering land-grabbers. I try to curate the comments in TYWKIWDBI to promote tolerance of other viewpoints. It's a delicate balancing job. I think you would be repelled by some of the comments I vaporize before they could be published. Fortunately readers here can always go elsewhere if they disagree with my approach.
DeleteI get that. I might have been better off saying "Nuance is tough in poetry."
Delete