religion - journal musings - 8/26/2002

journal musings - 8/26/2002
5:30 p.m. - Metra train from Chicago
[thinking about the rise and fall of religion
both my own...and the world's]

Things that brought comfort
    are now empty husks.
Promises of Life,
    now hollow tales.
What gleamed brightly in younger days;
    now dull, rusted, remnants

"Ignorance is bliss" they say.
    my myopia now gone
    my eyes wide open

Yet, the universe is now larger
The boundaries more far flung.
Before, religious pride sought
    to speak for God
    to act for God
    invoke righteousness in His name.

Oh, how we knew the oracles of God,
written down by scribes and sages.
From father to son, down through the ages
So sure we know the mind of God
Because
    someone told us, convinced us,
    assured us, tricked us.
My truth, more sure than yours;
-and you say the same to me.

Looking at the world
    the ages of mankind
millions believe one way, handed down
    through mists of time
mixture of make believe and lies
    of sleight of hand and
        voices heard on the wind.
The common voices heard by the one
to start a new belief; a new way,
to upset the order of old,
the beliefs of the Fathers.

Repeated--this senario
    worldwide
        time and again

The mind of the fanatic speaks
"You are the evil infidel"
"You dishonor the Fathers"
"you dishonor God"
Intolerance destroys,
removes the sickness from our midst

The oracle speaks
"We must not deviate from the Path
God told me of the Path.
I am His messenger.
I understand the Father
*I* am the chosen one
my family are the chosen ones.
our God is greater than the other gods
our God is mightier than your make believe god.
my God is the true invisible God
your god is made of stone."

the adherent asserts
"Our God accepts our sacrifices
the best of our farms,
the best of our crops
the best of our flocks
the firstborn of our children"

a kick to the heart

I looked at her pictures one last time today;
and started taking the advice of my friends.

I took some new steps in my life today;
and moved toward the ones who've looked for me.

I objectively pondered those recent events today;
and realized where we are, where I am, and where I'm going.

I'm listening to a happy song
that is making me smile
I'm reading a good book
that makes me wonder why

what'd the teacher say?
you shall know the truth
and the truth'll set you free?
yeah, something like that.

men like me - by Nigel Tiptoe

there are men like me who would bathe in your words
who would drink your laughter until drunk
and would drown happily in your bliss

there are men like me who would plunge into you
like a sea-bird into sparkling waves
who would plumb your depths like a wide-eyed, deep-sea fish

there are men like me who would pour out their dreams
to wash away your hurt
who would weather your storms rejoicing
who, frozen by your indifference,
would melt at your merest glance

there are men like me who would love you
who would paint their pictures on your body
who would write their stories into your life
and would inscribe their poems upon your heart

i don't know how many men there are like me
but there is at least one

copyright 2005 by Nigel Tiptoe
(reprinted here with the author's kind permission)