I don’t usually have quarrels
Over where we get our morals
Ah, but every now and then somebody steps beyond the pale.
Once they know that I’m ungodly
They start looking at me oddly
And If I could walk on water, It would be to no avail.
When Katrina brought the flood,
I gave money, time, and blood;
When a local kid was missing, I was there at once to search;
I’ve sent clothing and supplies
To starving Afghans, but–surprise!–
I am not a moral person, cos I never go to church!
There’s no yellow ribbon sticker
On my car, because it’s quicker
If I send the funds directly to the folks who need it most.
And I work instead of praying,
So because of this, they’re saying
My behavior lacks the guiding hands of Father, Son and Ghost.
When “accepting Christ as savior”–
When belief, and not behavior–
When some obsolete mythology determines what is right,
I could feed the starving masses
Cause the blind to just need glasses
Feed the world on loaves and fishes
Give Aladdin three more wishes
Cure the miseries of lepers
And the myriad twelve-steppers,
Cure Ben Stein of his inanity,
Bring peace to all humanity…..
Am I moral in the eyes of Christianity? … not quite.
So true, and as usual, well said! From a poetic standpoint, I especially like the extended last verse.
Great poem, I am glad PodBlack recommended this blog. Strange, a person can have compassion and empathy without a license from the church?
Tonight I asked my mom what she thought of the pope’s visit to the U.S. I told her I’d heard a lot about it in the news, but I was interested in what his followers thought but I don’t know many religious people. She said, “well you should!” Then I think she felt bad for being judgemental. Why can’t religious people see that you can behave quite morally and justly without a church?
Dear Cuttles,Of course you’re not moral; that comes from above!Morality’s only for those those in whose gloveResides a steel rod that will punish the sin,Which comes from the garden and now lives within.It’s true because Satan’s words came first to Eve.Because she was “woe-man,” the one to believeThat she, in defiance, could just disobeyThe Word she’d been giv’n on the very first day.Because she was uppity, thought she could knowWhat knowledge of evil and good might bestowUpon her and Adam, cooped up in that place,Where only obedience’s choking embrace…Kept them from knowledge that freedom would bring.If they used free will, they’d cut God’s puppet string.The meaning of good or of bad was not given,So how could she know that from grace they’d be riven? God made the decision to make us this way,To give us free will so that we’d disobey.That way he could punish to His heart’s content,To show us just what His omnipotence meant!It’s God’s will that we must conform for all time.He set up the rules and then watched with sublime,Sadistic amusement, on seeing us squirm.He knows how remote our real chance to confirm…His ridiculous rules that we have to obey.(Besides, His omniscience predicted we’d play.)So now, by His Rules, your morality comes From worship of Him, only under His thumbs.Good works do not count – they’re from dumb libruls’ minds.They work only IF abject worship He findsAnd then only IF you will also exciseAny thoughts of equality for those other guys…Who might love the “wrong kind,” or those who might thinkThat women should be anywhere else but the sink,Or in a man’s bed, though their bodies are evil.They’re here for their wombs, (but their minds are medieval.)If men are allowed to observe female skin,They’ll turn into beasts (their control is that thin!) But it’s not the men’s fault. That resides upon her.It’s her evil skin to which men’s minds refer…In lust and in sin – but just “boys being boys.”The female form’s only just one of their toys. So it’s moral to bomb all those places of sinWhere those evil women “do God’s babies in.”God loves it when X-tians do mean things to gays,Or lesbos or libruls – set atheists ablaze.It’s moral to castigate anyone “other,”But don’t take our guns or make black folks our brother.Morality’s not what those atheist folks do.It only comes from a strict Biblical view.So now you all know how the God system worksIf you have any questions, just ask X-tian jerks!
Oops! Sorry ‘bout that! Guess I got carried away. I think you must have struck a nerve. This all just came pouring out – projectile rhyming? Hmmmm, pent up much, would you say
Heh. Welcome to my world, Anfractuous. Sometimes verse just happens…
Yeah, guess I’m a wee bit versceptible. Sometimes I go full on verserk! I’ve been versaddicted for many a yearAnd it seems nothing cures this versquirk. Sometimes the versitch comes upon me. It’s versirksome to feel such versfunk! Versinsidiously versinful (Now ain’t that a chinful?)Oh dear, I guess I’m just versunk!
Haha – I can imagine a kids TV show.
Bra.vo.
Here’s something not from the choir :)”Going to church” is meaningless. “Church” is a community, a set of people in relationship. How do you “go to” a relationship?”License” to be moral, or approved as moral, is also meaningless. “Moral” is simply a code of conduct. The challenge isn’t in sometimes following the code.The challenge is in always following the code — in word, deed, and thought. And not watering down the code just ‘cuz it’s hard to follow.God is far more about an achingly awesome love relationship than about harps and brimstone. Mom loved me more than a friend, and in a whole different way. My spouse loves me more than mom did, in a whole different way. God loves me more than any of them, in a whole different way.I think your rant is more against an organization than against becoming one who accepts God’s love and as a result tries to be more like him.[Yes, we can argue over pain and suffering etc etc etc. But it’s really just a bigger picture version of why mom made you do your homework and eat your peas… and why the whole bus suffered when Billy poured glue on Sally’s seat…and why your big brother whupped the bully who broke your glasses :) ]