March 19, 2018
Sometimes I will post ideas that are incomplete. This is one such.
A circle of stones in a clearing
Burning wood, embers, smoke
Shadows flickering on the faces of my tribe
My own kind, like me
We band together for comfort
Security, safety
Huddled together
Around the campfire
Heres my tribe
In our little circle
We cannot see or know whats beyond
What’s it all about?
Humankind seems addicted to puzzling about the nature of things
And imagining explanations for the mysterious
And to searching for safety
Deeply adverse to the unknown
Fearful of whatever might lurk in the shadows
At the edge of the campfire
We all need :
Meaning – whats it all about?
Purpose – what am I to do?
Community – who are my tribe?
I have a good idea about what meaning and purpose mean to me
I puzzle about what it means to be in community
Ironic that I should have chosen a community of faith
When I do not share that faith
That I should have chosen a community built on belief
When I don’t share that belief
Scripture and prayer and the rites, and service
From my childhood they impelled me on,
Until the construct could no longer hold.
Scripture they say is the divinely inspired word
It seems to me to be a collection of stories
Dreamed up by the frightened tribe
Gathered round the campfire in the dark
Trying to make sense of it all
Dreaming of a mighty king to protect from the Enemy
To provide sustainence, to dispense favors
And to assure that whatever the individual is
Does not end at death
And to dispense rules for good behavior that will lead to a glorious afterlife
And proscribed behavior that will bring about punishment
And so the tribe builds beliefs
What we agree with we call right
What we disagree with we call wrong
What we like we call good (God)
What we hate we call evil (Devil)
And the tribe believes that I was born in sin and am prone to sin,
That I must have a savior to redeem me from my intrinsic fault
And the tribe believes that right and good behaviors
Advance the well-being and safety of the community, leading to heaven
And wrong and hateful behaviors are dangerous to the community,
Leading to hell and everlasting torment.
But then I grew up and away from this
To me it seems primitive and superstitious nonsense
How can I be part of a community based on scripture?
Belief is a trap
It comes between you and the ultimate reality
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