So, I was angry when I wrote this...

[2ndRateMind]

...but it rhymes and scans, despite that.

 

The thing that made me angry was hearing a cleric (it doesn't matter what religion or denomination) being conservative on the radio. He actually said: 'Men may do as they please, but if a girl should marry outside our faith, she is dead to us'.

 

So, here it is;

 

Pilgrim on another way.

 

Spare me please, your pious cant

  Your 'thou shalt not', your moral rant

And let me live as I am made

  Wild and free and unafraid,

Dreading naught of Judgement Day,

  Pilgrim on another way.

If I'm wrong, I'll rot in Hell

  But rotting there, remember well

The span I spent as but a ploy

  To spread a sweet, anarchic joy

And think my life not such a crime

  If others, too, enjoyed my time.

 

But where I tread, at every turn,

  Are men of faith, set grim and stern

Rigid, in their claims to be

  So righteous they know more than me.

But, cowed beneath their codes and laws

  They've lost the plot; the greater cause

Is not constraint by social rules

  - cages built for souls by fools -

But the sharing of an inward light

  The love of all that's good and right

And kind, and just, and true, and Man

  Was made for this, and this God's plan.

Edited August 23, 2014 by 2ndRateMind

[Guest]

I'm curious to know your intent in posting this or what discussion you hoped this would prompt on a religious forum?

[jerome1232]

Very nice poem. I have to say I disagree with some of your idea's.


I know people who do what pleases them in the moment, and I know people who restrain and restrict themselves. I find the later often come into a fuller, more permanent state of happiness than the former, who tend to chiefly cling to the brief moments of joy such actions reap.

[2ndRateMind]

@Eowyn I don't think I had a specific intent. I learned long ago that it is quite impossible to foresee the direction a forum thread will take, given the creative views and diverse opinions of contributors. But my general intent was to see what you guys would make of it; it's a fair representation of the place I'm at, right now.

 

@jerome1232 Thank you. The thinker Isaiah Berlin distinguishes between positive and negative freedoms. Negative freedom is just being unconstrained. Positive freedom is the capacity to take advantage of an opportunity. So, negative freedom would be the freedom, say, to visit a bar, and spend the afternoon drinking. Positive freedom would be the freedom to forego that option, spend the afternoon studying, and (eventually) become a doctor. Negative freedom is about what I am not prevented from doing; positive freedom is about my ability to make best choices, and has to do with the quality of my character.

 

'Tis my belief that allegiance to what I call the Ideals (the right, the good, the true, the noble, the just, the beautiful, the brave, etc) allows one positive freedom without the necessity to constrain negative freedom. I think that is the philosophy beneath the poem.

 

Best wishes, 2RM.

Edited August 26, 2014 by 2ndRateMind

[faith4]

I like it.  We are all pilgrims on our own way, all of us are in one way or another, being drawn to God.  This is something you wrote while angry, and IMO, if I had heard someone say that, I would be a little annoyed as well.  But please keep in mind, that this mindset, this man on the radio, doesn't speak on behalf of every religion (or even for his religion, whatever that may be), or even for every "thou shall not".  It seems like you're still trying to follow Gods call. 

I wish you well on your pilgrim journey :)