Inspired by Reena’s Exploration Challenge #272 – Word Prompt
& Moonwashed Weekly Prompt #134 – Dubious
in a dubious trance
feeling the same wavelength
indoctrination
The trailer is scary enough, but to really get a better understanding of indoctrination, you can watch the movie on Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, Apple TV or Sling TV.
Inspired by Moonwashed Weekly Prompt #127 – Infinite &
Reena’s Exploration Challenge #265 – You live in a world where no gods exist.
for every mind conscious
there are infinite depictions
of what a god is
or what gods aren’t
every shape and form
every sort of dogma
every possibility of the imagination is presented
for humanity’s consumption
some believe there is one
others believe there are many
and more and more think
you live in a world where no gods exist
our world endures such ugliness
with deaths in the millions
from violence, cancer, abuse, war, starvation
and so many more atrocities
if a god or gods did exist
why would they allow
this fermentation of hideousness
to fester unchecked rather than abolish it
perhaps we live in a world where no gods exist
shocking passages
the people’s gilded guidance
inspired words frighten
This will be the last piece about a mythical creature that I write for the National Poetry Month Scavenger Hunt aka NPM 21. Sorry, Val but I have so much on my plate right now! Thanks for the invite though!
pasta as a god
mythical like all the rest
not for worshipping
The Flying Spaghetti Monster is the deity of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. The religion is also known as Pastafarianism. Bobby Henderson coined the FSM name in a satirical letter protesting the Kansas State Board of Education decision allowing the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in public school science classes.
The dictionary would define faith as having complete trust or confidence in someone or something. For those with a religious bent it is strongly related to a belief in a god and the dogma or doctrines of their chosen religion. For those indoctrinated into their religion as well. Faith to me simply means trusting something or someone without evidence they are worthy of that trust. And I generally don’t do that because I question everything that has not supplied me with reasonable evidence to be trusted.
Roots of Hope by Shantanu Baruah inspired me to think a bit deeper on the topic of faith and it also elicited this comment from me…
The roots of faith are steeped in commitment.
What a person believes deeply without evidence is their prerogative. I’m okay with that. That’s why my comment reflected what I felt about faith. Most believers of anything are committed to what they believe. It feels natural, correct and unquestionable. That last bit – unquestionable – is the part I’m not okay with.
Since the beginning of time, we have seen simple beliefs overturned with explanations as to why they are not the truth. As we increase our foundation of knowledge, beliefs get tossed out right and left, leaving us with more surety than what we had before. Belief in something then just becomes silly. As an example, how many of us were told that Santa Claus existed? And how many of us still do? If you do and are no longer a child, please seek help! But seriously, you understand the concept of “When you know better, you do better.” that Maya Angelou was referring to – when truths make themselves known, you can’t simply continue to believe in what is not true. It doesn’t make sense.
Many of you know that I don’t subscribe to the supernatural. I prefer a life based in reality and knowns but I realize that there are still many unknowns to contend with as I go about living. What I feel I do know is that those truths haven’t been understood or discovered yet, and may never present themselves in my lifetime. And that, makes sense.
his hateful words
fly into my face
the froth of rage and ravagement
cover my being
i’ll not forget the date soon
all exposed with my dress up
this change from innocent to damaged goods
it hardens my soul
as a white trail of semen
rolls down my leg
this sunday he’d preached love
but i could only feel and say hateful things
in the rectory late in the day
my parents writhing in agony
me, cold and still afraid
we all ponder what is truth
not one of us with the same outlook
theories or hypothesis’
as varied as the lives which surround us
haven’t we all witnessed people
who have such a zest that life never seems to end
and have written a multitude of stories over the norm
possessing a zeal which feels absent in us
accomplishments being even fewer
and those at the end of a relatively long life saying “it’s enough”
with a need or a want to move on
having endured so much hardship and pain
just wanting it over with
or those who just plod along
living relatively simple
but meaningful, loving lives
contributing a harmony of sorts
if god is life and life is nature and nature dictates our decisions
then maybe it’s the sheer will to remain alive
that what drives us should guide us
deciding our ultimate purpose or names this so-called god we want to prove
this belief of having a much-needed pull
for when the chips are down
something we engage with
when it’s all too much
i would submit that sheer will is supreme
this internal force is a pressure to endure
and can be what rules us
wow, what a concept to get behind
they say you can manifest what you want
yeah, but not without effort
i would submit you are your own god
and that god is will
These thoughts were inspired by this conversation about belief systems between Ricky Gervais and Russell Brand. The bit about it starts at approximately 33:40, but feel free to listen to it in its entirety as it was an interesting conversation.
A Monarch Task
The warmth awakens me but I am tightly bound. I can’t move. My lifeblood is pulsing through my veins, waiting to explode. My head is pounding and screaming to break free of this dungeon. Yet, I can’t move. A crack appears at the top of the cell, bright light is filtering in. I push with my might against the wall, as the crack begins to grow. I feel the closeness of freedom. I can taste it in the air, and feel it in the warm light. Pushing again, the binding splits. I roll out of the slit, stretching, feeling the ecstatic of freedom. The warmth strengthens me for my mission, my colors unfurl refracting the light on the leaves. Time is wasting, I must hurry, only six weeks of life at best.
Honorable Purple
Of all the colors in the rainbow, one color shows more fare
It adorns the kings of foreign lands, woven in robes that they wear
But clothes and robes that are made by man cannot even compare
With the delicate beauty of nature’s flowers that bloom without a care
Their colors may vary from bloom to bloom, simply soft to very rare
Bees and butterflies don’t care about color as the nectar is there to share.
Please Don’t Leave
The most life-sustaining force in all creation is that of showing love
It melts together the heart and soul like was meant from above.
All of God’s creation was given this ability to express this vital feeling
For love, tenderness, and nurturing is what keeps this life from reeling
With no love around, darkness will ensue with a deep sense of foreboding
Fear will arise, and hope will flee leaving the heart and soul eroding
Don’t allow this eroding but hold on to loving, allow the sun to come in
Always keep these feelings alive, so if lost we will know how to begin.
~~~
Anita Neal enjoys writing poetry and shorts that reflect the beauty of nature and importance of love. The first two pieces are reflections of the beauty God created for us to enjoy. The third one shows the honor and importance of love we all need.
If you’d like to be featured on The Short of It, click here for the submissions guidelines.
#TheShortofIt
WARNING – THESE VIDEOS CONTAIN FOOTAGE SOME VIEWERS MAY FIND UPSETTING
each generation hands to the next
a tradition or a belief, passing on
the act of non-investigation
into the validity or reason for its continuing
oral history, lore, your heritage
you so proudly wear on your heart
reinforced with symbols and behaviors
of punishing laws to follow
why do the whispers of ghosts
from past lives deserve a voice
ask questions, find your way to be
this one life is yours, no one else’s
*Note – What inspired this was an article I came across in All That’s Interesting. If you are interested, there is a whole lot more strangeness referenced there too!
That’s how you know you’re a skeptic.
It’s like leaving a relationship; you realize the love is gone in a relationship, and you finally stop trying to summon that feeling of cohesion. You feel sad and possibly terrified, but mostly you feel relief because you know there isn’t an actual relationship between you two. The next step is you are on your own but you will be okay.
It’s not our lack of belief in a god that concerns most fundamentalists. It’s the fact that their words have absolutely no power over us. The Jedi mind tricks don’t work. The threats of hell don’t work. Screaming louder does not work. They realize that they have been disarmed and they are more than a little frightened and bothered by it.
I would caution them to get over it. 🙂
I Write Her 