A poem on the courage of an Atheistic mindset.
Offline Preface:
I grew up religious, it was a fundamental part of the way I perceived reality. In hindsight with all the subjugation and negative thoughts religious thoughts inspire in oneself, The only reason I continued to depend heavily on those views was out of a deep fear of a godless universe. By chance I read Sam Harris' end of faith and like all good books it gave me the words an therefore the power I needed to be honest with myself. Now I know How important intellecutal self respect is. Now I face a godless universe with more questions than answers, and more awe and pride at being alive than I ever did when I believed in that bullshit. Even if I don't know what to do with my life.
The Ether and Grandmas Closet
With Luciferious Clouds in a mushroom tone
My sphinxsmile startlestare processes through
the age of microfiber microchip, and GMOs run rampant on my grandaddy's ranch.
I Stare down grandma's closet, a dank conglomerate of the moth's musty subjectivity
and with audaciousness I dare to dance with assonance
while wondering Earth's quietude conviction
or a complete and total lack thereof.
Heavens arrival has been announced, Oh yes just watch the news
A self fulfilling prophecy, and evangelical elegy no doubt
a playful pluto in bloody bloom
like a small child running with scissors and full of hate
except the scissors are nukes and her pockets are full of political power
an' each on has a straw ticket to sugar candy mountain
you black raven bastards and a ten percent gratuity, amen
Oh the lines long long around these weird wasted days, but have faith they crow
everything is moving electron like around the sun, and where is lust? where is lust?
progressive ubiquities bare religious reigns, and prometheus' struggled scream
boils my blood while the rank sound of broken child brain tears my heart in two.
The moment of now is a preciousness and unique respite
A carbon copy faintness with transparency
highly susceptible to gusts of wind, floating along
the dream like wisps, and tear drop trails, by billions, ten billion
and the Ether listens or doesn't listen to the Earth encumbered
in her own Auroraborialis awe.
All the while I glare
Grandma's closet and unholy unmooring, Piety's mast removed
To a deep sea squid terrible tentacled intelligence , Oh my god,
am I brave, am I dammed, am I even sane?
I grew up and now grown
Some deluminator taint descending and descendant
The old self and old friend Gone forever
and begotten with a full functioning fear
nothing seems stable and worse
I dont know who I am
or what I'm supposed to do.
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Sanity is not statistical ~Orwell~
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Great poem.
My fear wasn't that their wasn't a god. My fear was that people around me would find out I was an atheist. That kept me in the closet for a couple years. But your fear and my fear were a result of deep societal indoctrination. I too find much more appreciation and awe in the universe for both the positive forces and destructive forces without making up Superman vs Kriptonite stories.
I like your description of the kid running with scissors. So true. These people defend Santa with nukes. It is a scary thought.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
I think you answered your own question in the midst of all that. Being yourself alone in this universe is the truest and bravest thing a human being can ever do. A very warm welcome to the narrow, winding road...
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
I disagree. The 9/11 hijackers were brave in taking their own lives in fighting their "enemy", but that doesn't make Allah real. Being yourself only gives you a sense of self importance, you can be brave, and wrong in defending what you are wrong about.
The only virtue humanity can ascribe to is one of scrutiny, anything else is egotism.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
We'll have to differ on this one. I don't think being motivated by eternal reward in paradise constitutes normal bravery. Ordinary human bravery is facing life with no expectation of reward after death and looking after the people around you anyway.
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
Belief in itself has a defined physiological affect on the way you feel and perceive reality. Those hi-jackers weren't alone, they had their imaginary friend Allah, and the lack of stress only the lie of eternal life can provide. Taking up what Atheistextremist said, your physiological state lacks those comforts of a Great Listener, and Afterlife if you have the bravery to face a world without them, and look for toward truth always. And a new warm windy road does open, to the true awe and pride that life should give any sentient being that see's things how they really are. By upholding honesty within themselves.
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-@.@_
_^.^-
/*.*\
Sanity is not statistical ~Orwell~