At Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads it is Fireblossom Friday! Fireblossom's prompt is to write about temptation, sin, confession and suchlike. This is what came to mind.
They told us that our thoughts were
occasions of sin
but not how to only
let the good thoughts in.
They said our dreams were sinful,
and would lead to a bad place.
How to harness the subconscious,
to retain our state of grace?
They ruled through guilt and fear,
governed with an iron hand,
and churned us into the marriage mill
too clueless to withstand.
It took us twenty years
to work through all the "stuff"
but only eight to understand
when we had had enough.
No wonder organised religion is struggling these days. When we have enough intelligence to start asking questions, they simply can't answer them at all, especially not 'their' way is the right way and the only way when, as we age, we learn so much more than they can answer.
ReplyDeleteNice one sherry.
Oh this poem makes such a valid point, Sherry. It is not a bad thing to bring children up in a moral way, but by creating a list under the word SIN is so destructive.
ReplyDeleteYep--couldn't agree more about that kind of programming being one-sided and none too helpful. Great pic, too, Sherry.
ReplyDeleteYou tackle a serious subject with humor (and a terrifically funny picture!) I'm sure that my lapsed Catholic husband's teachers would have something to say about him marrying a Jewish (food-wise anyway!) girl!
ReplyDeleteThat's right, you went to Immaculata. I forgot.
ReplyDeleteWe had Catholic neighbor kids who went on and on about sin, and I never understood why it scared them. I was told God had provided a solution for Christians, and "to err is human, to forgive divine".
I have always wondered why the Catholic church continued to rant at children for "sins" well into the late 20th century. I think (I hope I'm right) it is changing.
Love your poem, and the picture is a hoot. "Harness the subconscious" is so right on.
K
Yep, you always struck me as a bigtime sinner, Sherry! LOL!
ReplyDeleteI echo what Lolamouse said...this is serious and funny at the same time; the picture is priceless.
Sad, Sherry. I think organized religion often misses the boat. And those who were doin' the teaching were doin' their own sinning. Just saying.
ReplyDeletei am reminded how lucky i feel to not have had to undo that kind of teaching.
ReplyDeletealso, that photo scares the hell out of me. yikes!
Interesting poem--too bad so much baggage with beliefs for so many who were taught that way!
ReplyDeleteFirst, that picture is a hoot.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I tell you my Catholic nuns/teachers did the same thing. Ironic because the principal eventually married and left the school.
Happy weekend ~
and society will pay financially for years, for the church and state reasoning for controlling our thoughts, ie-residential school payouts in Canada
ReplyDeleteI heard that organised religion is orchestrated by the Illuminati to keep us in submission! Nice poem, mom!
ReplyDeleteOh, I can completely relate. I am one of their victims. In fact, I think I recognize Sister Sourpuss there. She turned me over her knee and spanked me when I was in the second grade... in front of the whole class!
ReplyDelete..I think society has changed and that all churches reflect society to a certain point. I know of so many Catholic religious that were and are wonderful. And many of the so-called "rules" are misunderstood a bit. BUT with that said, there is sin within all churches as it is made up of humans. No getting away from that!
ReplyDeleteWhat I find impossible to accept is the intolerance among the supposed "faithful" of any religion (organized or not) and the insistence that it is their way or the highway.
"Love one another" is a verb. It is to be lived, not just talked about... oh, you've got me goin' and I better stop.
I liked your poem very much, but it also made me sad.
That's really good!
ReplyDelete