Exodus

A personal journey to enlightenment.

My personal diaspora

began as my sorry

original sin stained soul

evaporated in a mist

of Thomas like doubt.

 

Enlightened,

I took belief into

my own hands,

poked my finger

into the wounds

Christianity

has caused,

turned over

flawed teachings,

considered their

provenance,

and decided

to plough

my own furrow.

 

Catholic  beliefs

drummed into me

as priests brainwashed

me from birth,

dissipated into the

steady winds

of informed scepticism.

 

I watched them spread

and dissolve as

the troubled dark clouds

of religious dogma

rose like white smoke

into an atmosphere

of a more certain,

more palatable,

earthly,

Hawking universe.

 

24/06/19

Author's Note

Reviews

[kentuck14]

John,
you know well my thoughts on 'religion' per say. Faith is less about dogma and more about trust. My trust in God has never let me down in 38 years; don't suppose it ever will. Can't say faith doesn't come without struggle, even doubt sometimes. As a person of faith I have no quarrel with "true" science. Hawking slipped into speculation and wishful thinking as the years went by. When men of science look for ways to dismiss the existence of God the more they stray from the purpose of scientific reasoning and research. The more I hear about true science the more my belief in God is validated, e.g. DNA which Collins called the "language of God." The belief in the "Big Bang" validates the idea that the universe didn'y always exist.
Your poem is well written. I threw off much of my Catholic 'clothes' many years ago. I read the Bible and tested what it said and tested it's veracity against life and have found it to be truthful. Do I say I know everything there is to know? Not in this life. Is science good and useful? Absolutely! But true science does not speculate on the existence of god. True science studies what is there in the created universe and leaves the rest up to what the heart can only find. Hope this doesn't come across as argument. Just stating what I believe. All the best.
Tom

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Tom I find your comment inoffensive and passionate and reasonable. We all have a right to belief. Mine happens to be that science has an evidential basis, more than the power of 'mere' faith. I also admire those who do have such strong faith and those who make it a positive influence across their lives and the lives of others. I detest thoses zealots who use it to subjugate or murder or rob. Many, many thanks for putting your honest view forward in response to my piece.

[Chris Shaw]

I've given up on organised religion. The more of it I see, the less I like it. I use my own commonsense these days. That, mixed with lessons taught to me by parents, grandparents and life in general, I make my own way. I like the journey you took me on here. Intelligent free verse, nicely composed.

Chris

[John Alexander McFadyen]

I guess many of us have these days and thank goodness. Many thanks for such a nice review Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

You are welcome.