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(
[sid] => 34628
[catid] => 1
[aid] => mick
[title] => An Appeal To Secular Reason
[time] => 2004-02-11 16:55:08
[hometext] => A matter of reasoned understanding
[bodytext] => If life's complete term is this earthly sojourn,
What value is to be found in morality?
Why do we yearn for high knowledge to learn,
Or have need of reputation and fidelity?
Let's consume, every way, our limited stay
Not caring the consequence to others.
Let's ruthlessly flay those who get in our way'
And be selfish in the treatment of lovers.
Because if life, after all, is just nature's call,
From where comes these thoughts of virtue?
Better yet t'would be, never to live,
If no more than this life to attain to.
Penalty and reward have meaning no more,
If this be the end we're doomed to.
A short lapse in time, why not profit in crime?
--Restraint becomes a foolhardy menu.
Some men, of course, find reason to rejoice,
In embracing this odd philosophy.
While through it all, exemplifying Adam's fall,
They wax selfrighteous in its advocacy.
With honesty (of a sort) in their retort,
Of giving Godless reason its summation.
The logical end becomes the worship of man
And the denial of the laws of creation.
What a pitiful state to be found short of grace,
With the end rushing forward to greet you.
No meaning to life, its pleasures and strife,
Suicide becomes a desirable issue.
If I'm the duped one in worshipping God's son
No loss comes to me in my passing:
But, if right I reply, when my skeptic shall die,
The grief and remorse could be-- gnashing.
Psa.14:1
[comments] => 5
[counter] => 294
[topic] => 11
[informant] => Lionel
[notes] =>
[ihome] => 0
[alanguage] => english
[acomm] => 0
[haspoll] => 0
[pollID] => 0
[score] => 3
[ratings] => 1
[editpoem] => 1
[associated] =>
[topicname] => ChristianPoetry
)
An Appeal To Secular Reason
Contributed by
Lionel
on
Wednesday, 11th February 2004 @ 04:55:08 PM in AEST
Topic:
ChristianPoetry
|
If life's complete term is this earthly sojourn,
What value is to be found in morality?
Why do we yearn for high knowledge to learn,
Or have need of reputation and fidelity?
Let's consume, every way, our limited stay
Not caring the consequence to others.
Let's ruthlessly flay those who get in our way'
And be selfish in the treatment of lovers.
Because if life, after all, is just nature's call,
From where comes these thoughts of virtue?
Better yet t'would be, never to live,
If no more than this life to attain to.
Penalty and reward have meaning no more,
If this be the end we're doomed to.
A short lapse in time, why not profit in crime?
--Restraint becomes a foolhardy menu.
Some men, of course, find reason to rejoice,
In embracing this odd philosophy.
While through it all, exemplifying Adam's fall,
They wax selfrighteous in its advocacy.
With honesty (of a sort) in their retort,
Of giving Godless reason its summation.
The logical end becomes the worship of man
And the denial of the laws of creation.
What a pitiful state to be found short of grace,
With the end rushing forward to greet you.
No meaning to life, its pleasures and strife,
Suicide becomes a desirable issue.
If I'm the duped one in worshipping God's son
No loss comes to me in my passing:
But, if right I reply, when my skeptic shall die,
The grief and remorse could be-- gnashing.
Psa.14:1
Copyright ©
Lionel
... [
2004-02-11 16:55:08]
(Date/Time posted on
site)
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Re: An Appeal To Secular Reason
(User Rating: 1 )
by emystar on
Saturday, 14th February 2004 @ 07:39:20 AM AEST
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Very well written.
luv, huggs, peace,
emy
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Re: An Appeal To Secular Reason
(User Rating: 1 )
by Demetrius_F_P_Stuwart on
Sunday, 15th February 2004 @ 09:03:11 PM AEST
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| Greetings, Lionel!<br />
<br />
Let me begin by first expressing my appreciation for your thoughtful and thought-provocative comment on my poem in progress, "The Meaning Of Life." And compliment you on your most passionate and proficient literary work.<br />
I concur wholeheartedly with your transcendental perspective on life and human existence! This may come as a surprise, considering the adamant secular view espoused in my post. But please bear in mind that upon completion, my poem will equitably explore various other belief systems of differing perspectives. I presented my composition, unfinished, merely out of curiosity, to get a sense and sampling of reader opinion on what was completed hitherto. (Sadly, no one generally responds to my efforts--woe is me--my meager skills go unnoticed.)<br />
But, that being said, I, too, have always held that there is an ultimate purpose to life, transcending the obvious. And I likewise am a monotheist: a firm believer in the existence of a God. You will find no argument or criticism in this commentary. However, I have found in the course of life and livelihood, all too often, "it is for the moral high ground we try, but the child in us we satisfy" (as stated in my poem). Man aspires for the Summit of Sanctity, but all too often falls short, sliding down into the Slough of Secularism. It is symptomatic of the human condition to favor expedience over ethicality and pleasure over purity. Secularism, in my opinion, represents worldly wisdom: That indispensable common sense, savvy and down-to-earth practicality one needs to make it day-to-day in a world which caters to the sinner and not the saved. Secularism, however, in all its sagacity, falls woefully short in its skeptical, materialistic and rigidly empirical credo. It explores the chessboard and all its squares--learns the chessmen and how they move--but can never hope to know the true Master.... |
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Re: An Appeal To Secular Reason
(User Rating: 1 )
by Demetrius_F_P_Stuwart on
Monday, 16th February 2004 @ 02:27:18 PM AEST
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By the way, I'm curious to know if my work was, in any way, the inspiration for this poem.
Thank you, and may all your works be Shakespearean! |
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Re: An Appeal To Secular Reason
(User Rating: 1 )
by springchic1979 on
Wednesday, 17th March 2004 @ 07:07:52 PM AEST
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Hiya Lionel,
I wanted to tell you I loved this poem....especially the ending! You make your point very clear.
Well worded indeed!
Yvonne
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Re: An Appeal To Secular Reason
(User Rating: 1 )
by Former_Member on
Monday, 13th March 2006 @ 01:37:09 PM AEST
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a Message)
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| I get it but sometimes its just better to just think about not being on this earth when you always fail and never do anything right. |
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