Below is a poem written in the wake of the recent Sandy Hook school shooting. I have never had to bury my own child, yet, I have witnessed my parents having to bury a child(my sibling), so I know first hand how parents are tormented having to prepare for something that they are not, and never can be, prepared for. It is for this reason that I would not want to take away the only comfort that a parent in this tragedy might have, and in this case, that is to believe that their child has not really died, but lives on in a "hereafter".
Here is the poem, by author Cameo Smith.....
Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
They were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"This is heaven." declared a small boy. "We're spending Christmas at God's house."
They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"This is heaven." declared a small boy. "We're spending Christmas at God's house."
When what to their wondering eyes did appear,
But Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
Then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
But Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
Then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
And in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring:
Those children all flew into the arms of their King,
And as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
One small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
Those children all flew into the arms of their King,
And as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
One small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
And as if He could read all the questions she had,
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
Then He looked down on earth, the world far below,
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe,
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
Then He looked down on earth, the world far below,
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe,
Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!
May this country be delivered from the hands of fools
I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!
May this country be delivered from the hands of fools
I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
Then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"Come now my children, let me show you around."
Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
"Come now my children, let me show you around."
Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."
"In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."
Notice that the author goes one step further than merely assuring the parents and other believers that the deceased children live on in a land of pure, unadulterated bliss, AKA, "heaven". Yes, he goes further and makes it political, attributing such statements as, "I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!", to the god he worships, in this case, the Christian god. The implication, of course, is that we mean atheists/secularists have driven their "God" out of school and out of our nation, yadda, yadda, and this is the reason for tragedies such as Sandy Hook and other mass shootings. This, I contend, is malarkey on many levels.
Bottom line, when the author tries to combine politics with his religion, his religious beliefs then become open season as far as I'm concerned. Does it suck when certain people's only source of comfort gets caught in the crossfire? Yes, it does, but that's the cost of the religious trying to force their spiritual beliefs into public affairs. You see, if believers can get themselves to actually believe that their deceased children can be happily skipping around and filled with "joy" after having been ripped away from everything they've ever known...e.g..their parents, their siblings, their home, their friends, their toys, their family pets, etc., that's fine by me; they should believe it to their heart's content. However, the minute that they say something so stupid, so insulting, and something so demonstrably false as the reason for these types of shootings is because "God" is missing(or "not welcomed"), all bets are off. Yes, the notion that a belief in "God" precludes "evil", is demonstrably false. A few examples that affirm this would be "Hitler"(Catholic), and the numerous churches where "God" is most certainly invited, and yet, kids are molested right in "His (supposed) House". And what does "God" do? Nothing. 'Coincidence?
Perhaps it's time we start investigating other ways to find comfort when we lose loved ones, that is, if we can't keep what gives us comfort out of political affairs.
13 comments:
Excellent, excellent, excellent. Thanks for writing.
Okay, thx for checkin' it out!
How about writing your own poem, thus bringing comfort to those who have lost their loved ones and publish it here?
Hi, Anon'
Thx for checking out my blog, and thanks for the suggestion.
Here's the thing, I can't promise anyone that what I could produce in the way of secular poem could produce the type of comfort that believers are looking for; I can only promise that I wouldn't sneak my political views in my poem "under the radar".
'Best
And if it were to be acceptable for everyone, also non-believers? Which words would YOU be using?
Best to you, A.
"And if it were to be acceptable for everyone, also non-believers?"
'Not entirely sure what you're asking, here. If you're asking me if I could author a poem comprehensive enough to provide comfort to both nonbelievers and believers, alike, the answer is probably not, since most if not all believers have been indoctrinated from an early age to "buffer" the fact that we all die with the concept of "Heaven". And let's face it, no one shifts paradigms overnight.
IOW, while nonbelievers find comfort in their memories of their deceased loved ones, that might not be enough for Christians and other people of faith. The latter folks might need a guarantee that they will see their loved ones again in a "hereafter".
And again, I want to make it crystal clear that I do not have a problem with believers looking to the spiritual to find comfort in the wake of losing loved ones. Again, I only take issue when people use their spiritual beliefs as some sort of "license" to force their political views into public affairs, for instance, when it comes to abortion, war, and in this case, school shootings. If they cannot (or will not) refrain from that practice, I'm merely saying that perhaps they need to examine others ways to find comfort, because their spiritual beliefs, as a whole, will continually be caught in the crossfire. 'Best.
Maybe my request is an impossible one. What can one say in a poem that would provide any comfort to those left behind? No view is good enough, there probably are no words to make it any easier regardless their beliefs.
Just wondering what you'd come up with if you'd give it a go. Again it might not be doable.
Best and thanx for thinking about this concept.
"What can one say in a poem that would provide any comfort to those left behind?"
It totally depends on the individual and his or her religious beliefs (or lack thereof). For instance, there are millions of individuals who collectively hold to a belief in a mind/body "duality", in that, the former presumably survives the total annihilation of the latter. IOW, some people believe that our "personalities" somehow live on once we die. These people surely find at least some comfort in that belief, otherwise, they wouldn't write poems like the above, and millions more just like it. And again, I don't have a problem with this, until they start pushing other aspects of their religious beliefs into public policy...e.g.."Our Nation is screwed up because God is no longer invited in our schools!", etc.
"Just wondering what you'd come up with if you'd give it a go. Again it might not be doable."
Writing a poem that is all-encompassing is, no, not realistic, and it just might not be doable. However, the non-religious can, and do, find peace of mind in non-religious poetry. The following is just one example:
If I should die and leave you here awhile,
Be not like others, sore undone, who keep
Long vigil by the silent dust and weep.
For my sake turn to life and smile,
Nerving thy heart and trembling hand to do
Something to comfort weaker hearts than thine.
Complete these dear unfinished tasks of mine,
And I, perchance, may therein comfort you. ~ A. Price Hughes
Hi Jeff,
My compliments to you for selecting this poem. It’s a beautiful one and seems suitable for both believers and non-believers.
The whole discussion here got me to think a lot about this subject.
I’ve seen the multiple posts on FaceBook with regards to this shooting and I’ve read the statements from people about God being banished from school and also about having to change certain laws. My response was that nowadays values seem to be gone/reduced, combined with the lack of social skills being taught from parent to child. Quoting the bible seems so senseless when people are not living accordingly, then again I do not have to tell you this :-).
Yesterday I got a bit sad when posting the reply. I’ve learnt that even people who do believe, doubt about whether people really are without pain and in a good place after having died. This being said, is it any use to refer to the hereafter or heaven? Cause when it comes to the loss of others (most certainly a child), it’s all about the grieving and wondering whether one had done it’s best while the person was still alive.
In my surroundings I deal mostly with people (if not almost all) who are non-believers. Despite my own beliefs I would like to give them something to hold on to. Although this may have nothing to do anymore with the subject of your blog, it does give me some support you came with above poem.
You might have wondered why I kept this unanimous, but I didn’t want to upset you. Your opinion means a lot to me and even has led to a discussion or two with my mum about religion. Most certainly it has influenced the way I look at people writing about God and quoting the bible all over the net. So maybe people cannot change overnight, but ideas most certainly can be influenced.
Lexje
Firstly, I must admit that in light of our brief dealings on a certain popular networking site, dealings in which I exercised my option to sever contact w/you, I must view your approaching me initially as "Anonymous", as a bit disingenuous.
That said, I cannot/will not promise you that I will engage you further than this post, but in the mean time, you said...
"Quoting the bible seems so senseless when people are not living accordingly, then again I do not have to tell you this"
No, in fact, many if not most Christians certainly are living accordingly, when we consider that the bible teaches things like, one group of people are more special and more deserving of life than others, that Atheists are "fools", that blacks(and other people of color) are less than human, that war is good, that gays are an "abomination", that the earth and Universe were "Created" with homosapiens in mind, and on and on and on. These are things that the bible supports, and as thus, are advocated by millions of people in my country.
"I’ve learnt that even people who do believe, doubt about whether people really are without pain and in a good place after having died."
That might be your experience, but in my experience here in my own country, nearly all Christians I encounter believe in "heaven" and that it is a place completely devoid of "evil" and human suffering. In fact, I can't recall encountering one single Xian who doesn't feel that way.
"This being said, is it any use to refer to the hereafter or heaven?"
To the above people, yes, it is clearly useful to them. It "buffers" their fear of death, and it assures them that their deceased love ones aren't really dead, but "alive", in some non-physical "realm". And reverting back to the point of my post, I don't have a problem with that, until they start using those beliefs for things *other* than comfort.
"In my surroundings I deal mostly with people (if not almost all) who are non-believers."
By words like "surroundings" and "deal", I assume that you mean this whole business of being a "spiritual medium". If that's the case, I can only assume that the "nonbelievers" you mostly deal with are reaching out because they are not fully at peace with the notion that this life is all there is. In other words, they are transitioning from supernaturalists to naturalist and haven't come to grips with the finality of death. Let's not mince words, here. You are in the business of giving people "hope". Mediums are in the business of convincing the living that the nonliving's personalities are intact and either "recycle" or live perpetually in bliss. Based on previous talks w/you, you know that I don't believe in this sort of thing, and as well, you know my sentiments concerning the people who do this.
"Despite my own beliefs I would like to give them something to hold on to."
I view that "hope" as false hope. Notwithstanding, if one is convinced, they're convinced. As you well know, I'm not convinced, and the arguments intended to convince me don't hold up. This is not to say I couldn't be convinced, but things like "cold readings" and NDEs won't do it.
"I must view your approaching me initially as "Anonymous", as a bit disingenuous."
I can’t blame you for this. If I’d put my name initially your answers would have been quite different (if there would have been any) and honestly I’m happy with the answers you gave me being Anon, especially the poetry. However with all the effort you put into this (and given our past), I felt I owed you.
“By words like "surroundings" and "deal", I assume that you mean this whole business of being a "spiritual medium".”
Actually I didn’t. I meant people who are basically non-believers, so not believing in an after-life or a heaven. I try to clarify things from a more universal point of view. That’s why I was looking for something else to give them, hence the question(s).
"Despite my own beliefs I would like to give them something to hold on to." “I view that "hope" as false hope.”
Well maybe it’s not, when I can get to focus them on things they can relate to and work with. You know my views, but still I was very touched by what you’d looked up and written here (the poem). The text can be considered “universal” and with it a solace to most people.
“You are in the business of giving people "hope"."
My core-business actually has nothing to do with being a medium. People come to me either because I can help them with their mindsets (making them aware of their unconscious survival mechanisms and next support them to change their views and actions in daily life) or because they can hardly move and I can get them mobile again. I guess that’s also a form of "hope” but then with actual results. Me throwing some energy and intuition into the mix has nothing to do with there being an afterlife or not.
I’m starting to conclude the people over here live very differently compared to America when it comes to Christianity and religion. There may be some form of spirituality but that’s about it. There are a few select groups who live strictly conform the bible, but those raised Catholic most of all have pretty much left Xianity behind them. The looking down on others because of colour, race, beliefs, is quite uncommon here. Of course there is some form of discrimination, but this has more to with the cultural aspects. You’ve been over here a couple of times, you probably can tell me if there indeed is such a difference.
If you were to author something yourself or find some more poetry that can help others overcome some of their grief, I’d appreciate it. I cannot erase what I’ve said/done before, but - just maybe - we can talk about subjects without this constantly being in the back of our minds.
Well, it's not like I went out of my way to appease anyone. I'm glad you like the poem and its nonbeliever/nonsupernaturalist perspective, but it was as simple as typing 3 or 4 words into a search field. Doing a search on "secular eulogies" will turn up bunches more like the one I posted. I take credit for nothing.
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