Atheism & Wishful thinking
by freesinger C2006
WHY have we believed in gods /Spirits, ancestors, life after death? /
Since the beginning of our homosape race /circa 140,000 years ago /
Our ancestors have believed /in spirits, ancestors, animism /Nature worship, pantheism /
Propitiation, supplication, prayer, sacrifice /Horrific sacrifices /especially Aztecs, Romans, Nazis /
good Christians, Muslims, all reliigons /
Wait, don’t click off /there’s an uncut gemstone coming near the end //
WHY do we believe in gods?/Is it because of fear of Death? /
& Fear of life, of pain, disappointment, frustration /disapproval, punishment, poverty, diseases, war /
fear of fear & anger /we hate the thought of loss of everything we love /
of everything we’ve worked so hard to be /of self, loved ones / Fear of life, especially Death
Buddha said, “Death is the end of craving /end of suffering, there are no gods.”
Epicurus said, “There is nothing to fear after Death /Nothing can ever hurt us again /
There are no gods, no afterlife.” /Words to that effect, by both //
I fought in WW2, South Pacific /Saw friends pray before flights /many pray-ers didn’t come back /
I stopped praying /stopped believing promises of prophets /Seers, sons of godot /
preachers, holy men, Popes, Billys, ayatollahs /all die, like everyone else /
never speak to us from Heaven or Paradise / At 84, I don’t believe in gods, prophets, sons of godot /
But just for the pleasure of it /I think I might have had /
A visit from a spirit in Domremy, Lorraine, France /Ancient home of Jeanne la Pucelle /
she called herself that name /(in English, Joan of Arc ) /during her sadistic trial, 1431 /
by Catholic bishops & Norman-English usurpers /Burned at the stake, by Christians, not Aztecs /
We drove to, Domremy, 1999 /visited her old home, rebuilt by Socialist Party /
Read a plaque mounted on bricks /This is where Jeanne received her orders /
From Saints Michael, Catherine, & Margaret / “Defeat the English & Burgundian allies “/
have Charles VII crowned at cathedral of Rheims /as she did!
my beloved wife photographed me /Standing beside the plaque /We drove away /
flew back home to San Francisco /Film processed, 47 photos good /
except one, where I stood beside the plaque /a white & color fringed blob /
Appeared exactly where I stood / blobbed me out /Many photo experts can’t explain it /
You can see the photo on google / Rendez-vous with Joan of Arc /
Or on http://freesingerroy.com/blog / same title / ‘tis the promised gem /
I like to think it’s a visit from a Domremy spirit /though I’m an atheist/
To do a bit of wishful thinking /Makes me feel cheerful, unafraid of death /
I wish to hold my mind together /watching over loved ones /over all I’ve loved during Life /
Not forever, yegads! Trillions of years? /Wishful thinking! / that’s what all religions are /
Is that permitted if it makes us feel happy during life? / Methinks, YES!