Transformative Knowledge
April 26, 2020 Leave a comment
The opening of the poem The Agony by George Herbert speaks of the modern way of knowing: the rational scientific mode (“philosophers” = natural philosophers). Herbert says there is so much more to take into account; there is so much more to knowing. He seeks to balance, heal and re-inform our ways of knowing. To radically transform our ways of knowing, Herbert invites us to turn to Christ at the intersection of sin and love – Christ’s Passion.
Closer to home, have you noticed that churches have ways of presenting sin and love? There are churches that speak about sin and damnation. They are ready to point out sin and make love conditional. And, there are churches that speak of unconditional love and inclusion while making sin conditional. Herbert reminds us that transcendent love can only be fully understood when we come to a knowledge of our sin and the meaning of cross.
The Agony
Philosophers have measur’d mountains,
Fathom’d the depths of the seas, of states, and kings,
Walk’d with a staff to heav’n, and traced fountains:
But there are two vast, spacious things,
The which to measure it doth more behove:
Yet few there are that sound them; Sin and Love.
Who would know Sin, let him repair
Unto mount Olivet; there shall he see
A man so wrung with pains, that all his hair,
His skin, his garments bloody be.
Sin is that press and vice, which forceth pain
To hunt his cruel food through ev’ry vein.
Who knows not Love, let him assay
And taste that juice, which on the cross a pike
Did set again abroach, then let him say
If ever he did taste the like.
Love is that liquor sweet and most divine,
Which my God feels as blood; but I, as wine.
Cindy Wity 
The “American, You Can’t Handle Your Liberty” Rap
May 20, 2012 Leave a comment
American, You Can’t Handle Your Liberty
American, you can’t handle your liberty,
Drunk with democracy you flirt with tyranny;
You whine and you cry about your life’s lot –
Not what the providential Constitution sought.
Our people are now lacking in self-government,
Living relativism that’s not heaven-sent,
Lacking all self-restraint, thinking they’re “free”,
They will tolerate anything but liberty.
Though free and equal, born with rights inalienable,
You whine and pine for freedom more palatable;
Unjust laws disguised as “social justice”,
Such religion of humanity does thwart us.
Myopic history sees the lie you so need,
“A People’s History…” makes bleeding hearts bleed;
Our nation’s true exceptional-ism,
In college taught as just cause for derision.
How are we the most generous nation on earth?
It is because of what our Founding Fathers birthed!
Take a look at the world around and see,
We as a nation donate most charitably.
Yet you squander democracy onto yourself,
While pure opportunity is put on the shelf,
Cradle to grave you whimper and pine,
“Hoping” and “Changing”, charging the taxpayer’s dime.
All men are created equal yet there are some,
With hubris bang the affirmative action drum,
And so betray our common good,
To play favoritism as any injustice would.
American, you can’t handle your liberty,
You want politicians to give you to what you please,
You clamor for “rights” thinking you’ll be free
While working the calculus of felicity.
Why is it that we fear our country’s liberty?
Because the rigors of responsibility,
We “Hope” and “Change” to be rid of the strife,
So we vote for someone who will pay for our life.
Wake up America and smell the flag burning,
Your “Hope” and “Change” are both lacking in discerning,
You whine and you pine and act all distraught,
While ever mocking what our Constitution taught.
© Sally Paradise, 2012, All Rights Reserved
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Filed under 2012 election, Culture, Life As I See It, Poetry, poetry, Political Commentary, Politics, social commentary, Writing Tagged with A People's History of the United States, America, current-events, Economics, freedom, generous nation, god and the constitution, howard zinn, human-rights, Liberty, Occupy Wall Street, patriotism, Poem, Poetry, politics, social justice, unconstrained view, US Constitution