I wish to thank all the ones who have tried to help me in this frustrating search for the answer to a simple question. While the question's answer has remained, until yesterday, elusive to me. I want especially thank Christine Alwin on Authors Den who delivered the mechanism that liberated me.
Thank you, Christine.
God Is Not the Source of Evil
For years I've posed the question to God
Why do children have to suffer so much
Cancer, abuse, and much more
I've wondered about this for most of my life
Goes back to when I was a small boy
A teenager who lived nearby
Backed over his baby brother in the yard
The teenager, in shock, ran off into the woods
Took two days before they found him
I guess I've been posing my question in many way
Orally or through poetry I've asked
Began a novel to uncover the answer
Hoped to settle the question once and for all
I still may write the book
The slant will just be different
I have friends who have tried to help
All in all they failed
I've been sent books
Video's of preacher's touching on the subject
None of it washed with me
None of it addressed the children problem
Just went on and on about "original sin"
Its blemish on humanity
My last poem I posted on AD
"Life's Sonnet #11"
Addressed my concerns again
Someone commented on the poem
Said she might be able to help with my quest.
Yesterday she sent a video
I put it on
Began to watch
After five minutes I decided
It was going to be like the rest I've seen
Was NOT going to concentrate on innocent children
Rather the suffering of mankind in general
Still, I left it running
As I did a few household chores
Half listening
It was as I was washing up a few dishes
That I heard a phrase
Which damned near floored me.
God is not the source of evil
I, we, and they, have been asking the wrong question
There is a war going on
Earth is its battleground
Satan has His own ways to fight
Deep down and dirty
That lesson I seem to have forgotten
So it seems have many others
Even those who are supposed to know
And understand the answer
I have asked so many people "the" question
Over the years
One clergyman hum-hawed
On the phone
Said he would get back to me
Probably the most asked question
Of God that there is
He had nothing to say to me about it
That was over two months ago
He has never "gotten back to me"
That one phrase
God is not the source of evil
Explained it better than thousands of
Theological summaries ever could
Everything became vividly clear
That one phrase begat another phrase
God gave us choices
Though that does not address the innocent
For they have no choice
Still, it took on a whole different meaning
Than it used to
After I finished with the dishes
That phrase running through my mind
I came back to the computer
Sat there staring at it
As though I expected God to speak to me through it
I finally realized He had already spoke to me
In as clear and understandable a voice as
He possibly could
It was to me what
The Burning Bush was to Moses
I went to bed last night
This on my mind
I awoke this morning
This on my mind
I have a feeling it will stay on my mind
Influencing my thinking
Until I am no longer able to think
October 21, 2009 / Jerry Pat Bolton
Wonderful! Your thoughts are so inspirational!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could write like you!
And thanks for leaving a comment on my blog.
I live in a city where 3 rivers meet...
Some times it takes what it takes and asking the right person at the right time always helps. I too believe that God is not the source of anything but love and light. About the choice and children, would it help to understand (as it is written) that he knows everything that will happen in your life and watches over all. In my life I have come to feel good about the soul that goes to heaven after we are done here on this earth and plans to come back and witness a new lesson for God that advances our soul more. Good or Bad we are all here for that. Doesn't have to make sense most days and I did often wonder in my early days why I picked this way of life. yet today it defines my beliefs in many ways and there was a purpose to it all. Wish I could catch you more, you are always an insight. LadyJ
ReplyDeleteAs a Christian, I have asked the question too, you are not alone. On another note, I believe that God knows everything forwards and backwards that I am thinking so I may as well say it. I was praying and before I knew it, this flew out of my mouth. "Tell Abraham that I am angry at him b/c he is the Father of 3 religions and we ALL think/know that we've got it right." I didn't feel silly about it, I was serious. Then I asked God to tell him that I forgive him, lol. It's normal to ask questions and I think that some things we'll never know until we see him.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this Jerry!!! xx