deepundergroundpoetry.com
Asshole Gods
if your church
is an open-minded welcoming community
That understands the US Constitution
is not a religious decree
if you welcome LBGTQ members
don't cherry pick the bible
practice compassion and kindness
-even to those different from you-
you likely worship a benevolent god
and that's awesome
however
if you don't care how many school children die
to uphold your 2nd amendment rights
if you spout absurdly ill-considered cliches
like 'guns don't kill people'
when the 20 million assault rifles in america
are clearly doing just that
to countless school children and teachers
to concert crowds
to Subway employees who apply mayonnaise incorrectly
if you delude yourself into believing
other countries have as many school shootings
{FACT: they don't- it's called sensible gun control laws...}
-and if sending thoughts and prayers (aww)
suffices to purify your soul
congratulations
you worship an asshole god
if you are a fetus hugger
all pro-birth but throw em to the wolves once born
if you care nothing for endangering women
or raped 13 year old girls
(different when it's your daughter, isn't it?)
-and don't even consider-
that men have a role in preganancy
you pledge blind indoctrinated allegiance
to an asshole god
shame on you
if your god demands
the waging of holy war
committing unfathomably savage acts of inhumanity
killing the mothers and fathers of young children
killing the children themselves
in the name of religion
if holy war is not the ultimate oxymoron to you
your religion sucks balls
and your god is an asshole
if you believe a preacher
should be exonerated
for the crime of raping a young girl
because he's a man of god (????)
your god is a dangerous amoral idiot
and so are you
if you dwell on your rights
not responsibilities
if your morality
dictates drinking and driving
as not a problem
unless you are caught
you may not even be religious
but still
you worship an asshole god
and that asshole god
worships you
if you follow a god
through indoctrination alone
fancying yourself a land baron
of real estate in the sky
if you don't understand
that being told what to believe
is a paradox
your god is a narcissist
who values your worship
over your right to reason
so your god is kind of an asshole too
some of us are outside of the mainstream
we are atheists
agnostics
members of organized religions
or not
but we have one belief in common
we believe
belief
is belief
not fact
our morality
is not another's roadmap
but an internal compass
We hold beliefs loosely
and ethics tightly
and are happy to accept that the unknowable
is just that
all we can do
In this crazy world
Is worship practical goals -not gods-
that empower and protect
ourselves and each other
becoming our best selves
practicing compassion toward all
even those who worship
asshole gods
is an open-minded welcoming community
That understands the US Constitution
is not a religious decree
if you welcome LBGTQ members
don't cherry pick the bible
practice compassion and kindness
-even to those different from you-
you likely worship a benevolent god
and that's awesome
however
if you don't care how many school children die
to uphold your 2nd amendment rights
if you spout absurdly ill-considered cliches
like 'guns don't kill people'
when the 20 million assault rifles in america
are clearly doing just that
to countless school children and teachers
to concert crowds
to Subway employees who apply mayonnaise incorrectly
if you delude yourself into believing
other countries have as many school shootings
{FACT: they don't- it's called sensible gun control laws...}
-and if sending thoughts and prayers (aww)
suffices to purify your soul
congratulations
you worship an asshole god
if you are a fetus hugger
all pro-birth but throw em to the wolves once born
if you care nothing for endangering women
or raped 13 year old girls
(different when it's your daughter, isn't it?)
-and don't even consider-
that men have a role in preganancy
you pledge blind indoctrinated allegiance
to an asshole god
shame on you
if your god demands
the waging of holy war
committing unfathomably savage acts of inhumanity
killing the mothers and fathers of young children
killing the children themselves
in the name of religion
if holy war is not the ultimate oxymoron to you
your religion sucks balls
and your god is an asshole
if you believe a preacher
should be exonerated
for the crime of raping a young girl
because he's a man of god (????)
your god is a dangerous amoral idiot
and so are you
if you dwell on your rights
not responsibilities
if your morality
dictates drinking and driving
as not a problem
unless you are caught
you may not even be religious
but still
you worship an asshole god
and that asshole god
worships you
if you follow a god
through indoctrination alone
fancying yourself a land baron
of real estate in the sky
if you don't understand
that being told what to believe
is a paradox
your god is a narcissist
who values your worship
over your right to reason
so your god is kind of an asshole too
some of us are outside of the mainstream
we are atheists
agnostics
members of organized religions
or not
but we have one belief in common
we believe
belief
is belief
not fact
our morality
is not another's roadmap
but an internal compass
We hold beliefs loosely
and ethics tightly
and are happy to accept that the unknowable
is just that
all we can do
In this crazy world
Is worship practical goals -not gods-
that empower and protect
ourselves and each other
becoming our best selves
practicing compassion toward all
even those who worship
asshole gods
Published 17th Aug 2022
Author's Note
I hate it when sanctimonious bullshit causes suffering.
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
likes 11
reading list entries 4
comments 16
reads 511
Commenting Preference:
The author encourages honest critique.
20th Aug 2022 8:03pm
I'll have the balls to comment.
Finally someone has hit the nail on head with aplomb.
America lost it mind when George W. allowed the common man and barely adults to legally buy AR-15s. Nobody hunts with this weapon. It's made to kill living things, usually humans, in places like schools, places of worship, mass transit, resorts, concerts, wherever. The asshole gods are nowhere to be found and if they were, they'd be mumbling about thoughts and prayers while America bleeds out.
You did a lot of talking PD. Finally someone had the courage to speak the sad truth about the alleged greatest country in the world turning to polarized shit .....
BIG LIKE THE CHUTZPAH
RL AWARD
Finally someone has hit the nail on head with aplomb.
America lost it mind when George W. allowed the common man and barely adults to legally buy AR-15s. Nobody hunts with this weapon. It's made to kill living things, usually humans, in places like schools, places of worship, mass transit, resorts, concerts, wherever. The asshole gods are nowhere to be found and if they were, they'd be mumbling about thoughts and prayers while America bleeds out.
You did a lot of talking PD. Finally someone had the courage to speak the sad truth about the alleged greatest country in the world turning to polarized shit .....
BIG LIKE THE CHUTZPAH
RL AWARD
28th Aug 2022 6:05pm
Big thanks for the great comments. I'd forgotten it was George W. to blame for AR-15s. How such people can live with themselves is beyond me.
25th Aug 2022 2:47am
I don't believe in worshipping any "deity", because they don't exist within the scope of making a difference. Succumbing to a phantom only makes us weaker. Being solely responsible for our own actions, based on our morality of course, is the only cure.
Your points are valid. And sadly so.
Your points are valid. And sadly so.
28th Aug 2022 6:06pm
28th Aug 2022 4:46pm
Well said! I'm not sure how much of this is a cultural difference, but here most Christians get along fine with LGBTQ+ people and don't feel the need to start spouting verses or life advice. Some do, but most don't. Why can't we all just love each other and get along?!
We don't tend to have school shootings here, because people don't have guns! It's not rocket science. There are problems with knife crime in some cities, which sadly has always been the case.
And if one is going to defend unborn babies, then they bloody well need to defend all the children who have actually been born! We live in a society where abortion MUST be available. The needs of a fetus should not TRUMP those of the mother, wherever you stand on that debate. But not enough consideration is given to what happens to children after birth, IMO.
Thought provoking stuff.
We don't tend to have school shootings here, because people don't have guns! It's not rocket science. There are problems with knife crime in some cities, which sadly has always been the case.
And if one is going to defend unborn babies, then they bloody well need to defend all the children who have actually been born! We live in a society where abortion MUST be available. The needs of a fetus should not TRUMP those of the mother, wherever you stand on that debate. But not enough consideration is given to what happens to children after birth, IMO.
Thought provoking stuff.
28th Aug 2022 6:11pm
There is some ugly, deeply homophobic stuff. lead by evangelicals, going on in certain states. Fortunately, they are a minority among Christians, but sadly, a very loud and powerful minority.
Yeah, just plain common sense with the gun laws isn't it? The assault rifle loving Americans would say "See, in England they have knives. No difference." Right, like a knife can kill dozens of people within a minute.
Love the capitalized dig at a certain idiot American politician. Well done.
Thanks so much for your great comments.
Yeah, just plain common sense with the gun laws isn't it? The assault rifle loving Americans would say "See, in England they have knives. No difference." Right, like a knife can kill dozens of people within a minute.
Love the capitalized dig at a certain idiot American politician. Well done.
Thanks so much for your great comments.
28th Aug 2022 6:15pm
I just looked at the figures for 2021. Gun deaths in the US: 21,000. Knife deaths here: 235.
29th Aug 2022 6:10am
Sad that my first thought was that 21,000 seemed inaccurately low. Thanks for looking up the figures.
3rd Sep 2022 6:29pm
10th Sep 2022 8:24pm
10th Sep 2022 10:35pm
16th Sep 2022 3:24pm
Very strong and I admire you for voicing. Don't conform and stay true to yourself.
17th Sep 2022 3:24am
4th Oct 2022 9:41am
Jesus seems like quite a nice, chill kind of guy, but some of his followers have an awful lot to answer for.
If I had a pound for every time my life choices have been slapped with “well the Bible says this” I’d be a rich woman — I’m not in your little book club, so the rules of the little book club don’t apply to me.
A lot of sense in this poem so thank you for sharing your viewpoint.
-M
If I had a pound for every time my life choices have been slapped with “well the Bible says this” I’d be a rich woman — I’m not in your little book club, so the rules of the little book club don’t apply to me.
A lot of sense in this poem so thank you for sharing your viewpoint.
-M
27th Feb 2024 1:40am
*Stands up and slow claps* 👏🏻
Literally don't even have the words apart from thank you, thank you for being one of those who actually talks sense, i've met people IRL and read so many people who have been anti-LGBTQIA+ for reasons that are completely beyond human understanding and reasoning, yet they connect it all back to religion especially evangelicals and primitive baptists (or westboro baptist church rather)
I'm not a religious person, i'm as heathen as they come but I always say let people live if they're doing no harm to others, politics, guns and knives do more damage than adam and steve or sandra and irene walking down the road holding hands or somebody becoming the best version of themselves through life saving gender affirming treatments, most of us LGBTQIA+ folx want to live life quietly and peacefully and I think you showed that here in your final stanza in it's own way which made me feel seen while reading this poem.
Thank you for sharing and for the broader view around here :)
-Ethan
Literally don't even have the words apart from thank you, thank you for being one of those who actually talks sense, i've met people IRL and read so many people who have been anti-LGBTQIA+ for reasons that are completely beyond human understanding and reasoning, yet they connect it all back to religion especially evangelicals and primitive baptists (or westboro baptist church rather)
I'm not a religious person, i'm as heathen as they come but I always say let people live if they're doing no harm to others, politics, guns and knives do more damage than adam and steve or sandra and irene walking down the road holding hands or somebody becoming the best version of themselves through life saving gender affirming treatments, most of us LGBTQIA+ folx want to live life quietly and peacefully and I think you showed that here in your final stanza in it's own way which made me feel seen while reading this poem.
Thank you for sharing and for the broader view around here :)
-Ethan
28th Feb 2024 1:02am
Ethan, your response made me truly happy. Possibly the best comment I've gotten since becoming a member here. Thank you for letting me know my poem made you feel seen.
