A Theist

Regular readers will know I'm fairly easygoing about most things. Some things really "bug me" though. 

There’s a theist on my doorstep,

And he’s asking me to look

At some godly threats and promises

Inside some holy book.

I’ve no time for fairy stories,

And I’ve heard this one before,

So I think I’ll tell him “Thank you, no,”

And simply shut the door.

For he seems a pleasant fellow,

Trying to do what he deems right,

And while his fantasies harm no-one,

There’s no need to start a fight.

 

 

There’s a theist in my village

Who’s a preacher, I’ve heard tell,

And he speaks in fiery rhetoric

Of sinners and of hell.

His dogma is offensive,

And there’s cruelty in his words,

But his congregation’s smaller

Than his shoe size by a third.

So I mostly leave him to it.

After all, it’s his free choice,

And I think he mostly talks to hear

The sound of his own voice.

 

 

There’s a theist on the internet

Whose blog is read worldwide.

He has thousands of supporters

At his feet and by his side.

But his logic is as flimsy

As his “tolerant” veneer,

So I’ve started up my own blog

Just to make a few things clear.

I doubt there’ll be much of a chance

That his mind will be changed,

But I’ll make sure only one of us

Sounds angry and deranged.

 

 

There’s a theist in my classroom

Who says Darwin got it wrong,

And we all should read the Bible,

And our faith we must keep strong.

Well I won’t sit here in silence

While the science gets distorted.

It’s the school board’s job to make sure

His indoctrination’s thwarted.

He might cry discrimination,

Though his free speech is intact,

But we won’t respect religion

When it masquerades as fact.

 

 

There’s a theist in my government

Whose deity’s expected

To provide her moral guidance,

And to get her re-elected.

Her faith, of course, is personal,

And merits little note.

But if this is how she’ll run things,

Then she’s not getting my vote.

Who knows what God will order her

On any given date?

I’d rather not entrust him with

Our economic fate.

There’s a theist on my TV

Telling gays they’re less than whole,

And unless they plead forgiveness

God will damn their evil soul.

Now I’m starting to get angry,

And I’m going to speak out.

I don’t care if it’s uncivil;

This is hatred with some clout.

Don’t you dare tell us that love’s a sin,

You smug, self-righteous prat.

No, I won’t be at all tactful

When you’re saying crap like that.

There are theists on my planet

Who are murdering their friends,

And who torture their own children

For insane religious ends.

People die because of "blasphemy",

Maybe thousands every day –

And it’s this kind of “blind faith”

That makes some folks kneel and pray.

Some people have done much good   

with religious thoughts behind it.

But sometimes you must take a stand 

and call bullshit as you find it.

I've modified some of the original words but wanted to share it. I found this a good while ago. It's from a "proper" English speaker, a Brit I think, in 2010. I also liked his 2015 piece about an incident I hadn't even heard about. We need more rational thinkers, not more religionists.