Interfaith Debate Poem by Michael Shepherd

Dear Michael, You expose age old debates in this read. There are many interfaith councils in near every city, their united purpose is to bring and expose the threads of commonality and peace to communities. The group that I belong to, holds four services each year for this purpose. These programs are always well attended. Denominations that participated in our town were the Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, Lutherns, Penecostals, Methodists, Church of the Latter Day Saints, Prsbytarians (sp?) , Baptists and few others. We consciously select our leaders to represent and to give voice for the community well ~ black, white, Hispanic, women, men, young, old and we held services a different locations, the Roman Catholic Church, the park downtown, the black AME church, etc.We address common community concerns, collect coats for the migrants, cleaning products for victims of Hurricanes, foods for the food bank... we thread all this in fellowship and heartfelt care for one another. Their is an avenue to further peace and breck down archaic racisms, more folks should consider this path instead of feeding the ugliness of hatred, and the disregard for the faithful. I do hope many will consider walking the walk for true peace to help to break down barriers that oppress. In peace ~ Debora

Michael, I am not sure that this work would be classified as poetry, but I surely did give it a '10' for its political and religious content. The age old battle will continue forever...until The One God gets tired of listening to His children squabble.

its impossible to live with reason and logic when u have 'god' in ur heart, because religion is a complete lie and stupid to believe in. there is no god either.

When we stop debating our God and begin to live him/her, this sort of silliness will stop. In the meatime....

I love this! It reminds me of Beat poetry. There was one by Allen Ginsberg about a bomb but I can't remember what it is called - it slightly reminded me of that. It's a really powerful piece but has even more power read aloud. Provocative and thoughtful.

Michael, I did not hear about that speech until just a bit ago...been busy with Saturday chores. I can easily see how you came to this reflection, it is one that plays in my head with some frequency. On the global level, The Church (Roman Catholic) does a large outreach, especially in intellectual/theological circles in and for ecumenical studies. Check the Vatican websites out you haven't yet done so. Locally, many cities in the U.S. have interfaith councils, area priests, ministers and preachers can direct you those meeting sites. Sometimes, hospital chaplins are quite in involved with these councils. I agree that faith and reason often walk different paths...all the more reason grassroot councils can be of some use.

Debora, I'm heartened to hear that. But in which cities? This was written in reaction to the misunderstanding of the Pope's rather unfortunately worded but essential thesis - that Faith and Reason rarely live together happily...as we see.