A Black Christian's Paradox By M'yvonne Payne Poem by Anonymous User

A black Christian's paradox. One, God exists. Two, God is an all-power all-knowing and benevolent. Three, a benevolent being would want to prevent all evil. Four, an all knowing being foresees every evil and means of preventing that evil. Five, an all-powerful being has the power to prevent evil from happening. Six, a benevolent being would do everything in its power to prevent evil. Seven, if there exists an all-powerful all-knowing and benevolent God then no evil would exist. Eight, evil exists. Nine, parishioners were killed while praying to God. ten, fingers clamps around a weapon turned a body of believers to holy for words and there are no holy words to fix this. There are no scriptures that can quiet this cognitive dissonance. God if you exist why aren't you listening. What could they ask for in your son's name. What part of that amen made a man see a sanctuary as suitable for shooting a major house. A mass with stained glass, ground and fused your children's blood shed for the sins of men. But I can feel no safety, not in my home, not in my neighborhood, not in my schools, not in my job, not at churches. God how many more bullets will pick black bodies as places to worship. Our chests makeshift cathedrals for shell casings. Our lives, nothing more than mourning songs set up for you to get the glory. How long will our welling groans and gnashing teeth be the hymnals that angels sing their feet. God if you exist why aren't you listening, or are you? Is our suffering soothing as nature sounds? Should we Christian though our cries until our voices quake to the clouds. At that point would mercy reign? At that point would justice reign be only just another rainy day? Another face, another name forgotten that it was fearfully made, wondrously created in your image. God do you still see us in your image? Do you see us God your earthbound children, the ones of us who suffer for the sake of your righteousness? Those of us who are too bronze and clay colored for comfort. Do you see us, God? We are dying to know if you still notice.