Monday, May 09, 2005

DESIDERATA

Desideratum: n. desiterata, anything desired; a want, desire, or need generally felt and recognized.

Forgive my ignorance to detail here, but, In a church called Old Saint Paul's, located in Baltimore USA a piece of writing was discovered that was dated 1692.
This piece of work is called Desiterata.
Essentially it's a feel good piece of writing that lifts you up a bit and adds a little more perserverance to our personalities.
It was found in a church.
Therefore, I expected it to be riddled with references to God, and Christianity.
It's not.
At all.
In fact only one line in the entire writing (approx 325 words) even mentions his holiness.
The line is;
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be, and whatever your labors & aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
Be at peace with God whatever you conceive him to be. I find that exceptionally cool, however odd it may be that a Christian wrote it.
I've read and reread the piece over and over again, most of it has been regurgitated a million times over since this was written and has lost most of its effectiveness. But that one line catches me every time.
Whatever you perceive him to be.
I don't think it's written arrogantly. I don't think the author demeans anyone elses beliefs.
I think it's just to encompass free thought.
It's accepting.
It's all encompassing.
The rest of the writing is not all encompassing, and warns us to avoid loud and aggressive persons, as they are 'vexations to the spirit.'
But that one line.
'Be at peace with God whatever you perceive him to be', and found in a church!
That's too much.
It's funny that so much that Christianity teaches is based in good, yet it gets poisoned and twisted around, comes out dirty.
If there is a God, I perceive God to be a free thinker.
I think he likes everybody, even the loud and aggressive people (Christians).

1 Comments:

Blogger Another Apartment in Blogville. said...

i love the desiderata poem!
my favorite is:

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Great poem...it sucks that everyone can't live like this...but hell..if we did - those poor loud and aggressive people would be awfully lonely...

7:30 AM  

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