Wednesday, June 20, 2012

The Abused and the Accused


What does one do to repair one's soul?
Making our wrongs right can make us whole.
There are some wrongs that are only between us and our god,
And there are many that affect the creation on which we trod.

Do we first repair the sins we have committed against The Almighty
By accepting the new energy of The Holy Spirit as our deity?
Then with the new power infused into our souls and lives
Begin to rebuild parts of ourselves that, even before birth, died?

Or is it necessary to repair our relationships with humans
Before the hoped-for Holy Spirit will, our brokenness, mend?
I want to confront my abusers with what my soul needs to set free;
It is not for me to know how this affects eternity.

We, in this country, have the right to confront the accused,
To make decisions in the fate of those by whom we've been abused.
Maybe it is time to ask the aggrieved for their opinions,
Instead of having juries of unaffected women and men.

It is difficult to bring up children when they have choices,
But they eventually must learn to ignore false voices.
My parents and the church should face a tribunal
For all the punishments they inflicted that were so cruel.

Their church was complicit in authorities' tyranny,
But this, in my heart, doesn't set my parents free.
Our country was supposed to be separate from the church,
But toward a church state many continue to lurch.

When the clergy breaks the bonds of its vows,
Their highly privileged status should be disallowed.
Crimes committed by the mortal humans
Should face the penalties humanity demands.

If you have harmed me, I should be the one 
To hear you confess and raise or lower my thumb.
Only if I feel that you have set my soul free,
Will I want you walking the streets with me.

I, too, should be approached by those I've harmed,
With witnesses who won't become alarmed.
We should be able to talk our issues through,
With help from those who love the two.

This is the church family to which I want to belong,
Not one with only rituals and mindless songs.
But, in my experience, people won't get involved
When our relationship issues need to be solved.

Do they exist who stand for values over tradition
Who, in making judgments, won't ask others' permission,
The wise judges like Deborah and Solomon, 
Who care more for the weak than the powerful humans?