I. LOVE. THIS. Pity the nutcases gave you all those flame; you warned them. This is wonderful. I would have taking out the last stanza, though. . .but the format and word choice was mature and really worked.
I, personally, don't believe in God in the Christian sense. I do believe in God as being this force that drives the earth, that did make the earth- but I don't see it as some cute little man sitting up in a throne rapping out the Bible on stone tablets. God is energy to me. I believe a lot of what Wicca and paganism teaches philisophically, as well as in the existence of magick, which is really only energy manip. . .
I'm rambling. Okay, let's see, what do I think about suffering. . .suffering, I think, is the experience to our knowledge. We need to suffer to be able to relate to others, to teach them and learn from them. It may be. . .cliche? to say that suffering breeds nobility, but since I believe that we all chose our life before we live it, there had to be a reason for us choosing what we did.
Oh. That was long. Hope I wasn't too preachy or weird. ;)
-Jessica

Hmm...there are so many things I can say in response to this, but I think all I need to say is this: GOD is Love.

He didnt create this world because He was bored, or because He liked seeing people suffer and die, I know that He created it simply because He wanted children. He wanted someone to talk to, someone to love. I dont know if you have ever felt the unconditional love of a child, but I believe that it is the sweetest, purest thing ever imaginable. And so I can see why He would want something like that.

Ya know, a lot of times we view GOD as an old man up in heaven always looking for our mistakes and just waiting for us to sin so he can strike us with a lightning bolt. But it is quite the contrary. All He wants is a relationship with you. Yes, we sin. And yes, that sin can separate us from Him. But in reality, He is a loving Father who is up in Heaven just waiting for us to turn to Him and for us to say we love Him. It doesnt matter what you have done, it doesnt matter what other people have done to you, He wants you to cast all of your cares on Him, and to come to Him and trust in Him. GOD's plan wasn't for the world to end in distruction. He created Adam and Eve blamless. But one thing He did do was give us all a choice because forced love is no love at all. If He forced us to love Him, then we would all be perfect robots roaming the earth with our heartless praise being sent to His throne. No, He made love a choice. He made everything a choice. Some people are cruel and heartless and their only thought is to make everone around them miserable. Thats sad, and in all honesty, it is them who need His love the most. But we can't control them, and He has chosen not to control them. He could if He wanted to, but then He would be taking away their choice of love.

In closing I just want to say that He loves you so much! He created you as His child, and He is your Father. Perhaps the one question that you should be asking above all of these that you have written here is, "How can I experience this love?" Ask Him, He will show you. He has shown me, and I'm eternally altered. He has captured my heart. I know that I know that He is real!! And I hope that you will pursue Him because if you will draw near to Him, He will draw near to you.

-contentwithrhyme

Hey,
The football team, the prisoner, etc... those were all great examples. I was a little turned off by the first 2 or 3 stanzas but I enjoyed the rest. I suppose it's just because the beginning seemed too vague for me. It's perfectly normal to question God's existence, but the fundamentalists don't realize that. Anyway, I like how you're not afraid to state your own opinion, even if it could earn you flames. Nice work overall.
~iridium~

This poem really expresses what the world is coming to good... Sometimes I do wonder if it all was God's plan or something like that because of the horrible things that happen... I really like your stanzas that say "Maybe God is..." It makes you understand how little we know about God. I don't think it's biased against God... It's really good. It really makes me think.

~Shelila~

The more I read the more I like it. You have future with this. Two tumbs up

well, i have no idea if ppl have turned away from god, if god planned it, or if there is a god at all. however, i enjoyed the poem- very cynical, sarcastic, explored some interesting ideas.

First of all let me say that this is in all probability the most insightful, down-to-earth poem about God I've seen on FP.net. The imagery was very good, the question was straightforward, not too cynical or sneering. The way it was built was also very good.
Now for my philosophy about it. I see everyone else who reviewed this poem only praised it or flamed it without really answering your question.
What is God's plan? A question we all ask ourselves sometimes. But the infuriating conclusion we always have to reach is, "Who am I to interpret God? After all, I'm only human." I think if we look at history, we can see some sort of shape to things people probably would never have understood then. Take the Holocaust for instance. The epitome of all that is evil, right? Three years later, those same Jews who were led like sheep to the slaughter founded their own country. THREE YEARS. Who would have believed...? A nation rose from the ashes of tragedy, took a stand and got themselves a home- the only place they could really be accepted for who they are in the whole world. And the thing is, they never would have achieved it if not for the Holocaust.
We humans are so tiny, we can only see up to around six miles in front of us, right? Something like that? Anyway, because we're so small, we have a very, very hard time backing up and looking at the big picture. It is my firm belief that the bad stuff going on in the world today is not just there to make us worry. I believe that in another few years, maybe a few decades or more, it will shape up to something, and maybe we'll be able to understand why all of it happened.
To believe in God is both very easy and very difficult. The easy part is that it's in every human's nature to hold on to SOMETHING when they need support. The hard part is that you have to have complete and blind trust in Him, that He will guide you with a sure hand to wherever it's best for you to be. May the world be blessed with this trust.
As for the sins of people, that is also something we all have to learn to accept. But we can accept it as all part of God's plan to bring the world where he wants it. Like in my above example: of not for the brutality, inhumaneness and utter evil of the Nazis, the Jews would never have accomplished their dream.
For more on belief in God, check out my "poetic essay", "Signs".
God bless and good luck.

m~* Sunflower, anyone?

goog poem, i like the second last stanza. makes the reader think.

good poem, keep it up!

Well, I'm an athiest, so *ahem* you probably know what I think about this all being God's great plan. Although the style was a little rocky, I think it's great that you have the guts to take on issues like this. The world needs more people who are willing to look closely at something without worrying that it will all disappear.

I like this alot, lots of wondering questions that we'll never know the answer to. Very good poem :):D

*nodnods* For some reason this reminded me of that song - "What if God was one of us?" - I guess it's just because your poem considers the possibility that God is not infallible.

wow.yeah ok i like this, i actually like it alot. at first i didnt really feel like it was a poem though, but it actually has some thingy in it that just makes it have this ring to it. good job on that. be prepared for flames from people. i dont really have any comments other than that because i dont believe in the devil, but, the scientest thing was hilarious.

good job, nimue

Like i said id read it. its intresting.
I love it. It is provocative. Umm im sure God doesnt appreciate the critique and a lot of people would definitly agree to disagree... but thats what its all about getting your thoughts out.
I didnt think it was so much derogitory as questioning.
thanks for a good intresting read.
-jolopy

i tink dis is a pretty biased point of view...
but i can't really say much cos i dun really haf any strong opinions abt God...
i guess dis is my fave part:
" Did you ever wonder, what God made religion for?
Did anyone ever ponder, what people were killing ... ...
Did we ever stop to think, what our purpose of living was for?"

anyway, look forward to ur next piece... really lyk ur material...

sounds like you. xD

i like the way you rhymed it all. i particularly like verse 9. it's an interesting prespective. n_n

well, im supposed to be against this but hell. im not. -- e.e dyu get what i mean?

well, good work anyway! n_n