I am to believe in God

This is what they tell me:

I am gentile

I am pagan

I am a historical definition.

-

The stories of their book are tales of suffering beyond proportion

Of love undoubted and earned

Through prayer

Through devotion

Through faith

I am to believe in God.

-

I cannot believe in God

For I believe in people

Not the horned scapegoat

Nor in stories in which we cannot save ourselves

I believe in the people around me

-

I seek to be burnt.

A pewter star,

Nestled in a circle

Hanging from my neck.

-

I am to believe in God

Or the smoke will eat my body

For I do not believe in redemption of soul

Merely of self to self

I do not believe in a horned scapegoat

Or a glorious savior

Can we not be our own saviors?

-

I seek to be burnt

For I am an Eve

I listened to your serpent

I listened to your teachings

And I wish I could believe them.

But I believe in people

Not stories.

-

I am to be burnt,

Ostracized,

Suspected,

Gentile,

Pagan.

-

When I am burnt

A dove will fly out of my mouth

-

-

Just a small thing I felt the need to share. Please don't get offended, I will respect your beliefs if you respect mine. I am not Christian, nor Jewish, nor Islamic.

In the terms of words, that makes me pagan, as pagan means in a historical context: "non-Christian" or "country-hick." It is the equivalent of the Jewish "gentile."

I hope you understand what I am telling you. Review only if you feel like it.