Travel + Inspiration = Poetry
God arrives wearing tight black boots.
building churches that belie
the real gods the gods of the rain, wind and fire.
how can Jesus compete against Pele?
did he bring the fire?
just rules and approbation
the Christian god is harsh, died so you could
shape up and follow new incomprehensible rules
he triumphs,
as terrible as a capricious dictator
but old gods have seen it all before
the new rules fade
worn shoes un replaced
new worshipers
money & planes
bare hopes of attracting native gods to smile
a few days
before they crawl back into the gloom of
heels, ties and socks
placating their personal savior
begging him to allow their return.
Anyone not read Hawaii by James Michener? It’s one of his better efforts and yes, it starts with grains of sand and volcano eruptions. Based on the history of missionaries in Hawaii specifically, I am fascinated by the unintended consequences of doing good. There is no doubt in my mind that the missionaries who were sent away from the crowded farm or the failed college experiment were sincere. But I also suspect that those who traveled far from home in order to “enlighten” or “help” the natives, were not very enlightened themselves.
I appreciated the stories about the Viking settlers in Greenland who starved because they refused to eat the local (and abundant) fish because the fish wasn’t what they normally ate. Or the British soldiers who fell dead of heat exhaustion because they were required to maintain and wear uniforms built from layers of wool, practical in Northern England, deadly in South India.
When you are right – and if you are spreading the awesome and correct word of god so you are right – everything you do must be right: Your food, your dress your architecture. And you would rather die than adopt anything remotely local. And you did. Die.
Begging the question, do you want to be right? Or do you want to win.
Cue the Jesuits who did a much better job of the whole enterprise.
God arrives wearing tight black boots. building churches that belie the real gods the gods of the rain, wind and fire. how can Jesus compete against Pele? did he bring the fire? or just rules and approbation the Christian god is harsh, died so you could shape up and follow new incomprehensible rules he triumphs, as terrible as a capricious dictator but old gods have seen it all before the new rules fade worn shoes un replaced new worshipers money and planes bare hopes of attracting native gods to smile a few days before they crawl back into the gloom of heels, ties and socks placating their personal savior begging him to allow their return. Anyone not read Hawaii by James Michener? It’s one of his better efforts and yes, it starts with grains of sand and volcano eruptions. Based on the history of missionaries in Hawaii specifically, I am fascinated by the untended consequences of doing good. There is no doubt in my mind that the missionaries who were sent away from the crowded farm or the failed college experiment, were sincere. But I also suspect that those who traveled far from home in order to “enlighten” or “help” the natives, were not very enlightened themselves. I appreciated the stories about the Viking settlers in Greenland who starved because they refused to eat the local (and abundant) fish because the fish wasn’t what they normally ate. Or the British soldiers who fell dead of heat exhaustion because they were required to maintain and wear uniforms built from layers of wool, practical in Northern England, deadly in South India. When you are right – and if you are spreading the awesome and correct word of god so you are right – everything you do must be right: Your food, your dress your architecture. And you would rather die than adopt anything remotely local. And you did. Die. Begging the question, do you want to be right? Or do you want to win? Cue the Jesuits who did a much better job of the whole enterprise.
