Release: a Poem to the Blood Moon

For every covering,
one did reveal him
to be not the ends
of a primitive means.

Though not at the time
could I see the release,
without expectation,
today welcome what is.

And now it is time
once again for redemption
but in foresight I saw,
which is how it is new.

Because this time I go
without fear or favour,
still I hope you will see,
and feel as I do.

My rebuttal

I have stayed away from politics for a very long time.  Once I was initiated into the Church, it really lost all meaning to me.  Then when I entered the Fellowship, I lived my life in accordance with Tradition Ten, "No opinion on outside issues."  If it didn't directly relate to the safety of my flesh or soul, I really didn't care, and if it could compromise my serenity, by causing opposition, I wanted nothing to do with it. 

And generally speaking, I've always been rather self-centered, to the point I have questioned if I am a sociopath.  But the past year, I have read reports in the news on ISIS, and it evoked an actual physical response, like a gut wretch, like I actually have wanted to be sick about things that I am reading about.  And learning the past week of all of these deaths of civilians fleeing Syria and Turkey, I have actually wanted to shed tears.  

Furthermore, I am now aware of what my government's policy is on refugees, which is that it is not our problem.  They actually said this.  

In lieu of the federal election coming up, the Conservative government's campaign ad is that Justin Trudeau is "not ready", but I believe that he is, and I posted a link of my profile stating so.  I was then told by a Christian that because Trudeau won't let anyone on his caucus be pro-life, he can never vote Liberal.  I understand that as a Catholic, I am to vote for the religious-right, but no, faith without works is dead, and this is one of those times when just prayers is not going to cut it.  I am OK being a heretic, in fact, I am proud to be one, and this heretic will still be communing with Christ at least once a week on Sundays.

My name means "Free One", and I believe that we should ALL be free: free from spiritual, cultural, and material oppression, free to marry who we like (To be "owned" by someone, with resources readily available for aid, because monogamy and emotional connections can be trying), free to prosper, even free to give our bodies for a night and not have it affect the rest of our lives and communities (even though I think that the attitude toward sex has become dangerous, and is now a tragedy, and the lack of support in understanding how an abortion can forever change a woman just as much so).

I have no idea what is happening with ISIS.  It is a strange organization, strangely powerful, strangely vicious, and strangely unopposed, but what I do know is, we need to get everyone who wants to get out of there, out of there, and we need to get into power the people who will have the compassion to get first things first done, even if they are sympathetic to the hedonistic. 

My address

I shared my story last night at my home group.  I was surprised that I ended it short, as I have spoken twice before, and had no trouble filling that allotted time.  My only true intention was to be a vessel of light, of God's merciful spirit.  I hope that I did good, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be cemented to my fellow members now.  

But it was not easy, and I went to my mother's to debrief after the meeting.  I was upset that I seemed to have blanked out, so while she purposely informed me that she was not comparing me to the likes of this great orator, she told me about Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address".  Back in early America, people gave speeches - it was an event, and a speech would go on for hours; it was what people did for entertainment.

The only picture of the Gettysburg Address, is Mr. Lincoln sitting down, a blurry image captured, because the photographer thought he had a long time to set up.  Meanwhile, the speech was under three hundred words - and arguably one of the most important and memorable talks ever given.  

I used to debate on political forums about ten years ago, and it was generally believed that the Civil War was not actually about slavery, but Mr. Lincoln's speech shows that the 21st century generation needs a history lesson.

Here is the Gettysburg Address.  There are several known copies, but this is the one that is on display in the White House.  Let us please remember what America truly represents!  

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Abraham Lincoln

November 19, 1863