Category: Let's talk
T’was 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38.
When 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
They were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"This is heaven." declared a small boy. "We’re spending Christmas at
God's house."
When what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
Then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
And in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
And as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"May this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
Then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"Come now my children, let me show you around."
Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
And i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."
I really love this. <3
This is disgusting. Sure, on the outside its all cute, but if you dig deeper, you reach the greasy center.
So, twenty kids go to heaven and find their loving savior there to welcome them. That same savior who couldn't save them from having high velocity bulllets ripping through their innocent flesh. The same savior who abandoned them as they huddled in their classrooms, hearing the thunderclaps of gunshots and knowing they're going to die. The same savior who didn't protect them, who didn't save them, who didn't let them grow up and be lawyers or doctors or policemen. The savior who didn't give them a death where they could say goodbye to their families. A savior who cut their lives short in order to prove that he is god and he will not be trifled with.
I can't describe to you how angry this poem makes me. The day of the shooting, multiple people blamed the factthat prayer has been removed from school. One radio show host said that god is a gentleman, and so he will not go where he is not wanted. So this so-called loving god is willing to let children get shot to death in order to prove that he is powerful. He would rather allow terrible violence to befall innocent children, who were too young to have greatly sinned against him, rather than protect them and maybe cause them to be better believers.
How many of the teachers do you think were praying as they shielded their students with their own bodies? How many do you think called out for god when the first rounds struck them, and when they breathed their last. How many of those children were sobbing and weeping in abject terror, hoping for a savior to help them, to block the bullets, to end their terror. Where was God then? Where was this so-called savior? If this is all the god of christianity can come up with to prove his power, then I say to hell with him and anyone who thinks he is anything even approaching loving. He is evil, wicked, childish, loathesome and cruel. He deserves neither respect, nor honorr, nor worship, and I for one will be giving him none of either.
I will struggle against such cruelty in both divine and human thought with every ounce of energy I have. Whose with me?
Oh, I forgot, this nation and these schools are not christian. I'm sick of christians laying claim to what isn't theres. You had no hand in creating this nation, and in fact that nnation was created with blocking you in mind because you have a tendency to force people to believ what you do. The school system is an extention of the government, which is still not yours. Stop trying to lay claim to what doesn't belong to you. It belongs to the people, not to your imaginary friend.
I am.
Cody, I couldn't have said it better; Thanks for the well-written antiPome that just about summed up what I've been thinking.
I'll leave it at that. I can't even express how disgusted I am at the people who try to turn this into something sweet and beautiful, when in truth, it is evil and unjust.
here here, Cody. there's no beauty whatsoever in this poem, and anyone who thinks there is is just as disgusting as it is.
This sickens me more than that abortion thing he posted a while back.
wow. you've got to be kidding me! "A Beautiful Story?" who ever wrote this should be ashamed of themselves. How can anyone take such a horrific tragedy and try to turn it into just a cute little poem? I'm beyond disgusted! And I'm sure if the parents or siblings of any of those innocent children read this, they would be also.
Why isn't there a christians only or prayer board or something like that? Am I missing a board title here? If folks don't want to read the prayer stuff, they shouldn't have to.
Actually, safe haven does have a religious/prayer board, but maybe some don't know that or forget to post there.
This ain't a christians only club. And, truth be told, having a safe haven board is ridiculous, because there's no such thing as a safe haven in real life. You got your little feelings hurt? So what? So fucking what?
I'm behind all of you who think this is disgusting 100%. How anyone can see anything beautiful about this poem is beyond me. One of my friends posted this on his Facebook wall yesterday, and I told him to take that shit down before I have to knock him out. Actually, there's another element to this. I would be willing to bet that this came from one of those chain forwards, where you have to forward it to 20 people in 17 minutes or you get 50 years of bad luck, and that's what makes me even more sick about it. People use ploys like that to make gullible people spread it all over the internet.
T’was 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38.
When 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
Their whiteness was palpable, their screams filled the air.
They could hardly believe all the cruelty they saw there.
They were filled with such fear, they didn't know what to say.
They remembered everything of what had happened earlier that day.
"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"This is hell." declared a small boy. "We’re spending Christmas locked in God’s house."
When what to their frightened eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their abandoner, the children stared in fear.
He looked at them and smiled, and they looked in dismay.
Then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
And in that moment was fear, that cut soul-deep
those children all ran away like a large flock of sheep.
and as they hid from his penetrating gaze,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
And as if she could read all the motives he had,
She feared for the wellbeing of her dear Mom and Dad.
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"I don’t care what happens to this land!"
“The people really have been fools,”
"I don’t care about this nation. I don’t care about the schools!"
By then the children had left without a sound.
"Come now my children, let me show you around."
No one responded, they all ran
All displaying boundless energy that only a small child can.
And i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"Well, at least they didn’t come to fight.”
This isn't any better. Granted, it's the opposite of that other sick one, but this is also sick. I've heard enough about cruelty toward children. Oh well. at least this one is more accurate.
That was lovely! :)
well, this aint an anti-christians club either; get off your high horse.
To Imp, no, this is not a Christians only club, but nor is it a nonChristians only club. Black Prince had every right to post this here, just as anyone has the right to be against it, as so many clearly are. and I do see a reason for the Safe Haven board. We have a board for just about everything else on here, why not that? If you don't like that board, dont' read it, but it has its reason to exist.
To post 13, not impressed. No matter what you think of the original poem, that's no better by any means.
If we did have a christians only board, do you really think it would be amune from the bashers? Do you think for a moment that those who were against it would leave it alone? There are those who would go out of their way just to see what was posted there, and then they wouldn't be able to resist responding. as far as the post and its backlash, everyone is entitled to their oppinion, either for or against.
On a personal note, I only wish that people could try to convey their oppinions with a bit of kindness, but that's just me. Harshness makes me a bit uneasy. Yeah yeah, I know, if I can't handle it, I should grow a thicker skin... which I've done. It's just that to me personally, there's a way of getting a point across, without trampling over others.
as has been said time and time again, and will be continuously repeated when need be, everyone has different ways of conveying themselves. some of us aren't soft, and some people receive it well, while others don't. however, if it really bugs you, put us on ignore. that way, you don't have to read things that aren't to your liking.
*shrugs* I can't articulate how sick I am of people displaying this mentality of, "I wish the world were softer." it'll never be so. there's always gonna be those of us who are constantly outspoken, just about everywhere you go. it's your choice whether to accept that and embrace it as we do, or not.
also, what some of you call personally attacking others, some of us interpret quite differently. so, as long as people say what they feel, nothing else should matter.
If a board is made for Chritsianity, then people with other religions will want a board for theirs as well. Sounds like a real bad idea. This is a social networking site, and it shouldn't be overrun by religious propaganda.
I have to ask. Was the post about personal attacks refering to this boad? Cuz I don't remember seeing any personl attacks. Is there something I'm missing?
No. Speaking in general, I just mean that unless someone is trolling and trying to get reactions, they probably believe in what they're saying. The original poster of this board may honestly have believed that this was a heart-warming and touching story, but I can well understand the emotions and the nurvs it touched.
If there was a Christian or prayer only board, I think that there are those who would enjoy reading it and debating, even though they didn't believe in what it stood for. And again, believer or not, it doesn't make either oppinion any less valid. To me though, having a separate board where Christian could feel safe to post things like this sort of implies that they wouldn't have to worry about being chalenged. It would be a place where they could post their prayers and what they feel are hart-touching stories, without the worry of the content of the post being chalenged or ridiculed or told that it was disgusting. As was said earlier, this is a social site, so I don't think there would ever be such a place.
Right, cuz then I'd want an atheist safe board, and someone would want a satanists safe board, and so on and so forth. People just need to realize that there are other places for religion specific things that never get challenged. It isn't here.
I'm sure the original poster did believe this is a beautiful story. Many people do. I just think its awful.
I frankly did not expect you to be impressed. My modifications, however, at least make more sense if you allege that:
1. There is a God and Jesus, and they fit the descriptions of them as taught in Christianity.
2. They are inherently good and do what they can to make the world good.
3. They are all-powerful.
If you believe all three of these, then the only thing that can be concluded is that both chose not to help. I don't remember that God and Jesus Christ's job is to run a big "good-person Hotel" in the clouds. I thought they wanted to fix things. Yet they didn't. This would render one of two decisions:
1. God and Christ don't have the powers, are not good, and/or don't care.
2. God and Christ don't exist.
I took the view that the writer of this poem is cruel and manipulative, thus I performed stupid modification. I wrote it in thirty seconds, and it was not good writing nor was it reviewed. Yes, it was too harsh and it was also probably the wrong way to say it.
Was it supposed to be sick? Yes! It was! Rightaway's comment that this is sick is a rewarding comment to me. I want my poem, no matter how bad it is, to be as sick as I can make it without expending more time. It should give part of the same feelings as I was feeling right after the shooting. I want the readers to be revolted, to hate the poem, like they hated the shooting. I know that a silly poem is nothing compared to the actual event, but sick is how the shooting was and that is the way I can get the feelings across. Cruelty to children? The shooting was cruel to children; should I make a poem about it, or anything else for that matter, fun and happy? I don’t think so.
If you dislike it, more power to you. We can all use a little more power if we all work to fix some of these problems that we have seen. You can continue to call my writing terrible, as indeed it is. But I must ask you why you believe this terrible act should be better used to advocate a religion when that doesn't even logically make sense?
One last remark to make: I never claimed that this was a Christians-only or non-Christians-only board. I will never claim that certain posters should not post. They can post whenever they want, and so can everyone. Why not? I don't know why many still bring this up as a controversy, since it is constantly shot down every time.
Thank you for considering this response. Happy holidays, which you will most likely spend debating.
Okay. I can see how this story could be heart-warming, but I also see how or why someone might be put on edge because of it. I personally think that on the surface, yes, it's beautiful, but if you read between the lines, there is an undercurrent of hostility because of the shooting.
As for God not protecting the children, I wouldn't go that far. If he wouldn't have protected them, I don't think that the first line would've mentioned them going to heaven, but hey, that's just me. Say what you will. If you're gonna complain and bitch about it, who the fuck am I to stop you? This is, after all, a site that encourages free speech.
To all the people who commented on this poem:
I write this neither from the stand-point of a Christian, nor a Jew, nor a Muslim. Nor do I write this from the stand-point of a Hindu or a Buddhist or an Agnostic or an Atheist. Indeed, I do not write this from any religious stand-point whatsoever. I write this from the stand-point of a human being with a heart and a soul. This poem, written about a tragedy which occurred in my own home town, a mile from where I live, was written most probably by a parent of a lost child or a survivor of the event. It is not for you, nor me, nor any person on the face of the Earth to publicly criticize those poor people who have lost someone or who had to endure the tragedy. I personally know a woman who dove underneath the principal's desk and watched, with her own two eyes, the principal and school psychologist (people whom she knew well and respected) get shot down. For all we know, this woman who I know wrote this poem. If this poem helps the author in his or her grief, then who are all of you to criticize his or her words or intentions? Were you here? Do you live in this small, picturesque New England town where everyone knows everyone else? Were you in Sandy Hook School? Did you see twenty-six people get killed? Was your own life in danger? No, it was not, So I suggest you wake up! Yes, wake up! Lose the notion that you are all comfortable and safe behind your computer monitors and know that one day, you, too, could be in the same situation.
Were you in that situation-were you in a school with children, or a movie theater going to see Batman and a person entered with a gun and the intent to injure and kill as many people as possible, to whom would you call? Would you call upon a God? Would you call upon a savior? Would you beg to be released from this miserable fate whether by death or by some earthly mercy (the miraculous spairing of your life)? Would you rather die with the hope of maybe rising to a possible heaven or would you rather live the rest of your life always remembering being a witness to such an horrific event and knowing that you are alive but others who were with you are not? Would you want that on your contience, because believe me, I know it would be there. If you think you can live the rest of your life with that on your contience, then you might want to think about some mental health adjustments before you, too, enter a building and thoughtlessly, heartlessly and without any guilt of contience kill innocent people.
Where was this savior, you ask? Well, no one really knows. Let us assume, ad arguendum that there is a God and savior. Where was he? He was there. He was at Sandy Hook. He took those children and adults out of that miserable situation and brought them home to live forever more with him where they will be joined in the not-too-distant future by their loved ones when it comes their turn to be brought home. Many people ask, "If there is a loving and benevelent God, why must tragedies like this occur?" The answer is that we do not know. Believers will say that it is part of God's plan. Why is it part of God's plan? That, we do not know either. If it makes the person happy to believe that it is part of God's plan, let them believe it. Who is anyone to criticize another person's beliefs? Yes, we have the constitutional right to speak our oppinions, but we also have morals and ethics as a society. Those morals and ethics suggest that it is wrong to publicly criticize another's belief system. If you think I am writing this from the stand-point of a Christian, I can assure you, as I have done already, that I am not, as I do not necesarily consider myself to be a Christian. Let us continue, again supposing there is a savior. Do you honestly think that savior abbandoned those people by letting them die? I ask again: would you want to live the rest of your life always remembering that event? Is not death and the possibility of resurrection preferable? Even if you do not believe, does it not sound better? This is the problem with our world-a lack of respect for others. Followers of every belief system (whether it be Theist or ATheist) believe that their way is the right way and that everyone else should follow that path. Let me offer a new suggestion. Cannot every way be the correct way? We are all individuals and we are all different-every one of us. Let us just acknowledge, then, that everyone's belief system, whatever it may be and however it may contradict yours, is, to that person, correct. Therefore, noone should criticize, ridicule or slander another's beliefs. If you have nothing better to do, go find something better to do. If you actually enjoy criticizing other people's ways and beliefs, take a good, long look at yourself in the mirror.
I cannot and will not require this of any of you, but I beg you, from one human being to another, appologize for what you have said and, if you believe in a higher being, beg his forgiveness. When you appologize, do not simply appologize to me, for I am not your true offendee (though I am offended by what many of you have posted). Do not appologize to me because I live in the town wherein the tragedy occurred. Do not appologize to us as a community because you feel that it is "right" or "propper" to do so. Should you appologize, to me personally or to the Newtown community as a whole, do it because in your heart, you realize that what you have said was cruel, thoughtless and offensive to many people, nearly as offensive as walking into a school and killing twenty-six innocent people. Should you choose to appologize from your heart, I urge you to do so. Should you feel that a smart-ass response to my post is the approach you wish to take, I urge you to think again.
Lastly, to Black prince, I know I speak for my entire town when I say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for posting this here. Should any of what I have said be at all unclear to anyone, please, please private message or quick note me and I will be happy to clarify anything. For those who believe, God bless everyone, and especially the victims, their families and friends. For those who do not believe, live in peace and may the victims rest easily wherever they may be, and may the families of the victims find a way to overcome this horrible tragedy.
And Brooke, thank you for "really loving" this. :D
Now, wait a minute. You seriously think that just because people don't see anything beautiful about a so-called loving God striking down innocent children and then lifting them up into heaven to escape the evils of the world, those people are psychopaths? that we're all going to commit the same atrocities just because we're looking at this from a realistic, rather than a faith-based, standpoint? Am I really hearing you right? Because not only is that as sick as the poem, but it's also hypocritical. How would you like it if someone told you that you were immoral for having an opinion? I bet you would wet your pants and crawl into a corner. Who the hell do you think you are?
Second, no one is saying that the shooting wasn't a tragedy. of course it is, but you can't sugarcoat shit. If you bite into a candy-coated turd, you're going to find out it's still shit in a matter of seconds. That was the feeling I got when I read this poem. The author may have meant well, and maybe this person was reaching out to the grieving families, but there are much better ways to do that than circulate something like this all over the internet. First of all, that's very impersonal. if you want to remember the victims, create a memorial website. Hell, I'll bet one is in the works, if it doesn't exist already. I'm also sure that a memorial of some kind will be built near or around the school as well, which will make an even bigger impact. There are things that people will cling to in this horribly sad time, but a reassurance that their children were taken away from them to serve some divine purpose should not, and most likely is not, one of them. How do they even know their children are in heaven? What if the parents aren't believers? Even if they were, and I say were in the past tense, how could they possibly be after something this senseless?
PhantomOfTheOpera, I'm sorry
to hear that you can not handle the truth.
What, do people think sugar coating and making up sweet imagery is what will make things better? Do you honestly believe that having faith in God alone will prevent things like this from happening?
Wake up.
That will do nothing. This shooting has opened a door, to many of our rites being taken away, including the rite to bear arms. Eventually, it will be much harder, and maybe even illegal, for citizens to own guns and therefore, the people who have them and have bad intentions will easily have their way.
I am respectful to people, but that does not mean I have to have respect for their ideas.
I hate when people say that they have some right to have their religion respected. Its so moronic. Christians, yu believe in a book with a talking snake and a talking donkey where a man does magic tricks and you call it reality. Sorry, I don't respect that. You tell gay people they shouldn't marry because it goes against said book, and you tell aids victims in Africa they shouldn't wear condums for the same reason. I not only don't respect that, I revile that.
This poem was offensive. Plain and simple, it was offensive. It cheapens the tragedy, and lays claim to something that christianity has no basis or right claiming. That offends me.
And for you to say that I should not react as I did because I might do that same, I say no I wouldn't. I've been in life threatening situations before. I don't call on a god. I don't call on a god for the same reason you don't call on an elf when your cookies get burned in the oven. I don't believe in one. Its as simple as that.
And yes, I've lost people in tragedies too. I lost friends in both the Oklahoma City bombing, and in the 911 highjackings. There is a chair in Oklahoma City with the name of my childhood friend on it. I still find the poems written about that event in this light offensive. Claiming god had any hand in a tragedy is sick, and claiming that he took the children to a better place is also sick. Any god that has to cause a child to get shot in order to be merciful to them, is an animal of such contempt that is beyond the scope of my writing abilities.
I'm sorry you lost friends, or that your friends lost friends. Its tragic, and my heart goes out to you. But if you think for one moment that I'm going to relax my stance against vitriol like this, and the indoctrination of children that it causes, you are sorely mistaken.
very well said to the last few posters after phantom of the opera. I, too, absolutely refuse to apologize for the stance I take regarding this sickening poem. it's shit, and I refuse to call it candy coded sugar.
like Cody, I've been in several life threatening situations (mostly medical issues of mine that have been life or death situations) throughout my life, in addition to losing close friends. during none of those times did I call upon a supposed higher power to save me from the pain, or "take me home," as is quoted by POTO as being such a wonderful thing. and, as I'm sure I'll encounter things of that nature again, at some point, I can assure you, my stance won't change.
Nope, I'm not apologizing for post 7.
I forgot to add this. POTO, why would you ask others to apologize for what they've said, when you wouldn't even dream of doing so yourself? sounds quite hypocritical, if you ask me.
Why would I worship a god who is neither a savior or loving if he could have protected the children from being killed and he's the almighty and powerful, tell me, why did he not do it? Because he doesn't exist and has no power and diserves no reverence or worship. Shame on you, I hope that if you do have children, you don't ever go through something like that because there's no beauty in it whatsoever :'(
I raise my coffee to that.