Hi Sally,
Just me again. Glad you still consider me a nice person. I guess I've been
told off by Grassy. Maybe, as you say, I was picking up the negatives and
the lack of confidence over the subject. Funnily enough I don't think, on
reflection, you were anti-Christian in the poem. More the wrong notes were
being hit. Maybe we can look at our own Scottish tradition and consider the
sublimity of Holy Willie's Prayer and the sure intelligence and precision of
Burns' satire. That was true bashing, but again there is the distinction of
who is the target. This is where I feel you misfired. By all means target
the Holy Willies, they deserve it, but not the essential purity of the
Christian faith. Just as, as Grassy pointed out, why bash other religions?
Why indeed? I think Burns knew what was wrong with the church he met with,
it was the fools why tried to mould it to their own devises which continues
to go on, not only in Christianity but all those other religions we
mentioned. Maybe this is just a long way of acknowledging that we are all
flawed creatures. Sorry I went off a bit though I'm sure it will aid good
poetry in the end. Cheers to you too Grassy if you read this. If we ever
meet I'll buy you a pint and a nip. Offers open to Sally too.
bw
James
>From: Sally Evans <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: New: Jesus : warning: anti-Christian
>Date: Fri, 1 Mar 2002 21:15:18 +0000
>
>on 1/3/02 8:21 pm, grasshopper at [log in to unmask]
>wrote:
>
> > Dear James.
> > I think it's a bit unfair to expect Sally to present
> > a crtitique of other religions when it's clear she's writing about her
>own
> > upbringing as a Christian, not a Buddhist or a Hindu or whatever.
> > There's a long and healthy tradition of bashing the Christian religion,
>from
> > Chaucer and probably before.
> > I don't see that being a rant stops a piece being a 'true' poem,- not
>sure
> > what a true poem is, to be honest, but of course, we all have our own
> > opinions.( I would be very interested if you could elaborate on what you
> > feel makes a true poem). Isn't there a distinguished tradition of rants
>in
> > English poetry, Pope, Swift, right back to the Anglo Saxon curses?
> > I did feel it was a true poem, and I thought, I may be wrong that it
> > conveyed sincere feelings, to which I responded. I sense Sally and I may
> > have attended the same sort of school - 'He wants me in his hockey team'
> > Yes,play up and play the game. Oh yes, and I was also threatened with
>not
> > being made a prefect if I didn't attend the Christian worship part of
> > assembly, which,as an agnostic, meant nothing to me.
> > The only problem for me with Sally's poem, was that as a rant, it
> > wasn't bitter enough.
> >
> > Kind regards,
> > grasshopper
>
>Oh yes it was sincere feelings, Grassy, but putting this poem up has shown
>me that I still feel guilty and apologetic about writing like this. I still
>see it as "negative feelings". And perhaps rather unimportant feelings? I
>can't stand up for my views when ticked off by nice people like James!
>
>And school does come into it, doesn't it, social pressure.
>
>Perhaps I can do this subject better some day.
>
>Thanks
>Sally ee
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "James Bell" <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Friday, March 01, 2002 9:50 AM
> > Subject: Re: New: Jesus : warning: anti-Christian
> >
> >
> > So you're angry at Jesus, or maybe the target is more accurately the
>"strict
> > Christians" who don't do the faith any favours. Why not be
>anti-Bhuddist,
> > anti-Hindu, anti-Islam. I didn't set out to say this but Christianity
>seems
> > to be seen as fair game for a bashing these days. I think it was Gary
>said
> > its not Jesus but the people who purport to be followers who can give
>the
> > wrong impression. Does this mean a Jihad of Wee Frees heading down to
>Devon?
> > I don't see this as a true poem but a venting of spleen in verse. Sorry,
> > Sally, not for me.
> > bw
> > James
> >
> >
> >> From: Sally Evans <[log in to unmask]>
> >> Reply-To: The Pennine Poetry Works <[log in to unmask]>
> >> To: [log in to unmask]
> >> Subject: New: Jesus : warning: anti-Christian
> >> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2002 23:06:50 +0000
> >>
bw
James
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