Do Not Preach To Me (poem) by Mark M Lichterman on AuthorsDen

Do Not Preach To Me
by Mark M Lichterman → (All Poetry by Mark M Lichterman)
Rated "PG" by the Author.

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For my friends who believe, no disrespect meant, but… “Don’t!” I would tell my longtime friend. “I love you like a brother,” would come his reply. “I know what’s coming and I love you like a brother!” “Don’t!” I would say, “Please, stop!” “Just accept! Just accept Jesus as your savior because I know what’s coming!” This conversation, year after year this conversation until no more… My longtime friend and myself are friends no more. For my friends who believe, no disrespect meant, but… Don’t! Please do not preach to me. Please do not attempt to proselytize me. You believe what you may, I will respect that. You believe as you wish, I will respect that, but… In nineteen-seventy-two recently moved to San Diego, living in our new home for two weeks when noticing my eight year old daughter sitting on the curb, sitting on the curb speaking to her new best friend, speaking to the little girl that lived across the street and crying, both little girls crying. Going outside, “What’s wrong, honey,” My wife asked. “Marcie’s mommy won’t let her play with me,” my daughter replied. Taking our daughter in hand, walking across the street, “Why can’t the children play?” My wife asked when the door opened. “I don’t want my daughter to feel bad,” came the lady’s reply. “I don’t want Marcie to cry when your daughter goes to hell.” Shocked by these words, taken back by these words, taking moments to reply, “My daughter will never go to hell!” my wife said angrily. “You’re not Christian! She’s,” pointing to my daughter, “she’s not Christian. You haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your savior and you’re all going to hell!” “No,” my wife replied once again, “my daughter will not go to hell because I won’t let her!” For my friends who believe, no disrespect meant, but… Don’t! Please do not preach to me. Please do not attempt to proselytize me. You believe what you may, I will respect that. You believe as you wish, I will respect that. How nice to have belief in an all seeing, in a loving in a merciful God. For my friends who believe, No disrespect meant… But as for me I see very little of God’s love of mankind. I see very little of God’s mercy to mankind. Too often I see a world of innocents living lives of untold terror. Too often I see a world of innocents living lives of untold horror Too often I see a world of innocents dying in terror. For my friends who believe, no disrespect meant, so… Don’t! Please do not preach to me. Please do not attempt to proselytize me. You believe what you may, I will respect that. You believe as you wish, I will respect that. A question I might ask: If God is there, there in heaven wherever “heaven” may be to which God do we pray? To the God of my Jewish ancestors? To your Christian God? To the Hindu God? To the God of Muslims? This is a question we humans have thought of, and fought over for centuries. But not me! For you see truly, honest and truly! I do not care! So… For my friends who believe, No disrespect meant, but… Don’t! Please do not preach to me!

Reviewed by Annabel Sheila

Reviewed on March 21, 2011

I hear you Mark....living a good life has nothing to do with religion......I've known far too many "christians" in my life who "eat the rails on Sunday", and treat their fellow man like "shit" the rest of the week. Far too many hypocrites in this world....I feel badly that you were disrespected...and the words about your daughter are heartbreaking....

Your friend,
Anna

Reviewed by Suzi Sundquist (Reader)

Reviewed on March 19, 2011

Dearest Mark,

What a horrible truth... In this world, there are many different beliefs. In this country, there is freedom... to think, believe, speak and hear what we want. It is your right to stand up and say, Don't Preach To Me.

Although, I am a proud Christian... I will not preach to you. One of the greatest men to walk the face of this earth (my father-in-law and hero) was unsure, himself. It is because of him, I know it is okay to believe or not to believe. He had a very similiar story... when he was young he was forced to tell his first lie, in church. When they asked them to 'feel the Lord,' everyone else was began flopping to the floor, feeling him, and my hero felt only one thing, tired... it was midnight mass. He pretended to feel the Lord so he could go home and go to bed... he was only 10.

This man, Dale, did not have a single hateful, mean, jealous, angry or vendictive bone in his body. He walked, talked and lived in a loving way... he is in Heaven and I am sure of this.

The lady next door... has a ton to be sorry for. It is horrible she did this to your child, her child and all of the children around her. The negative, judgemental ways will come back to haunt her.

You are right, Mark... everyone does have the right to believe or not to believe, speak or not speak, listen or not listen, love or not love, be friends or not be friends.

I am happy to be your friend, who will try really hard not to preach, but if I slip... please forgive me. There is no hate in my heart and sometimes, I have been known to preach... but only good stuff like forgiveness, acceptance, understanding, love and compassion.

Big huge hugs~

Lil' Suzi

Reviewed by Kathleen McDonald

Reviewed on March 18, 2011

there are two subjects I will not discuss. One is politics the other religion. I believe that everyone has the right to do as they feel. I would never push my beliefs on anyone and dont want them trying to do that to me.
hugs
Markie

Kathy

Reviewed by Patrick Granfors

Reviewed on March 17, 2011

Time and again the most arduous preachers are the child molesters and embezzlers. No matter the denomination. The others let faith lobotomize themselves. Patrick

Reviewed by Chessly Nesci

Mark, We are all allowed to believe in what we want to believe!! No one has the right to preach to anyone! A real Christian would never act the way that lady did. So sorry! Take care, ~Chessly

Reviewed by Donna Chandler

The neighbor who hurt your child was cruel beyond belief! We live in a free country, allowed to believe or not believe as is our wish. I 'believe'. My sweetheart does not. This hinders our love not one iota. I wish for you good health and happiness and do NOT let people push themselves or their beliefs on to you or your family.

Donna

Reviewed by Jerry Bolton (Reader)

Reviewed on March 16, 2011

"America is full of the likes" Jeez. I guess that's right, America is the only country in the world who has bad people.

Mark. You just have to be rude to people who seem to want to "save your sinful soul" whether you want them to or not. Piss on 'em.

Reviewed by Andy Turner

Combine the title and poem and it's kinda like an oxymoron.
Its a didactic poem of another's beliefs.
However, whoever said such trite must be very insecure and worth taking a wide birth from. Not read your bio, but I will take a leap and surmise that it was said by a crackpot yank. America is full of the likes.

Mate, just live in the moment, but always be yourself. This femanimal is speaking trite. No one has a monopoly on God. Was she giving birth to a cow?

Reviewed by Felix Perry

I must say I share a lot of your beliefs, not due to any particular hurts caused by my raising as a staunch RC but more from the study of history and science that show that Jesus Christ, although a great man and a scholar/sage. Was not a God until the church proclaimed him to be one, even Christmas day being celebrated as his birthday, the church finally admitted recently that they are not sure when he was born....anyway I digress. Basically what it comes down to is I believer in a higher power just not sure what form it takes at this point and would never dream of forcing my views on anyone else.
fee

Reviewed by Laura Fall

Deep words filled with much emotion here and I to am so sorry someone could hurt someone as you that is very kind. Your friend Laura

Reviewed by Christine Tsen

Markie, you are right that each person's beliefs are different, reflecting their own inner truth of the cosmos.
I'm so sorry if you have been hurt.
You speak with integrity and honesty, and I for one will never try to push my own path on you.
Deep peace,
Christine

Reviewed by John Bidwell

I am such a fan of Sam Harris. Everything one can find wrong with religion does seem to me to be absolutely going against Jesus. I think Sam Harris is the closest thing today to the original essential messages of Jesus. His Atheist Manifesto is totally honest and compassionate as can be.
"God is love" can hit the mark. What you describe here is so far from love it hurts terribly- it should hurt- it is horrible- and yet it is what gets called God too often.
I found your wife's words Holy- loving- true.

This is painful stuff indeed- Christians don't resemble Jesus or represent him properly- way too often in my opinion.

John

Reviewed by La Belle Rouge Poetess Of The Heart

Respect should be a two way street Mark, I'm sorry you've been hurt. It shouldn't have happened.