Apr 17, 2008

The Mother's Prayer


The Mother's Prayer

Our Mother, which art underfoot and all around
Hallowed be thy world, to which all are bound

Thy kingdom now
Our will be one, as above, so below

Give us this day our daily need
and let us give back what is not needed
let us live without greed, sloth, or vanity
let us know our place in thy world
let us sow so that we may reap
let us reap so that we may sow
let us live so that we may die
let us die so that we may live

Give us balance
and let us have the wisdom to maintain the balance

From thy we are born
and to thy we return

For thine is the kingdom,
earth and heaven and hell, wrapped in one.
Let it be.

Kirk Berryhill
4/17/2008

16 comments:

Randal Graves said...

I think mother is going to be doing some serious correcting in the next century.

Anonymous said...

Amen brother

Anonymoustache said...

nice!

Utah Savage said...

Mother's going to whip our asses for sure.

Faded said...

I've had this vid on my blog before, but I dont feel like looking up where and when- check it out on Badtux's page:

http://blog.badtux.net/2008/04/serj-tankian-empty-walls-official-video.html

The Poor Blogger said...

My grandmother was big about removing male pronouns, like in the Pater, and using female instead. What I've always found interesting is that the "earth mother" religions (meaning those who had her as their chief deity), usually practiced human sacrifice. People usually leave that part out when they try to resurrect the pagan past. I don't think anyone would REALLY want to be a druid if they knew what the druids ACTUALLY did.

That said, I find it fascinating that the hunter-gatherer tribes seemed to have worshipped a Gaia/Venus figure as their primary deity. It was only when agriculture was developed that the male deities began to supplant the female as chief. You would think it would be the other way around. My only guess is that women, as the key to the survival of the tribe, were much more revered than in a "civilized" society where death was not so imminent.

I also find it interested that the most highly developed of the polytheistic civilizations (except, perhaps, Rome) denigrated women to the point that they only believed a true relationship could be held between two men. I'm speaking of Greece and the commonality of homosexuality and pederasty. Why was it that, the more highly developed the society, the less valued the women?

Faded said...

Well, I wasn't really trying to make a complex statement about Gender, as much as I was just twisting the Control Freakedness of the Patriarchy for the Womb of the Matriarchy

The Poor Blogger said...

I can't fault your comparison on its face. The Pater is a lot about "will" and "kingdom" and such. Of course, if you listen to Pink Floyd or John Lennon, "mother" isn't that great of a word.

A grossly generalized observation: Female dominant and male dominant religion and society are both equally violent. The difference is that female dominant religion and society are dependant on the earth for sustinence and primarily attempt to appease and please her in order to survive (like a child in the womb) which often includes human sacrifice. Infant mortality rates are high and life expectancy is low.

Male dominant religion and society attempts to control and dominate the earth and its people. There is still violence and death, but it is used to keep everything in check rather than cajole a certain kind of response. Infant mortality is greatly decreased and life expectancy is high (at least until one society comes into conflict with another). On the flip side, life is somehow less vital.

Random thoughts. Thanks for sparking them, even if you didn't mean to. :-)

Faded said...

RE: Lennon and Pink Floyd- I try not to think about British musicians and their tortured relationships with their mums.

Faded said...
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Faded said...

Uh, what female Dominant Society do you speak of? Yes, we've got the "mother,maiden and crone" mythos. But it hardly was ever the dominant religion of any group on the planet- and that is because Men are so much more violent and controlling. There has NEVER been a society run by women and there probably never will be, because men won't allow it. If proven wrong, I shall be delighted.

Any and all speculation on the subject is just that- speculation. We've got no full historical examples by which to examine such a thing.

And, as always- appreciate the sparks you ignite as well.

Faded said...

By the by, I think Women are perfectly (some women) to let men prance about and say "I rule" and go about the business of ... business whilst they run our homes and the major part of our lives in the background. I know my Male-driven society means absolutely nothing at home. It's me vs. 3 gals. I generally lose.

The Poor Blogger said...

>>Uh, what female Dominant Society do you speak of?<<

I was speaking of the Paleolithic era, which existed for centuries before man first tilled the ground, built a wall or wrote a word. Although you could argue that some female monarchs serve as an example of female rule. Hmmmm ... Elizabeth and Mary Tudor. Which was worse?

>>Yes, we've got the "mother,maiden and crone" mythos. But it hardly was ever the dominant religion of any group on the planet- and that is because Men are so much more violent and controlling.<<

Now that's an interesting assertion. I tend to think that it's not anything intrinsically violent or evil in men just as I don't think caucasians have the patent on oppression and slavery. No, if the women ran the world, it would be every bit as bad as it is now. No better and no worse.

>>There has NEVER been a society run by women and there probably never will be, because men won't allow it. If proven wrong, I shall be delighted.<<

Uhhhh ... Wonder Woman and the Amazons! And, again, it's not that "men" won't allow it, but that the people in power, whoever those people are, won't allow it. It's always power. Hilary, if she is elected, will be every bit as horrid as her male predecessors, you watch. Just like Thatcher.

>>Any and all speculation on the subject is just that- speculation. We've got no full historical examples by which to examine such a thing.<<

True, although archeological evidence supports the notion that matriarchal societies were more prevalent before 8,000 BC. I'm telling you, it's not a male thing or a white thing. It's a human thing.

summerlee said...
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The Poor Blogger said...

Dear Summer,

A couple of comments from a fellow Christian:
- I don't remember anyone saying, "Christians are the dumbest people on earth."
- Nobody thinks they're smarter than God, although some probably do think they're smarter than Christians. But that's OK. Even St. Paul said Christianity is "foolishness to the Greeks and a stumbling block to the Jews."
- Last laugh? I certainly hope you're not planning on laughing at anyone you think is going to end up in Hell. I know God certainly won't. He might be grieved, but He won't be laughing.
- The last thing I would want someone to do is believe in God to hedge their bets on the afterlife. This isn't Pascal's Wager. It's a relationship. I think God would rather someone honestly did not believe, than say they believe just to get through the Pearly Gates. He's the Truth and the Life, after all.

Faded said...

uh, I was the one who said Christians are the dumbest people on the planet.... :)

You aren't the dumbest christian, TPB, Hell you may be the smartest one ever, but Violence reigns and the most violent reign the most often. That's why most societies are of the patriarchal bent. Men are more violent than women and exert their authority by force of violence more often. This is also true of the white male. And Christians willfully throw out their commandments faster than any other religion as soon as their earthly kingdoms are even partially threatened, so- so much for Christianity.