Fraiku: Belief

Posted on 2022/07/22 by Bartholomew Barker

When someone asks if I believe in God
I tell them I just disbelieve
in one more god than they do

About Bartholomew Barker

Bartholomew Barker is one of the organizers of Living Poetry, a collection of poets and poetry lovers in the Triangle region of North Carolina. His first poetry collection, Wednesday Night Regular, written in and about strip clubs, was published in 2013. His second, Milkshakes and Chilidogs, a chapbook of food inspired poetry was served in 2017. He was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2021. Born and raised in Ohio, studied in Chicago, he worked in Connecticut for nearly twenty years before moving to Hillsborough where he makes money as a computer programmer to fund his poetry habit.
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17 Responses to Fraiku: Belief

  1. yourplateormine967244485 says:
    2022/07/23 at 00:46

    Profoundly clever, once again, this is good! Love the picture too! 😇

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  3. berniebell1955 says:
    2022/07/23 at 05:49

    Do you remember an Irish comedian – Dave Allen – who finished his set with the words “May your God go with you.”

    He observed humanity, with kindliness – as you do, Bartholomew.

    Liked by 2 people

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  5. Jaya Avendel says:
    2022/07/23 at 15:51

    Oo, what clever wordplay! I was not expecting the final line and love the way it changes the overall poem.

    Liked by 1 person

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  6. clubschadenfreude says:
    2022/07/24 at 10:25

    clever :) i’m somewhat surprised some theist isn’t here having a hissy fit since you reveal that they are atheists too.

    Liked by 1 person

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  7. berniebell1955 says:
    2022/07/25 at 05:33

    Hmmmm – now then – I wasn’t going to present this idea, as I thought – well, if he simply doesn’t ‘believe’, he simply doesn’t ‘believe’ – his choice. But, seeing the last couple of comments, and being a generally disputive sort – I think I will……

    How do you, and your readers respond to those who ‘believe’ in all the ‘Gods’ – that God is in everything?
    That how I see it…..absolutely everything.

    Something of this, here….. https://theorkneynews.scot/2017/11/13/how-i-see-the-whole-life-lovelightgodreiki-etc-etc-thing/

    I see it my way, you see it yours – I only got on my hind legs when folk started being a bit snarky about people who have beliefs. It’s true that some of those have done and are doing a lot of harm – others – have their beliefs and their beliefs help them in their lives, while not bothering anyone.

    A big subject for discussion, which is why I wasn’t going to present my view, but then……

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Bartholomew Barker says:
      2022/07/25 at 19:31

      That’s fine. As you wrote, your belief in “God in everything” probably doesn’t do much harm to yourself or others but it’s probably untrue and so your worldview is thus slightly inaccurate. I just believe that an accurate worldview is preferable to an inaccurate one.

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  8. berniebell1955 says:
    2022/07/26 at 04:52

    Phew-eeee – that’s telling me – ain’t it!

    And you’re so sure you have an accurate worldview? Back to your poem, Bart.

    Liked by 1 person

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