Chinese – English
I marvel at how worshipers of God so-called can become and are so much more important to themselves than the One they profess to worship. I marvel at how they worship themselves for worshiping God and how they do worship the worshiping itself. I marvel at how they insist and demand of God how that He should be worshiped. In essence, they are demanding that men worship them for their dedication and wisdom in the way they worship God. In essence, they demand of the One they profess to worship that He worship them! I marvel at the reversals of men, their utter contradictions and their blindness to it all.
Tell me, all you religious,
And answer me if you can,
About the One you call your Master,
Even the Lord Jesus Christ.
Do you follow His example
And do as He asks you to do?
Or have you taken another way
To serve Him as you choose?
Did He wear religious garb?
Did He call Himself good?
Did He wear a gold-plaited electric chair
Around His waist or neck,
And over His head, a hood?
Did He ask others to worship His mother?
Did He call Himself “Father” or “Reverend” or “His Holiness”
Or any other such thing?
Did He ask that they pay His way?
Did He ask that they kiss His ring?
Did He gather a congregation
And form a membership
Over which He would hold sway?
Did He sit down on a throne
And put on a fancy hat?
Did He ride a fancy horse,
Protected by a sword?
Did He baptize babies?
Or ask for celibacy?
Did He lord it over others with pomp
And show and great array?
Did He ask for money
To finance His goodly work
Or was His mission less important
Than yours?
Did He form an association
And register it in Rome?
Did He command a building project
With colored glass and fancy dome?
Tell me, you people who claim to serve God,
Answer me if you can,
About the One you call your Master,
Even the Lord Jesus Christ.
Do you follow His example
And do as He asks you to do?
Or have you taken another way
To serve Him as you choose?
Did He ask you to wear black
And did He wear black Himself?
Did He ask you to gather in communes
And marry your own family?
The One Who created colors
And has them all over His throne
And spreads them in the sky
And over all His lowly creatures,
Did He ask you to deny them?
Would He have men bow before you
Even as Peter did not permit,
Who was taught of Him?
Did He live in isolation
And require others to do the same?
Are you greater than your Master
That you should determine how
To worship and to serve Him?
Why do you say repetitious prayers?
Are you heathen as He said?
Can you by your much speaking
Gain anything from Him?
These are questions I must ask you.
There seems to be a difference
Between what I know of Him
And what I know of you.
Do you follow His example
And do as He asks you to do?
Or have you taken another way
To serve Him as you choose?
Lethbridge, Oct. 1, 1984