Divine Interference

written as a meditation on a word with no direct English translation- "limerencia"

Love not given in service,

without expectation,

is called manipulation.

You were always free to love

precisely as deeply and in

as many directions

as you ever desired. You

could have found wholeness

in the thousands of ways

there are to perform acts

of real service

for any part of our world.

 

You preferred a life

of division.

You chose to serve only

yourself through an idolization

to right thinking and praise

of God. You would use

your words of devotion

as a transaction; you

want a shield to protect you

against misfortune. Your

poverty is a lack of charity.

 

You believe that bad things

can only happen

to bad people. If you

pray loudly enough

God needs to love you

the same way that you

love Him. Anyone who

suffers simply has not

learned the right prayers.

 

You would manipulate

your God, made in your

own image, into doing

your own bidding. With your

meaningless declarations

of piety, you seek a personal

insurance policy against

the tyranny of human diversity.

 

You want the guide

of all spiritualities

to act as your

personal servant.

 

I would far prefer

to receive the affection

of an atheist who serves

the world with his heart;

than from one such as you,

who would shout your

purported love of God

into my ear while

I am in meditation.

 

My own worth

is not dependent

on my conformity

to your way of seeing;

My identity

is not yours- your God

is not answerable

for my own conceit;

my failures are not

His divine injustice.

 

 

 

Author's Note

Limerencia is mental disorder, called a "disorder of love," where the one giving "love" is so enamored that s/he demands reciprocation of his/ her affection and love. We were assigned this topic as homework. I chose to examine the type of religiosity where a believer is so convinced of his/ her own devotion and piety, that s/he expects that his/ her love of God will result in personal rewards from a reciprocated love.

translated from my original in Spanish.

Picture is my own