Ph: Bible: Science: Humour: Digital Creationism Poem by Brian Johnston

Digital Creationism
(Man 0, God 1)

Part 1: Binary God
For men it seems God is a binary function
And like ones and zeros 'HE IS ON or 'he's off.'
Is it luck that He is a guest at your table?
'His existence is truly a bad joke, ' you scoff!

A God that's real, beyond control yes, but not prayer,
And if He does exist, my friend, all bets are in.
When God backs up YOUR thoughts, well all's peachy dandy.
But to NOT know His law never excuses your sin!

The Bible's God created all in just one week,
But who are we really to say we KNOW His ways,
Why bind Him to the parables He told a child -
We are older now and weaned off Mom's milk (for days?)

But these days are not years and man still lacks wisdom
Though primal earth's been here for four billion years
Man's acquaintance with earth is really quite recent -
Seems Goliath and dinosaurs were never peers.

The crux of the matter is clear, for all to see…
Science is part of God's plan, it's not up for vote.
Though as men stuck in pride, we see through glass darkly -
Creationist know-alls simply missed Noah's boat.


Part 2: Binary Faith
Our faith just has two states and there's no in-between.
I find I can lose mine in my struggle with rhyme.
Yes, its binary nature quite easy to see.
And my dark plunge to zero can turn on a dime.

My faith's weight it seems is much smaller than mustard,
For no mountain have I ever moved in my life,
Through two marriages tried so hard to stay the course,
My faith never was able to secure my wife.

I am not always sure of the state that I'm in,
Sometimes faith's drum rattles soft, a cat's silky purr
Sometimes crescendoing sound, like rain on a roof
Is so forceful that its beat is lost in a blur.

If faith is the sound, then is silence its absence?
Is upbeat or downbeat most likely to serve us?
Arrogance linked to noise, but service to silence,
In faith there's no calling to ever be nervous.

Whatever the rhythm of faith - God can hear it,
No concern if arrhythmic or slow on attack
Whether staccato, or with beat syncopated,
Christ's death on the cross smooths over all that we lack.


Part 3: Binary Love
Now what about Love, can Love really be turned on?
Well one thing I'm sure of, I have seen it turned off.
‘Love' juiced on fashion and lust - sparks out the wazoo,
But can quickly be shed like a cloak you just doff.

And can one be one if one should love another?
Does loving another mean that ‘oneness' is lost?
Is this more than zero (the math escalating!) -
But returning to zero sure seems quite a cost.

Could our problem be solved, with some new dimensions,
By Base 3, Base 4, …, or Hexadecimal math?
In today's zealot's world does real Love have a chance?
Science also a victim of Tea Party's wrath?

The Supreme Court spoke and defined ‘porno' for us,
Their infamous, ‘We know it when we see it' rule,
Proved to the whole world our highest court is a joke,
Helped ‘idiocy' define Conservative cool.

With the rest of mankind, ‘Supremes' stupid and blind,
Provincial logic self-justification,
Like lemmings that rush toward one more deadly cliff edge,
They importune us with perverse education.

 
Part 4: Binary You
Aware of YOUR off switch? Some might say sleep, some death,
And some thinking of dreams might even doubt it exists.
Will robots ever dream, men better than they are?
A robot does turn off, but with power persists.

Are they better than we are? Can ‘Matter' beat ‘Mind? '
If we side with mankind, is it true we are fair?
With spare parts, revisions, robots have no problem,
While dreams of obsolescence, cause us to despair.

In my California (and in other states too!)
There are posh seminars that claim YOU'RE robotic.
And charge lots of money to convince you it's fact.
(The seminar's price does help one feel less psychotic.)

There are many who fault those of narrow purpose.
Maybe dreams are a problem? How can dreams be real?
But surely it's better in fact to stay grounded,
If you live in your dreams, can you trust what you feel?

Binary you, probably is too simplistic,
Still I'm guessing that some of it explains our art,
That it's my art too nails the need for this poem,
Because in this world's evil we all play a part.

 
Part 5: Epilogue
I say let's give up dreams of binary safety,
Let's admit life's complex and somehow carry on.
Perhaps trusting God that there is a hereafter,
And embrace tears and joy, day and night, mind and brawn.