Unity Church of Ames Iowa - Sept 7, 2008

This was a very special Sunday for us. Our guest speaker and musician was Chris Foster.  http://www.chrisfostermusic.com/

The lesson for today was PEACE EXPRESSING.

Chris recited a poem that was written by Charles Osgood in 1971. I have included it below. It's quite powerful...

A family of a man was once at war,

with the family that lived in the cave next door.

And they fought that way for many a year,

until they learned to conquer hate and fear…

And they joined together that they might meet,

this looming presence across the street.

And this looming presence became a war,

And it too was worse than the war before.

And they fought that way for many a year,

till they learned to conquer hate and fear...

And they joined their forces to go put down,

the evil force from the other town.

The other town became a war,

And it was worse than the war before.

And they fought that way for many a year

till they learned to conquer hate and fear…

And when they were done they knelt to pray,

but some men worshipped the heathen way.

So religious difference became a war

And it too was  worse than the war before.

And they fought that way for many a year,

till they learned to conquer hate and fear…

And they built great navies that they might free,

the captive peoples across the sea.

So with guns and ships they fought a war,

that was even worse than the war before.

And they fought that way for many a year,

till they learned to conquer hate and fear…

They built their defences to guard their shores,

They even fought a war to end all wars.

And the war they fought to end all wars,

Was even worse than the wars before.

And they counted down and set the stage,

and they gave the world the Atomic Age.

And if there is an atomic war,

it will be far worse than any wars.

There's an ancient, deadly pattern burned...

and the question is... HAS THE FAMILY LEARNED??

Or do we still pattern how we behave,

After how it was in the family cave.

 

Charles Osgood