Do Unto Others

The failure of faith is the chill of the grave
The quivering masses, all cowering slaves
The towering preacher on his throne of gold
The miserable peasants left dead, unabsolved.

The power of sin consumes them all
The lake of fire awaits their fall
And the preacher prances, without a care
While parishoners huddle in spiritual fear

He tells them that they've all been damned
And it's all according to God's great plan
But Jesus loves them, one and all
If only they'd listen, and heed his call.

"Your souls are dark, your spirits are weak,
And you don't deserve a chance. God speaks
to us all through His word, and condemns you to hell!
But if you follow me, then all will be well!"

They fall to their knees and hang their heads
They whisper their prayers, shamed by their dread.
No savior to save them, no joy in this life,
Best get it over, to escape all this strife.

Rife with despair, they kneel and weep,
Dreams of the cross haunt them in their sleep.
But one day one of them awakes,
and decides that he's had all he can take.

He rises in mass, and declares himself free.
The preacher accuses him: "What did you see,
That makes you so bold you would risk your soul?
Only Satan's temptation makes you break from the fold!"

But the one of great spirit stands his ground
He looks over the masses, casting around
For anyone else who shares in his vision
He finds them lacking, hung in indecision.

He looks to the preacher in flowing white robes
Saying, "The story of Jesus tells how this unfolds.
The one mighty lord, on a high throne of gold,
Thinks he is the Father, that his are your souls.

"But I say to you heed not his word!
God loves, but condemns us? How very absurd!
Jesus, our Lord, has died for our sins,
And given the chance, He'd do it again!

"What good then are you, Priest, but to cast us down?
We bow at your feet, we kneel on the ground.
Never can we be truly redeemed -
but by worshiping YOU, or so it would seem.

"But the secret that you do not want us to know
Is that Jesus loves everyone, even your sinner's soul
And whether we pray, or whether we bow,
God does love us all - we're saved anyhow!

"What kind of 'Good News' says punishement waits?
The savior is coming! There is no escape!
His terrible justice will send us to hell!
But that's just a nightmare, the Preacher's own spell!

"He tells us of torments, all richly deserved
But who the hell is he to speak of God's Word?
The Bible, it tells us what we know to be true.
Christ said: "Do unto others, and so shall I too."

The Preacher raged and he fumed; he pranced all about,
And then he cried, "Sinner! Your dark soul is out!
Lead us not to temptation, we are the devout,
We never shall follow evil's dark path of doubt!"

The man shook his head, and he looked all around.
Still all the people were knelt on the ground.
"Jesus has already forgiven your sins,
He gave us His life so we all might Live!

"Yet you throw all your lives, God's Gift, away.
For that act alone will God make you pay.
Rise up, my children, and follow Christ's Way!
'Do unto others' is what He did say!

"You think of yourselves, you fret for your souls,
You do as he says, as has been done of old,
But Christ says 'Go out as sheep, 'midst the wolves!'
Our Savior compells us: spread Love through the world!

"Will you reject this life that you have been granted?
You prove your unworth of God's Grace by your dispassionate
care for the other poor children of God.
You seek His forgiveness? No, I think not.

"You suffer, you cower, filled up with dread,
Waiting for your turn in line to be dead.
You wish for God's Kingdom, but you don't deserve it.
You think that Salvation comes from listening to sermons?

"Jesus has told us what we are to do:
Do unto others, and so He will too.
You reap what you sew, you earn what you get.
Life is for living, not only regret.

"Spread joy! Spread peace! Do all that you can!
Give aid to each other and your fellow man!"
The Savior glared at the Priest, his countenance livid,
saying, "This is YOUR life; Rise Up and Live it!"