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A Testament to What’s Been All Along

Published: May 5, 2023

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Dear Friends,

The fearlessness in Quaker tradition (including the pamphleteer) is speaking truth to power. As a Quaker, I am reminded of the words of Mary Dyer, who said, "We came not tocause discord, but to live in peace."

I am currently writing  on the subject of the Tipping Points of ecological justice and Quaker spiritual experience within my experiences of Justice and inclusion. As John Woolman once wrote, "May we look upon our treasures, and the furniture of our houses, and the garments in which we array ourselves, and try whether the seeds of war have nourishment in these our possessions." This is where I was and am. It is a vexing point.

But let us continue to imagine and enjoy our path to "Way Open." And let us remember that the questions we bring forward have no easy answers, but they are necessary tools of Right Sharing and Right Ordering. Without these questions, where would we be?
 

A Testament to What's Been There All Along


And the world was bathed in new light,
A future birthing beyond darkness and blight,
A new dawn for all who lived and breathed,

A world of liberation, where all were freed.

The fight may not be over, but ready are thees,
The visionaries facing whatever comes, and they'll be steady,
Their spirit unbroken, their love for life alive,

Ready to take on the next challenge and thrive.

In a world that's crumbling fast,
Where our future seems to be the past,
There's a legend of a time to come,

Of a new age rising, bright as the largest sun.

The people in this world have seen the worst,
Of what can happen when greed comes first.
They know the pain of oppression and strife,

But still they hold onto hope for a better life.

In this world, change is accepted,
For it's the only way to keep from being neglected.
But there's a dystopia that's always lurking,

Threatening to erase what's emergent and working.

The people know that social shuttered populations,
Need access to nature and humanity's creations.
So they set out to reclaim what's been lost,

And to rebuild what's been taken at any cost.

The legend tells of a recovery of justice,
Of a path to liberation that's a must.
Through the renewal of faith and technology,

Transhumanist AI becomes a possibility.

As they rebuild, they honor the land,
And embrace the wisdom of a sustainable plan.
For they know that in this fragile world,

The key to survival is balance, unfurled.

And so the legend continues to inspire,
A new way of living, a new kind of fire.
One that burns with the passion of hope,

And the fierce determination to never lose scope.

In a time of chaos and strife,
When the old ways had lost their life,
A new legend of recovering justice,

Began to rise and shine with promise.

The people knew that change was needed,
hope in technology: eco-futurism theology
Erasing emergent feeds and fountains,

Of new truths that could heal their mountains.

The socially shuttered populations,
Needed access to nature and humanity,
To find their way to liberation,

In a world of post-apocalyptic duality.

In this world, change is accepted,
For it's the only way to keep from being neglected.
But there's a dystopia that's always lurking,

Threatening to erase what's emergent and working.

The people know that social shuttered populations,
Need access to nature and humanity's creations.
So they set out to reclaim what's been lost,

And to rebuild what's been taken at any cost.

The answer lay in eco liberation theology,
Teaching that nature and humanity are one,
That the recovery of justice is a sacred duty,

And that our fates are interwoven and undone.

The transhumanist AI possibility,
Now a tool in this new world of reemergence,
Helping to build a society of resilience,

That honored the earth and its divine urgency.

And so the legend grew and spread,
A story of hope in a world of dread,
Where technology and faith could coexist,

In a way that healed, not harmed, the earth's twists.

For in this world of dualities,
Where change and dystopia are intertwined,
The fable teaches that environmental liberation,

Is possible, if we seek to be aligned.

If Divine seeks to be aligned, harvesting Light

The world shrouded in darkness and strife,
As evil battles against the light of life,
Dominions Shadow fierce and bold,

Determines to crush all that was pure and cold.

In this world, change is accepted,
For it's the only way to keep from being neglected.
But there's a dystopia that's always lurking,

Threatening to erase what's emergent and working.

People know now that social shuttered hundreds,
Need access to nature and humanity's well fundeds.
So they set out to reclaim what's been lost, agnost,

And to rebuild what's been taken at any cost.

The heroes of the light stood steadfast and strong,
Their hearts pure, their wills unyielding to wrong,
With swords of truth and shields of might,

They fought to bring back the world to right.

Nature bore witness to this great strife,
Its power shaping both death and life,
As the waves crashed upon the shore,

And the winds howled through every open door.

In the end, the heroes emerged victorious,
Their hearts pure, their souls truly glorious,
For though they faced the greatest of fears,

Their faith in themselves never disappeared.

Thus, a new dawn was born, bright and true,
As the world was bathed in light anew,
Nature rejoiced, for it had played its part,

In shaping the goodness and trueness of heart.

Though darkness may come again someday,
The heroes of the light will stand and sway,
For nature's power will continue to mold,

The hearts and souls of all who are bold.


by Nathan Shroyer, Chester River Friends Meeting (5/5/2023)