Faltering Steps – A Poem

Faltering Steps

Now through earth’s gray and solemn vale
These faltering steps I take
While Heaven seems hidden beyond misty shrouds,
Fears attend each breath.
Have You not said that You would lead?
Lord, grant faith unto my heart,
That seeing not I would yet believe,
Pressing on to follow You.

Oh Jesus, Lord what tears You shed,
Such lonely days You trod
Upon the path ordained of old,
Of sorrow and sacrifice.
Even in Your darkest forsaken moment,
As crying, “My God! My God!”
Still You bowed Your heart to Your Father’s will,
Trusting even into death.

By Sam Snyder
February 12, 2001

20010212_falteringSteps

Je suis Charlie

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Remembering the victims of the Charlie Hebdo massacre:

Frédéric Boisseau, Franck Brinsolaro, Jean Cabut, Elsa Cayat, Stéphane Charbonnier, Philippe Honoré, Bernard Maris, Ahmed Merabet, Mustapha Ourrad, Michel Renaud, Bernard Verlhac (Tignous), Georges Wolinski.

I urge you to read Open Letter: On Blasphemy, Islamophobia, and the True Enemies of Free Expression by Charb (Stéphane Charbonnier).

Criticizing a religion is not racist.

Criticizing religious zealots and terrorists is not racist.

Islam itself is not a problem.

People who want to silence others are the problem.

People who want to kill others in the name of a religion are the problem, be that religion Islam or Christianity or Judaism or vegetarianism.

(The above drawing is my response to an attack at an exhibit featuring cartoons of Muhammed. More information can be found at this Wikipedia page.)