This week sees Holocaust Memorial Day in the United Kingdom (Monday 27 January).
I thought I would re-send a link to a post written two years ago which remains the most read article on Micah's Paradigm Shift.
A Letter to Anne Frank
Sunday, 26 January 2014
Saturday, 4 January 2014
Talkin' Jewish Self-determination Blues - By God
After watching with growing impatience from the sidelines, God has finally decided to enter the Israel/Palestine fray. His intervention has taken the form of a Talkin' Blues lyric dictated exclusively to Micah's Paradigm Shift with additional commentary from Micah himself.
God would like to thank Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, the Psalmists and the Hebrew Prophets in recognition that inspiration cuts both ways.
God would like to thank Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, the Psalmists and the Hebrew Prophets in recognition that inspiration cuts both ways.
Talkin' Jewish Self-determination Blues
God looked up
And God looked down
And God surveyed the scene
He rose majestic from His mighty throne
And told the angels to pass the golden phone
He punched the numbers: one, nine, four, eight
Because things had reached a sorry state
The Almighty had not slept well
And now he had something to tell
Is anybody going to take this call
Or have you all gone down to the shopping mall?
I'm slow to anger, I don't want to sound mean
So I'll leave this message on your answer machine
I will not break the covenant we share
But it sure looks tattered and needs repair
I know we've got this special thing going
But I've seen just what you folks are sowing
And then He laid it on the line
The very thing that was bothering Him
I woke up this morning and here's the news
I've got the Jewish self-determination blues
Did you really expect me to have to choose
When I saw somebody else would have to lose?
Are you telling me you're incomplete
Without a nation state beneath your feet?
Have you normalised the Jewish condition
Are you in a more secure position?
Of course He knows His history too
Compassion is His thing
I know your suffering, I've felt your pain
But if you stay the victim forever, you'll go insane
I wept when I saw your children burn
But we can choose the lessons we learn
Who wants borders and bad relations
When you can be a light unto the nations
Your Hebrew prophets made that pitch
Now which one of you has thrown the switch?
You know He's merciful and gracious too
I thought you'd be glad to hear that
You call it a dispute, a conflict, a battle
To make people feel it's too hard to tackle
But two armies are not what I see
This is a cruel mismatch that cannot be
You say two states could be just fine
"You have yours and I'll have mine"
But I've looked at what you say you'll share
That's one strange definition of fair
Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly
You can't say He doesn't keep it simple
I'm cosmopolitan but I'm not rootless
From up here your nationalism looks fruitless
From the hills of Zion I had more in mind
Your works have left what's best behind
This place could be a homeland of course
But what's gone on here requires remorse
My covenant became expanded
When the Christians and the Muslims landed
Remember this is God, the light of the world
He doesn't do self-hating
And in the corridors of power
There's no justice about to flower
A peace process without end
Will never help to heal or mend
You say BDS is an unholy mess
With echoes of the Shoah no less
You say it will criminalise and demonise
I say it will open up some global eyes
He rescued us from slavery
I think he knows what justice looks like
I grow weary, I grow tired
Of a covenant so mired
You and I have disagreed before
And no doubt there'll be more in store
So Hear O Israel, it's not too late
To look at your doorpost and upon your gate
I am the Lord Almighty, the King of Kings
Call me when you want to talk about these things
And so the Sovereign of the Universe
The God of Abraham and of Sarah
Abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness
Clothed in immense power
Hung up the telephone
So that was it, the lecture's over
The aim was just to make you sober
You don't believe in God you say
For heaven's sake call Him anyway
Micah's Paradigm Shift, Copyright January 2014
God looked up
And God looked down
And God surveyed the scene
He rose majestic from His mighty throne
And told the angels to pass the golden phone
He punched the numbers: one, nine, four, eight
Because things had reached a sorry state
The Almighty had not slept well
And now he had something to tell
Is anybody going to take this call
Or have you all gone down to the shopping mall?
I'm slow to anger, I don't want to sound mean
So I'll leave this message on your answer machine
I will not break the covenant we share
But it sure looks tattered and needs repair
I know we've got this special thing going
But I've seen just what you folks are sowing
And then He laid it on the line
The very thing that was bothering Him
I woke up this morning and here's the news
I've got the Jewish self-determination blues
Did you really expect me to have to choose
When I saw somebody else would have to lose?
Are you telling me you're incomplete
Without a nation state beneath your feet?
Have you normalised the Jewish condition
Are you in a more secure position?
Of course He knows His history too
Compassion is His thing
I know your suffering, I've felt your pain
But if you stay the victim forever, you'll go insane
I wept when I saw your children burn
But we can choose the lessons we learn
Who wants borders and bad relations
When you can be a light unto the nations
Your Hebrew prophets made that pitch
Now which one of you has thrown the switch?
You know He's merciful and gracious too
I thought you'd be glad to hear that
You call it a dispute, a conflict, a battle
To make people feel it's too hard to tackle
But two armies are not what I see
This is a cruel mismatch that cannot be
You say two states could be just fine
"You have yours and I'll have mine"
But I've looked at what you say you'll share
That's one strange definition of fair
Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly
You can't say He doesn't keep it simple
I'm cosmopolitan but I'm not rootless
From up here your nationalism looks fruitless
From the hills of Zion I had more in mind
Your works have left what's best behind
This place could be a homeland of course
But what's gone on here requires remorse
My covenant became expanded
When the Christians and the Muslims landed
Remember this is God, the light of the world
He doesn't do self-hating
And in the corridors of power
There's no justice about to flower
A peace process without end
Will never help to heal or mend
You say BDS is an unholy mess
With echoes of the Shoah no less
You say it will criminalise and demonise
I say it will open up some global eyes
He rescued us from slavery
I think he knows what justice looks like
I grow weary, I grow tired
Of a covenant so mired
You and I have disagreed before
And no doubt there'll be more in store
So Hear O Israel, it's not too late
To look at your doorpost and upon your gate
I am the Lord Almighty, the King of Kings
Call me when you want to talk about these things
And so the Sovereign of the Universe
The God of Abraham and of Sarah
Abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness
Clothed in immense power
Hung up the telephone
So that was it, the lecture's over
The aim was just to make you sober
You don't believe in God you say
For heaven's sake call Him anyway
Micah's Paradigm Shift, Copyright January 2014
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