24: Not to inquire into idolatry

The Book of Knowledge
Laws of Idolatry and Paganism
Not to inquire into idolatry (Lev. 19:4)

Dedicated to Muhsin Hendricks ZT”L, the first openly gay imam (1967-2025). May his memory of righteousness be a blessing.

            hundreds of TALKING HEADS are heard

            a wall of TVs filled with static flicker before us

            the text can overlap and crash together

police suspect-

-motives imagined to be-

-as responses keep pouring-

-in these unprecedented times-

-gunman brought in for-

-no known conspirators-

-lone wolf-

-the pack is growling-

-out for blood-

-mine yours-

-wolves at the door-

-don’t let them in-

-if you see them cross the street-

-if you see them take them down-

-take a look at this glock 19-

-as a good guy with a-

-see how it shines-

-against a bad guy with a-

-they imagine themselves as righteous-

-do you imagine yourself as-

-they imagine themselves as holy-

-do you imagine yourself as-

-and fault impossible to parse-

-motives meanings methods impossible to-

-in worship of-

-the idols of firearms-

-all hail-

-the idols of purity-

-reasonable to request-

-the idols of sexual conformity-

-because you can’t expect everyone to simply go along with-

-the idols of idols-

-of my God and not yours-

-of my Heart not yours-

-bury your heart-

-beneath the floorboard-

-beneath the mosque-

-and whose fault is it?-

-fault cannot be affixed-

-to your doorposts your windowsills-

-fault cannot be affixed-

-and if he hadn’t been so brazen-

-brazenness often the catalyst for such acts-

-blame cannot be affixed-

-we must be empathetic-

-extenuating circumstances-

-understandable resentments-

-we must be understanding-

-we must forgive-

-even when they won’t forgive you-

-even when they aim a glock 19 at-

-even when they want your viscera splayed out on the sidewalk-

-you must be understanding-

-you must heal-

-you must heal for us-

-you must heal-

-the idol of forgiveness says-

-“let he who is aggrieved be the bigger person”-

-don’t you want to be the bigger person?-

-don’t resist-

-don’t rebel-

-don’t scream don’t kick-

-it makes you look bad-

-we must be understanding-

-wolves need creature comforts like anyone-

-we’re all wolves when lost in the forest-

-and we’re all lost in the forest-

-searching for God-

-have you found it yet?

-our sympathies go out to-

-but not too much not too much-

-we must sympathize with those who really need it-

-you have so much sympathy don’t you?-

-let the wolves gnaw at your leg-

-lie real still and they won’t draw blood-

-don’t lie tell the truth what did you do why did you make them do this to you?-

and that’s all for today for channel 6 news we’ll be back tomorrow with more-

            the feed cuts out

            a WOLF crosses the stage

            END OF PLAY