Prostitute Within

Sometimes I think one problem with church
Is, it keeps the people just "good enough,"
So that we do not become
The sluts and bribe takers
We were really born to be.
Religion has put a sliding scale on sin.
Too often good church folk sit smugly,
Self affirming, to themselves,

"Well at least I've never done that!"

But maybe we can't understand
The meaning of the word transgression,
Until we've crossed the proverbial line
Real good and hard ourselves,
And maybe we can't come close to figuring
The Reality of a new start--
Every trespass forgiven and forgotten--
Unless we comprehend the prostitute
And the tax collector within.

-jenn long