Outwardly pious, inwardly stubborn. We appear righteous when we obey enough cultural traditions and verbally reject cultural taboos. ~ Jo Helen Cox

We follow the rules
until they rule us,
become monarchs
with a life of their own
and stand in the stead of God.
We come to believe ritual
stands holy, needing no source,
no basis, no anchor nor harbor.
We forget to remember the truth,
the good, the grace once honored
by rules, once having meaning,
contributing to understanding,
to renewal, to life. We worship the rules
and neglect the sacred, leaving it
neglected, forgotten, ignored.