Photograph - William Ernest Henley, poet, (1849-1903)
Timothy McVeigh, the terrorist bomber of the Oklahoma City Federal Building, made no final remarks before he was executed for his horrible deeds.
However, he did leave behind, in his cell, the words of atheist William Ernest Henley's famous poem, "Invictus":
"Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."
Here is a dramatic animation/reading of this poem.
I have seen this poem bantered about, in my many years of attending business conferences. I can further profess that this poem has stirred many a great resolve, in business minds all across this land.
Further, I must profess, with my previous worldview, I too would have cheered the indomitable spirit that this poem seeks to praise, and promote.
But alas, I have been conquered. I am not the master of my fate. I am not the captain of my soul.
Hiding deep in the dark corners of my nature, lingers a small voice screaming, "You traitor! Are you nuts? Have you gone off the deep end? What do you mean you are not the master of your fate, and the captain of your soul? YES, you are!"
"No", I say to this nagging voice, "I am dead to that thinking". "Although culture everywhere around me holds this to be true, it is not." "It is utterly impossible to read, and understand the Bible, and possess this view."
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."
Here is a dramatic animation/reading of this poem.
I have seen this poem bantered about, in my many years of attending business conferences. I can further profess that this poem has stirred many a great resolve, in business minds all across this land.
Further, I must profess, with my previous worldview, I too would have cheered the indomitable spirit that this poem seeks to praise, and promote.
But alas, I have been conquered. I am not the master of my fate. I am not the captain of my soul.
Hiding deep in the dark corners of my nature, lingers a small voice screaming, "You traitor! Are you nuts? Have you gone off the deep end? What do you mean you are not the master of your fate, and the captain of your soul? YES, you are!"
"No", I say to this nagging voice, "I am dead to that thinking". "Although culture everywhere around me holds this to be true, it is not." "It is utterly impossible to read, and understand the Bible, and possess this view."
Oh my soul, you are not the captain, you are the created, in service to the Creator. To hold forth anything else is pride, arrogance, and an affront to holy God.
Dear reader, I really am not crazy talking to myself in this manner. I learned this from King David, in the Psalms. He talked to, and instructed his soul all the time. I figure that he, being God's "beloved", should serve as a role model.
So now, my inquiring minds asks, "What is to drive a man in the pursuit of business, if not to champion his fate?"
Answer? Business....for the glory of God! After all, according to the Bible, the end purpose of man is to glorify God.
I must confess, I am not fully in custody of this credo. But I am daily walking in its direction, and diligently seeking the wisdom of which the Bible speaks.
The hard part is that this is sheer nonsense to the natural mind, and frankly, I fear the dishonor of my friends. However, I suppose my closest friends will understand my quest, and those who would intend to smear, were no friends at all.
So now, my inquiring minds asks, "What is to drive a man in the pursuit of business, if not to champion his fate?"
Answer? Business....for the glory of God! After all, according to the Bible, the end purpose of man is to glorify God.
I must confess, I am not fully in custody of this credo. But I am daily walking in its direction, and diligently seeking the wisdom of which the Bible speaks.
The hard part is that this is sheer nonsense to the natural mind, and frankly, I fear the dishonor of my friends. However, I suppose my closest friends will understand my quest, and those who would intend to smear, were no friends at all.
