"S-S-Hhhh!!"

S-S-Hhhh!!  My new poem for the paper has "Jesus Up, Allah No" secretly encoded into it. I just sent it in to the paper accompanied by my 5 year old drawing (above.) If the editor doesn't catch my message, or, if she DOES notice it but prints the poem/ art ANYway, Lord Willing both will appear in the April (Easter) edition in about a month.

As mentioned in past blogs, I'm doing this because the editor has been allowing a Muslim writer free, full page space to openly misrepresent Christianity, but will not allow Christians to openly RESPOND in defense of what we believe.  I've been a regular contributor to this paper for five years, preceding the Muslim, and if I'm going to continue doing so, I feel I have to have SOME response....even if it's encoded.

My secret statement is not an attack on Islam, it's a defense of Christianity: and basically, my point is that  JESUS ROSE, HE IS SUPERIOR TO ALLAH.  As for the symbolism in the poem, (the "swallows," the "nest," etc.)  ....well, that's up to the readers to interpret and figure out...

Here's the poem, which matches the style of every other poem they've printed that has my bird drawing attached. .  Check the first letters of each sentence...

“Young Swallows 
Leaving the Nest”

(A poem about the ramifications of the Resurrection of Jesus)

Just as Spring

 enters Whiting,

  swallows sing

  under wings

  so inviting!

(Under shade

        of blooming trees

        which the LORD

provided!)

Alarmed, as foes

 lurk about,

  learning those

 a swallow knows,

he’s safe without….

NOW he grows

        (till that time

        when he flies

out, out he goes!)






Poem and Art copyright Chet Jelinski, 2019

You may wonder about the following...

"What if the editor catches your code, and refuses to print the poem as is?"

ANSWER:   I have "pre-tested" it with certain advisers who assure me that had I not pointed out the hidden message, it would not be discernable.  So if the editor DOES find it, I may ask her why she, as a professing Christian, scrutinizes what I write so carefully but she doesn't see, or edit, theological errors by the Muslim?

"What have you proven, if no one will figure out the code?" ANSWER:   Again, I will feel better about myself, that I'm at least TRYING to have equal time for the LORD here.  Besides, I think there IS something to the idea that affirming the very Name of Jesus, and specifically in contradistinction to ALLAH, has a sort of 'Power' that is effective even when ENCODED.  This is not superstition, it's FAITH.

"Sounds like you're looking for trouble.  Is this Christian?" ANSWER: It was The Editor who looked for trouble when she gave a Muslim Carte Blanche to misrepresent Christianity and hindered us from responding directly!!  Others have talked of a lawsuit, I am rejecting THAT option but am creatively finding a way to respond "secretly."  I'm not looking for trouble, I'm looking for a solution that makes everyone happy!!

"So, if you're 'responding secretly,' why tell us, your blog readers, about it?" ANSWER:  Obviously, no one connected with that paper can read my blog as it's not public.  And, I have to share this with someone, eh??  What are blogs FOR?? Lol.
Seriously, I trust I am demonstrating how to find a peaceful solution WITHOUT just compromising and being totally silent while darkness is allowed to speak.

Lastly, "What if you eventually lose your ability to contribute ANYTHING to the paper over this?"
ANSWER:  The Will of the Lord be done.