Gods and Gods

7/27/2019 Gods and Gods

1/95


2/95

!

! !

Gods and Gods

A Collection of Parables by

Zach Selby


3/95

!

2

Z a c h S e l b y is a student at Vanderbilt Divinity School as of August2012. Perhaps he will be kicked out soon. He has a BA in Biblical

Studies from Belmont University. He writes jokes on Twitter, reads

books for fun, and is an avid supporter of Esports. He blogs at Gods andGods.

Someday Zach will be gone, as will these stories written by him.

For now, though, enjoy them.

Cover photo credit to Donnie Hedden. His work can be found at

dhedden.com

Gods and Gods. Copyright 2012 Zach Selby. All Rights Reserved.

ISBN 978-1-300-12333-0

\_()_/


4/95

Gods and Gods

3

For Jacob and James

and everyone who has gone on before


5/95

!

4


6/95

Gods and Gods

5

Tab le o f Con ten t s

I n t r o d u c t i o n 7

T h e H a r d , S t o n e Q u a g m i r e 1 1

T h e Q u i c k G a z e D o w n 3 7

T h e W a y O n w a r d 6 3

C o n c l u s i o n 9 3


7/95

!

6


8/95

Gods and Gods

7

In t roduc t i on The power of parable is easily identifiable in the Christian tradition

through the prevalence of the genre throughout the four gospels. These

perplexing, countercultural stories were often sources of conflict or

confusion for both those who were closest to Jesus and those who

opposed his ministry. Why a parable though? Would it not be more

beneficial to have an expert break into the discussion and let everyone in

on the secret? Is not the clandestine quality of truth in parables a

disconcerting and inefficient means of organizing and educating a group?

Yet despite these qualms about parables, sermons are still created around

parables, exegesis of these stories is a lively field of theology, and

questions of meaning are commonplace in all forms of Christian

community. Parables, it seems, connect on a primal level to the story

telling that defines human identity and is non-duplicable in

straightforward speech. Parables leave the hearer with a sneaking

suspicion that she has not quite gotten it; parables live in the space of

ambiguity that is often disdained in religious life.

Every story we tell about ourselves or our religion is full of this

ambiguity, yet doubt and unknowing in matters of religion seem

antipodal to modern conceptions of religious truth. Parables are able to

cut this need for knowledge along its sinews and tendons to reveal a

traumatic moment of truth that lies under each particular religious


9/95

!

8

instance. That is to say, parables are essentially anti-truth by virtue of

failing to really mean anything at all. Instead parables function as a

canvas upon which truth can be painted. This idea of anti-truth leads to

the first structural remark about this work itself; I originally intended for

these parables to be accompanied by commentary of their own. The

commentaries turned out to be cumbersome and esoteric, which was no

doubt influenced by my own writing style. Thus, I have abandoned the

commentaries in favor of replicating a blank slate upon which reflection

and unknowing can occur.

Secondly, these parables are sort of a collection of cheap tricks in

themselves, i.e. the parables have few highly praiseworthy literary

qualities. To counter this lack of rhetorical bravado, I must enlist the

reader to supply the necessary religious and spiritual content to formulate

these parables into something worthwhile. I encourage you to take a slow

pace with these parables and let your mind work on them slowly, while

they slowly and subtly work on you as well.

Furthermore, I must add some citations and clarifications on the

whole of this work. I originally came into contact with the idea of

working with parables as a genre through the work of Peter Rollins

entitled The Orthodox Heretic. This volume is widely available and a key

piece of literature for understanding some of the foundations of pyro-

theology and other ecclesial postmodern Christian theologies.


10/95

Gods and Gods

9

Throughout the course of these parables one may encounter

some familiar turns of phrase, ideas, or even entire jokes. A few of these

instances may be accidental coincidences, such as the parable The

Monster in which I found an affinity with a certain Nietzschean

aphorism three months after writing it. Other times, such as in the parable

The Way and The Truth, I borrowed ideas and motifs from established

theologies. In this particular case it is the theology of J.A. DiNoia. In

most cases, I have tried to credit the original author; however I am certain

that there are other affinities I have been unable to cite due to a lack of

explicit knowledge of certain philosopher or theologians work. After all,

carrying out the admonition of Ecclesiastes to its logical conclusion

would lead me into an eternal loop of citations and meta-citations.

The structure of this volume is conflicted, and I admit this from

the outset. Those who are looking for a purely constructive theological

enterprise will be disappointed by the parables, which resist any firm

moral interpretation. Simultaneously, those who are looking for a purely

objective canvas upon which the Christian tradition can be dissected will

be disillusioned by structural prodding towards a various ethical/religious

idea. Ideally, these parables would be a stone for some to step on and

others to trip upon. However, I fear most of the activity will be tripping.

Yet, one must continue onward despite these structural problems. The

purpose of this volume is to create a space where multiple manifestations


11/95

!

10

of religious belief can be revealed, especially the few bastions of

objectivity that remain paramount to political, ethical, or social

questions. Furthermore, I must concede that this volume is only written

by one white, Western male who grew up in the Bible Belt. I have only

one perspective and phenomenological disposition to the world, and for

that I am, actually, thankful. I can make no claim that these parables

represent a fruitful spiritual exercise for anyone beside myself; yet,

through these parables my personal religious experience has forever been

changed. I can only hope it will do the same for you.

Finally, I wish to give a brief thanks to all who were involved in

making this work possible. Those who read my work in all of its infantile

stages were integral in the pruning of redundant and non-effective

parables, and yet, despite their best efforts, I have still managed to sneak

in some sub-par work. My teachers and mentors may have thought they

were merely preparing me to pass tests, but in every encounter we had,

they shared thoughts that were truly brilliant and inspiring. My parents

and family have literally provided the material, spiritual, and emotional

means through which my writing was possible. I thank them for being the

best parents and family any child could hope for. Thanks also to my

editor, and better half, Katie Richards who has taken my manuscript and

turned it into something that actually looks like the English language.

Any mistakes contained within are entirely and utterly my own fault.


12/95

Gods and Gods

11

T h e H a r d , S t o n e Q u a g m i r eThey do not know what they are doing, but they are doing it.

-Karl Marx, Capital, 1867.

born into this

walking and living through this

dying because of this

muted because of this

- Charles Bukowski, Dinosauria, we,from The Last Night of the Earth Poems, 1992.

Father forgive them; for they know not what they are doing.

- Luke 23:34


13/95

!

12

T he K i ng o f H i s P eop l e

There was a violent invasion in the land. The King of this land was

unable to repulse the invaders, and his people were dying of hunger due

to blockades and sieges. The people cried out to the King, Please feed

us! But the King could do nothing to help them. The invaders continued

to push forward and they eventually took control of the capital city. The

King was forced out of his palace, and he had to rule from a rural town

far removed from the population centers. The invaders set up a new

government and began taxing and oppressing the people of the land.

There was widespread poverty and all social freedoms were suspended

under the new government. Then the people cried out to the King,

Please rule us! But the King was unable to retain his rule and enforce

the rights of the people in the Land. Eventually, the invaders decided the

native population was too much of a nuisance, and they began to

slaughter them by the thousands. The invaders were ruthless and killed

all types of people: women, children, and men. And the people cried out

to the King, Please save us! But the King could do nothing to save his

people.

Then the invaders began not only killing but maiming and

dismembering the people of the Land. The people once again started

crying out to King, Please save us! But the King could do nothing to

allow for his people to at least have a dignified death. During the Kings


14/95

Gods and Gods

13

time in exile, he met and was endeared to a young peasant boy.

Eventually, the invaders found their way to the small town and started to

search for the King. The King knew that there was a shelter for him to

hide in, but he also knew that if he hid there and the invaders did not find

him, then the whole town would be burned and the people would be

killed. The King sat with the young boy on his lap debating with himself

what he was to do, and the young boy leaned up to the Kings ear and

whispered, Please save us. The King was moved to tears, and knew

exactly what he needed to do. He allowed himself to be captured and

taken to the Capital for a public execution.

The execution was televised, and all the people of the Land saw

their King before a firing squad. Throughout the Land, there was a loud

cry of sorrow because the King had not been able to save his people.

Once he was dead, there would be no escaping the wrath of the invaders.

Before the King died, he said, Im sorry. Theres nothing that I can do.

Then the King was killed. And the people declared, He couldnt feed us,

rule us, or save us; he was not our King. He was never our King. And

the invaders ruled the entire land.


15/95

!

14

T he W el l W i t h i n O ur S i gh t

There has been an ancient ritual that has traditionally been performed at

the point in a young believers life that marks the start of a journey to

find God. Within a well dug long, long ago, there is a source of water just

like any other source of water. The earliest seekers of God began to

anoint those who would seek God beside and after them with this water

in a ritual that involved cupping the hands of each believer, filling these

hands with water, and telling the believer to put their hands to their

forehead to feel the presence of God anoint their search. The young

believers hands were tightly clenched; so that when the hands were put

to their forehead hardly any water touched their forehead, if it touched it

at all.

Over the years, the leaders of these believers began to realize the

pressures and expectations of the ritual, and the expectations of a God-

seeker had started to grow, even to the point of demanding a guarantee of

finding God. So in order to signify their close presence to the heart of

God, the mothers and fathers began leaving space for the water to anoint

the new believers. As the water splashed over the faces of the many

believers, they felt the presence of God stronger than they had at any

point beforehand, but the mothers and fathers could remember the way it

was before. They remembered the waiting and wandering that hardly

guaranteed an encounter with God.


16/95

Gods and Gods

15

But the believers would not listen to the ways their elders spoke

fondly of this vacuum of the Divine, the believers wanted to hold their

hands looser and looser until they eventually began submersing the new

believers heads in the water completely. This led to more vivid

hallucinations and visions of God, and all but erased every memory of

the quiet waiting of the mothers and fathers of old. Eventually, this ritual

began to attract the attention of God.

As God looked upon the submerging of these childrens

heads under the water, God pondered aloud, Why do these, my children,

submerge their heads in this contaminated water, when I reside in the

desert all around this well?


17/95

!

16

L o v e a n d P e r f e c t io n

A woman once came to her husband and asked, Why do you not love

me? I cook for you, bake for you, clean for you, and take care of you. All

of this I do without complaint. I do nothing but serve you. Why do you

not love me? Her husband replied, Yes, you have done all these things

you list, but you have not born a son to me that I could love with all my

heart. Visit the fertility clinic, and then well see about love. So, the

woman went and procured a prescription for fertility medication that

allowed her to bear a son for her husband. Years passed, and the son

grew strong and smart. One day the woman mustered the courage to ask

her husband the question of why he didnt love her as much as he loved

her son. And the husband replied once again, You have born a son and

you have carried out your duties faithfully, but your skin has become

splotchy and your belly has grown large. Take care of these physical

issues, and then we will speak of love. The woman began a harsh diet

and exercise plan, and she went to buy some beauty products to deal with

the scars of her past.

As she cultivated her beauty and begin to lose the weight she

gained during pregnancy, she noticed that her husband began to pay

much more attention to her. He obsessed over her when she was home,

and he began to worry about what she was doing outside of the home,

even to the point of becoming violently jealous. During one of his fits of


18/95

Gods and Gods

17

rage she asked him, Why do you love me? I have changed myself so

much that I am no longer the quaint housewife who fulfills her duties and

parents her children. I have turned myself into something that is not who

I was. I am no longer your wife; I am your dream. He replied, nearing

the verge of tears, That is why I want you, that is why I love you. Ever

since we began this relationship I have been molding you to fulfill all of

my needs. Then as I grew old, my deepest needs would be your

specialties.

The wife thought this over for a minute, trying to decipher her

husbands honesty in this issue. Eventually, she turned away and began

to pack her things. This distressed the husband for his perfect companion

was leaving him despite his affection for her. And he asked her, Why do

you leave even though I have loved you since the beginning? We pledged

our love to one another, through sickness and health until death tears us

apart, and yet you are leaving? She thought nothing of this and

continued to pack her bags, but he insisted, You are defiling this

institution of marriage, you are ridiculing the very fabric of our society.

Once again, she ignored his pleas and continued packing. Finally, he

began to feel anger growing inside of him and told her, You do not love

me, because you have grown thick in your skin and vast in your beauty.

But do not forget where it was that I found you. I raised you up and have

provided for you, but you do not repay me for the goods, only for the


19/95

!

18

wrongs. You are the one who will be ashamed by this. The woman

looked up and spoke to the now fuming man. I am not leaving because

you never loved me or because you have not provided for me. You have

done all this and more. Yet since I am perfect, you can no longer love

me.


20/95

Gods and Gods

19

M o n k s a n d L u n c h e s

Two monks were sitting on a ledge enjoying lunch and silence together

one afternoon. All of the sudden, the younger monk feels a sharp blow to

his cheek and wakes up a few minutes later to the elder monk standing

over him. The elder monk says, Thank goodness, I thought you were

dead. The elder helps the dazed monk back to his feet and sits him down

on the ledge once again. Once the monk recovers, he reaches for his

lunch to continue to eat his lunch. But he realizes that its all gone. Not

only has he been assaulted, but he has been robbed. Confused, he asks the

elder monk where his lunch was hidden so it would not be stolen. The

elder monk tells the younger that it was he that assaulted and took the

monks lunch. The young, and now bruised, monk laughs heartily at such

a ridiculous claim. He replies, All in gest Father: Youre a monk

Monks dont steal lunches.


21/95

!

20

P l an t i ng F l ow er s

There were two brothers who were sitting on a grassy hill that overlooked

the new landfill outside their town. Their town was a quaint suburb with

a few restaurants and a newly incorporated Walmart. However, this

landfill was a true eyesore on the landscape of this picturesque town. The

one brother decided to do something about the landfill. He told his

brother, Watch me. Ill go fix this new landfill. The brother watched

his fellow brother begin the walk to the landfill that laid a distance away

in a valley. Once the brother reached the landfill, he climbed to the very

top of the first pile of trash that had been accumulated and he planted the

most beautiful rose there. It was a luscious red and contrasted with the

eternal brown and black of the discarded plastic, metal, and glass. The

gardener brother thought to himself, What a monument to life and

beauty I have created. Though the waste threatens its existence

constantly, the rose still radiates its beauty across the valley.

The gardener brother finally returned to the top of the grassy hill

to speak with his brother about the rose and its beauty. But before the

gardener could utter a word, his brother spoke up, Do you realize what

youve done? Or what you havent done? The gardener brother

responded, Of course I do; I created beauty amidst the tragedy of the

waste. Nothing more, nothing less. But this was not the case in the

brothers mind, Youve done no such thing. Just because you made the


22/95

Gods and Gods

21

landfill beautiful doesnt change the fact that theres a pile of trash under

it all.

And both of the boys wept.


23/95

!

22

J i m m y H e n d e r s o n

There was an old man who walked the streets of his city every morning

in order to see the beauty and bustle of life around him. One day, he finds

himself in an unfamiliar part of town, and he encounters a set of identical

twins on the sidewalk. Feeling in a quite lovely state-of-mind, decides to

interrogate the boys about their similarities. The lads play along,

disclosing themselves truly at each point of interest. They were boys

from Tuscaloosa and had been born in the year 2000. Their mother was a

housewife and their father was a lawyer. Both parents had loved the boys

equally and given them a fair share of their attention and devotion.

But then a question was asked of the boys that made the

conversation take a spin towards the absurd. Well, which one of you is

the eldest?

I see not why that matters, my dear sir.

But there has to be something different about you two? Am I

right?

Oh, why would we be different? Weve been treated the same

since the beginning. No one thinks of us as different; were just the boys

who run and play and talk to girls, and shoot marbles.


24/95

Gods and Gods

23

Now getting a bit flustered at their obvious jokes, the man asked

them their names, hoping to sort through the madness. But they replied,

Jimmy. Always have been, always will be Hopefully, at least. The

man walked off fuming at the disrespect of the boys, but as one can see

clearly Jimmy Henderson was left standing there as perplexed as he ever

had been. I just cant see why I would be born before or after myself. I

am only one; arent I?


25/95

!

24

T h e D a y o f A t o n e m e n tAfter the bull had been slaughtered, lots were cast to see which of the

goats presented would bear the sins of the people away from the land of

Israel. This process went on without any hiccups or significant

occurrences, but all the while, another, perhaps more important, decision

was being made. The priests must choose a man to accompany this goat

out to the nether regions of the desert; lest, the terribly symbolic return of

the sinful goat, by happenstance, occur.

A man was chosen who was virtually blameless: a peasant

farmer who had little to his name but a life of provision for his family,

piety towards his God, and peace with his neighbor. This man made the

journey with the goat far out into the wasteland of the desert, searching,

or waiting, for the fateful Azazel to appear and devour the sins. The man

knew little of what this encounter would entail, but the tales of Azazel he

had been told as a child were more than enough to awaken a deep fear

inside of him.

Azazel appeared with no fanfare and with no hesitation. He came

to the man, devoured the goat, and spoke kindly with the man. Azazel

was pleased with the mans haste to return his homeland and his great

poise and resilience towards Azazel, even if the man was trembling on

the inside. As the two began to part ways, the man to his home and


26/95

Gods and Gods

25

family, and Azazel, perhaps, to his home and family, the man could not

help but ask a question of the beast.

Who are you? But sin itself personified?

I am Azazel. I am not, but in the minds of you and your people.

I do not get rid of sin, but I feast on goats. It is only your people that have

made me out to destroy and obliterate what happens amongst you. I was

not created, nor do I exist, but for your people. Though, I do not really

exist for you either, the pure in heart? You can see me, but I matter not,

and you can see the goat being devoured though you know it is not I who

do it.

Then who do I see, and who devours the goat?

Alas, everyone devours the goat. And here in the desert you see

everyone.

And the man went away trembling; for he knew that he and his people

were doomed.


27/95

!

26

T h e T a l k a t i v e M o n k

There once was a monk who took a vow of silence as he entered his

monastery. Eventually, he left his monastery in order to pursue a life

amongst all of Gods children. So, he moved to the city, and he sat in the

city center. He talked at everyone who came by, spreading his message to

any ears that would listen. He talked, and he talked, and he talked.

One day, the old abbot of the monastery came to visit him in the

city. The abbot wanted to check up on his progress and ensure that he

was following the vow he had taken in becoming a monk. So the abbot

observed the monk from far away, and he saw him speaking with

everyone as they walked by. The abbot became infuriated and moved to

confront the monk in his disobedience to the vow. But the young monk

saw the abbot across the city center, and, as the abbot drew near, he

began to plead his defense.

He said, Dearest abbot, I know what you must think of my

conversation, but let me tell you that since I came to the city I have seen

what true silence is. Even though my words are loud and my

conversation incessant, I have not communicated with any individual

since I arrived here. In fact, I have not moved from this street corner. I

have not prayed. I have not worked. I have not listened to anyone. I

merely fill the void with words so that my communication will be


28/95

Gods and Gods

27

drowned out. You see, old abbot, my words are but a mist that merely

reflects the silence they mask, but my actions, my actions can never be

silenced.

And the abbot went away, pleased with the diligence of his

young monk.


29/95

!

28

T h e R i c h e s i n T h e R o c k

There was a man who came across a giant rock one day. He thought to

himself, Surely this giant rock cannot be completely rock the whole way

through. So, he began to chip away the outside layers. After mining

through a sizeable portion of the rocks outer layers, he began to wonder

what riches he would find inside. His mind wandered to images of a giant

gold nugget or of rare gems, but he knew that he must keep mining to

reach his riches.

After a long time of taking layer after layer off this rock, he

finally reached a central core. The rock had been rock all the way

through. But, relentlessly, he continued on his quest to find riches. He

began to take off the final layer of the rock, hoping to find something of

worth. However, when he took the final layer off of the rock he realized

there was nothing. Not only was there no more rock to speak of, but he

had found nothing. He went away saddened at the lack of gold or gems or

riches.


30/95

Gods and Gods

29

T h e L o v e B e f o r e L o v e

A scientist and an artist fell in love. They both spent every waking

moment taking care of each other and devoting themselves to the others

needs. They showed understanding and compassion to the other, and they

rarely displayed petty anger or juvenile jealousy. Then, on one

completely ordinary day, the artist professed his love for the scientist.

The scientist was shocked at this profession of love. Although he

knew that he loved the artist back, he could not bring himself to say those

words. His mind raced of the implications of making the love official. He

wondered about what society would say, about what his parents would

think, about how long the artist would love him back. He said to the

artist, But what will they think? How could we live in such a hostile

world? If only we could become invisible to the rest of the world

With those words, the scientist returned to his thoughts, hoping to

discover a solution.

The artist sat for a while, looking at the blank expression on his

lovers face. He sat for a day, then a week, then a month. But after a year,

the artist left. He went back to his studio, and he started painting again.

He painted at a furious pace without leaving his studio once. After years

of painting, he came back the place where he had left the scientist hoping

to see that he had moved on with his life too. However, the scientist was


31/95

!

30

still there, thinking, weighing, and deciding. Then the artist was hit with a

pain in his heart. He realized that he was no better than the scientist.

While the scientist stood still to figure out his love, the artist worked

furiously to figure out his love, or his lack of love. And after all of it, the

artist went away. He went out into the world, to love again.

The scientist was paralyzed in thought, but he saw the artist

leave. He knew what it would mean to love the artist, and he was

prepared to declare his love to his lover. But when he went to the artists

loft, he was not there. When he went to the artists studio, he was not

there. When he went to the artists favorite caf, he was not there. It was

as if the scientists love had made the artist invisible. Truly, the artist had

become invisible.


32/95

Gods and Gods

31

U n t o C a e s a r W h a t i s C a e s a r sJesus was teaching in the Temple, and he said to those gathered there,

You have heard it said, Give unto Caesar what is Caesars and unto

God what is Gods, but you have given unto Caesar what is Gods and

unto God what is Caesars. But now, I say to you, Give unto Caesar

what is Gods and unto God give what is Gods.

The people listening to him were perplexed, and they asked him,

But Lord, what do we do with what is Caesars? Do we give it to God or

Caesar? Jesus stood up with this question and began to leave the

Temple. He said as he was leaving though, Do not worry about what

money or power to give to Caesar or to God, neither have need of either.

Rather, give to those who need it: What is Caesars give unto everyone.

And with that, everyone stood and left the temple.


33/95

!

32

J o h n W a y n e

A new land was discovered far away with vast untapped resources and

the promise of new life. All of the great powers of the old world sent

colonists to it, but these colonists were unable to survive. That is until

one day, when a man in black appeared and began to show them how to

farm properly in the new climate. This man grew in popularity and was

loved by all of the colonists. However, with their newfound skill in

farming and surviving, the colonists began to rebel against their colonial

masters.

Those still loyal to the Old World sent messages back describing

how the man in black had come from the forests into the colonies and

shown them how to farm and survive. So, the Old World powers assumed

this man was the cause of the rebellion. They sent an Old World hero to

kill this revolutionary and restore order to the colonies. After many

months at sea, the hero arrived on the shores of the colonies. He was

welcomed with open arms by the colonists, as they thought he was there

to maintain law and order among the growing population. But he asked to

see the man in black. The colonists brought him to the man in blacks

house and took him inside.

The man in black was working on new projects and designs for

increasing the farming production of the colonies to deal with the


34/95

Gods and Gods

33

growing population, when he looked up to see this Old World hero

standing in his doorway. He knew nothing of the folklore of the Old

World, so he assumed the hero was a new colonist. The two discussed the

new plans for farming and for the expansion of trade, and they enjoyed

dinner together. But after that, the hero took the man in black out to the

public meeting hall where everyone gathered for evening prayers. Then,

in front of all the colonists, the hero shot the man in black in the back of

the head. Calmly, he told all of the colonists that law and order had been

reestablished.

The room was deathly quiet, until one small voice cried out from

the back, But how are we going to eat?

Within months, all of the colonists died. And the hero returned

home.


35/95

!

34

T h e P o t a n d T h e K e t t l eTwo monks that were known for their greatness in generosity and

humility were brought together at an ecumenical council of all the

Church leaders across the world. The conference was designed to codify

the Churchs wisdom into a single body of literature that could be

disseminated to the masses. However, there was another aspect of the

conference that was slightly more lighthearted. The church leaders were

also gathering to pay homage to these two wise and hospitable men that

so embodied the Christian tradition and ethical mission.

The night of the gathering the two monks met each other outside

of the meeting hall, and were discussing matters that were only

appropriate for monks. They were talking about their ascetic disciplines

and their habits of hospitality and generosity. Each of the two monks was

astounded at the extent to which the other completely embodied Christs

love. Each of them loved the rest of creation fiercely, and they did

everything they could to ease the unnecessary suffering of humanity.

Finally, one monk said to the other, Im sure that, due to your strict

codes of hospitality and your love for others and God, you will be

awarded with the highest honor tonight. Im glad that I was able to spend

this time with you, and I know that it will benefit me greatly as I go out

into the world again.


36/95

Gods and Gods

35

The other monk was enraged at this accusation, How dare you

call me hospitable and generous! What gives you the right to say what I

am? In fact, I would say that you are just as hospitable as I am. What

makes you so special that you feel justified to describe me exactlyas you

are?


37/95

!

36


38/95

Gods and Gods

37

The Qu ick Gaze Down Suppose that what you fear

could be trapped,

and held in Paris.

Then you would have

the courage to go

everywhere in the world.

All the directions of the compassopen to you,

except the degrees east or west

of true north

that lead to Paris.

Still, you wouldn't dare

put your toessmack dab on the city limit line.

You're not really willing

to stand on a mountainside

miles away,

and watch the Paris lights

come up at night.

Just to be on the safe side,

you decide to stay completely

out of France.But then danger

seems too close

even to those boundaries,

and you feel

the timid part of you

covering the whole globe again.

You need the kind of friend

who learns yoursecret and says,

"See Paris first.

-M. Truman Cooper!


39/95

!

38

T h e M o n s t e r 1In a civilization far away, there was a fable told to all children when they

turned five years old. It was a fable of a terrifying monster, one that is all-

powerful and completely merciless. He rips apart his enemies with his

might, and he feasts on all of their flesh with his fellow monsters. There

were varied reactions to this fable. Some children were unable to sleep at

night; others were too scared to go out in the jungle anymore. But one

child decided to do something about the monster. He decided he would

train and become as strong as he possibly could. So, he trained for years

and years; he became the pride of the civilization.

Then he declared he was going out to hunt the monster. He

wanted to find it, and he wanted to kill it so that the people could live

their lives in free from the monsters terror. The members of the

civilization gave him ample supplies for the months long journey, and he

made his way into the jungle. Along the way, he came upon many beasts,

and he killed all of them. However, none of them were powerful enough

to have been the monster of his childhood. He fought with all the beasts

in the jungle until there were no more. He searched for years and years

for the mythic monster but there was no sign of it anywhere. As he spent

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"!#$!%&'!()!$*+(,(*-!.(/0!*10%-()+)!$-%+!/0'!10(,%)%102!%$!3-('4-(50!6('/7)50'8!/0'&!/0'!1-'+()'!*&4!5%&5,9)(%&!%$!/0()!1*-*:,'!.(,,!:'!%:;(%9)!*/!/0'!%9/)'/

/0'!/(+'!%$!.-(/(&>!/0()!1*-*:,'8!#!0*4!&%/!-'*4!&%/!-'*4!!"#$%&'($$&')%&'*+,-

*!+%-'!4';',%1'4!(4'*!%$!/0()!1*-*:,'?)!+%/($)8!#!.%9,4!'&5%9-*>'!%&'!/%!'@*+(&'!

6('/7)50'?)!.%-A!!"#$%&'($$&')%&'*+,-


40/95

Gods and Gods

39

more time in the jungle, he began to feel himself losing a bit of his

mental strength. He had trained his brain to remain calm and stay focused

on his mission, but his lust for combat was overriding his calm and

confident self.

He still moves about the jungle destroying trees and insects with

his axe. They say he kills for pure enjoyment and that no one could

possibly subdue him. Some say he can hear a person approaching from a

mile away. Warriors have ventured out to meet him in battle, but they

have never returned alive. Today, in that same civilization, the people

still tell the fable of the strong monster out in the jungle, only that

monster now has a name.


41/95

!

40

T he F i de l i t y o f T he F ac t o r y

There were two factory workers who were walking to work one morning.

They were speaking of menial things: election returns, basketball results,

the college football rankings. This walk had been a ritual for almost

twenty years. But today, as they walked they saw something peculiar

about their factory. There was a giant banner hanging over the front

entryway. It read, in giant, carnival-like letters, Sorry, Weve Closed

The Factory. Go Home. Well Contact You Soon.

The two men hung their heads as they read this terrible news,

and walked solemnly back to their houses.

A couple of months pass, when one of the men hears about a

new plant opening in town. He goes to see what job opportunities are

available, and he finds that there are still many jobs to be filled. He fills

out an application and grabs an extra to take to his long-time colleague.

He comes to his fellow factory worker with the application to tell him the

great news, but the other man does not share in the excitement at all. His

friend tells him that he can finally get back on his feet, and start

providing for his family again. Fate has smiled once again on their blue-

collar lives, and he cannot miss this opportunity.

My wife left me when she found out I had lost my job. She took

the kids, and I havent seen or heard from them in weeks, the man


42/95

Gods and Gods

41

replied. He continued, I have no need for getting back on my feet.

Theres plenty of beer in the fridge and money in my bank account now

that I dont have five mouths to feed.

The mans friend felt a great sorrow for this loss and told his

fellow worker, I cant imagine what youre going through. Then he

left, for his friend had asked to be left alone to die.

However, the man came back to try again to get his friend to come

back to work at the factory. He remembered his friends fathers stern

and hard-working nature. He asked his fellow worker, Dont you think

your Father would be proud to see you come back to work? Especially

now that you do not need the money? The man retorted, My Father

died a couple of days after we were laid off He was mowing the lawn,

and he dropped dead of a heart attack. I have no way to gain his approval

from beyond the grave. Plus, I wont need his approval when I am

beyond the grave. Now go, leave me alone to sit here in my grave. This

chair is where I shall rest forever.

His friend left, deeply distraught at the emotional state of his

fellow worker, but nevertheless determined to convince him to come

back to work with him. As he lay in bed that night, he thought of the past

they had shared. They had seen the birth of each others children, high

school graduations, baptisms, weddings, and funerals They had been


43/95

!

42

through it all together. He could not imagine going to work without this

man.

So, the next day the man went back to his friend and asked him

for a third time if he would come back to work. He said, My friend,

weve been through it all together. Weve worked across from each other

for years, but we lived side by side for years too. If you wont come back

to work for money or approval, come back to work with me, your

friend.

The pleading of his friend struck a new chord in the bitter mans

heart. He thought in silence for a long while. Finally, he said to his

friend, For you, and only for you, will I come back to work.


44/95

Gods and Gods

43

T h e W a y a n d T h e T r u t h 2

Jesus said to his disciples, Do not let your hearts be troubled. You

believe in God; believe also in me. My Fathers house has many rooms;

if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare

a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back

and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know

the way to the place where I am going.

Thomas said to him, Lord, we dont know where you are going,

so how can we know the way?

Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one

comes to the Dharma except through me.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

B!C0'!.%-A!%$!D(%&)!*&4!

0()!;*-(*&/)!%$!G*-*,,',()/!/0'%,%>(')!5%&/*(&)!/0()!;'-2!)*+'!42&*+(5!*)!*!5'&/-*,!

1('5'!%$!0()!*->9+'&/


45/95

!

44

Y ou l l S t ay U n t i l T he J ob s D oneThere were two men who walked into a convenience store wearing ski

masks and carrying handguns. It was one of those stores at the end of

town no one visits after 10:30. So, the men walked in and pointed their

guns at the cashier. There wasnt another human being in sight, and there

was no way the police could arrive in less than a half hour. One of the

men grew anxious about what he was doing, and he decided that robbing

this convenience store was wholly immoral. He decided he couldnt be a

part of whatever was going on here. So, he tried to leave. But his friend

told him that he couldnt leave. It would be a great disgrace to your

father to leave a task unfinished, he said.

The man struggled with the options for a moment in his brain.

He decided that it was more immoral to leave a task unfinished than it

was to rob this poor man with no intentions of hurting him. So, they

finished the job, got the money, and fled the scene. About an hour later as

they were driving back to their apartment, the cops showed up and the

duo was arrested. They both sat in their respective cells awaiting the

questioning and conviction that was surely to come. During the interview

of the man who tried to leave, he was asked how he felt about his crime

and what they did to the poor kid who works for nothing more than

minimum wage.


46/95

Gods and Gods

45

He replied, Oh, I feel awful, just awful, about it. I never would

have hurt him. In fact, I thought the whole act was immoral, but my

friend was there and I couldnt leave the task unfinished, you know?

The officer was stunned at this answer, and he asked, Why couldnt you

have left it undone? It was wrong to do what you did, and even more so

to finish it after you knew it was wrong. But the now practically

convicted man replied, Ah, but you never knew my father! He was

adamant that I should never leave unfinished any task I set myself to. If I

had left, I would have disgraced my Fathers legacy.

The officer began to understand as he had always been fearful of

his own fathers great strength and power over him, and he asked the

man, I see. Was your Father a criminal like you? I had a Father who led

our family with strict morals and an iron resolve. But I see your father

wasnt one to hold the same sterling morals or to preserve and promote

honor and pride. He must have been one who looks out for his own even

if theyre criminal scum, like you.

The man replied, No sir, he was in the military.


47/95

!

46

T h e M a n F r o m K a l a m a z o o

There once was a man from Kalamazoo. This man studied hard in school,

performed well on all of his tests, and finally made it into a prestigious

private school in New York City. When arrived at University, full of

expectations of wonder at exploring life outside of Michigan, he was

shocked at the resemblance of people in New York City to those in

Michigan. Nevertheless, he continued to study hard, perform well in

school, and got accepted to an even more prestigious school in England.

When he arrived at Oxford, he thought that he certainly had

escaped from the dilapidated gene pool in America and would finally

find the interesting, savage people he had always dreamed of meeting. As

he walked around campus chatting with the other intellectuals, fighting

anger as he realized they are no different from him, he hypothesized that

his problem must stem from the type of people with whom he was

associating.

So, he took to the streets to meet with the beggars, the

prostitutes, the clergymen, the middle class, the imbeciles, the foreign,

and the rich. As he interacted with these people, his hopes of finding

diversity were crushed. (Except for his brief interaction with the rich, that

left him thinking, I know there is something different about them, I just


48/95

Gods and Gods

47

cannot quite put my finger on it.) So, the man set out to travel to the

most remote regions of the world.

He set sail to the island known as Madagascar where he

encountered people that come from blended Arabic, Asian, Indonesian,

French, and Creole backgrounds. As he read about Majunga during his

time on the ship, his anticipation and excitement grew. He said to

himself, Finally, a people that I can meet who arent like me. Someone

who I can learn from, and someone whom I can teach. When, he landed

in the Port of Majunga, and he stepped out in to the city air, he

exclaimed, This air is the same air I breathed when I was born in

Kalamazoo, when I lived with the intellectuals in New York City, when I

stayed with the homeless in Oxford. And now I breathe it in among my

brethren in Majunga. Where is there diversity? I declare in all the hearts

of mankind there is none. No, not a single one of us is different.


49/95

!

48

T h e N e x t D a y o f A t o n e m e n t

After the bull had been slaughtered, lots were cast to see which

of the goats presented would bear the sins of the people away from the

land of Israel. This process went on without any hiccups or significant





This year, on account of the mishaps and false teachings spread

by the righteous peasant, the priests chose a man who was of low

standing, sinful, and corrupt to accompany the goat into the desert. This

man was a tax collector who charged far over the required taxes in order

to live lavishly and in pleasure. The man ventured with the goat into the

desert having no fear of Azazel or the dangers of the desert, for he took a

company of Roman soldiers with him. So, the caravan set out awaiting

the arrival of Azazel, when one of them in their midst declared the search

was useless and Azazel was nothing more than a fairytale. Slowly, the

men all left and the tax collector was left alone. Azazel appeared once

again quietly and confidently, and the tax collector barely noticed his

approach until the beast was upon him. The goat was devoured at once,

and Azazel spoke to the man plainly.


50/95

Gods and Gods

49

I am Azazel. I am the one who destroys sin and is the terror of

the desert.

The tax collector was still unafraid and turned to leave muttering,

You are nothing but a hallucination. The desert heat has withered me,

and I am close to fainting and dying. I must return home immediately.

Why should you return? You have no home, no family, no

friends. You are but a prestigious man of the worst type: A man with

excess of power, but a shortage of friends. No, because of your

corruption and sin, you will be devoured along with the goat.

The tax collector was shocked, But you have eaten my sins in

the goat along with all the sins of my people. I must leave to pursue my

life back home. Perhaps we will meet again at a much later date.

You fear me not, but I have all power over you and your people.

God himself has given you over to me, and I will do with you as I

please. And Azazel devoured the man.

When the tax collector never returned, many people muttered

amongst themselves, He has gone mad, or He continued on to Rome,

or He must be hiding amongst us. But they never came to know what

had become of the man who bore their sins to the desert.


51/95

!

50

T he L as t M an

There were billions of men and women who walked the Earth. Thousands

of civilizations and languages could be observed upon its surface. But

one day, it all changed, and there was only one man left. This man

walked the Earth, living on the natural fruits and searching for anyone

else that was left. He wandered and wandered. Finally, one day, a traveler

came upon him on the road. The man looked up and saw the face of pure

evil; he saw the face of the devil.

The Devil told him, Youre the only one who is left. Why do

you keep searching? There is no one left to complete you.

The man continued walking. And the Devil came back with more

insults. They left you behind. They knew you were not worthy of going

where they are. You are the only one left, because you were the worst

one of them all.

Yet the man continued walking. The Devil continued with his

tirade: I should just kill you now to be over with it all. I could put this

world out of its misery.

The Devil began following the man to add to his misery.

Eventually, the man stopped at an abandoned house and picked up a doll.

It was not charred and seemed alien against its background of splintered


52/95

Gods and Gods

51

black wood and grey dust. He held the doll up to show the devil, and,

then, he gave it to the Devil. The Devil stood there completely

confounded. The man walked on, never to be bothered by the Devil

again.

The Devil returned to his home with the doll in hand. He was

still in awe of what the man had done to him. He tried to understand what

the man had been saying with the doll, but he could come up with no

hidden message. Instead, he began to think that the man was mad. The

walking and wandering had made him insane, and the doll was just the

culmination of this madness. But the Devil could not forget the look in

the mans eyes.

Then the Devil heard a knock on his door. It was a small girl.

She had to come to ask for her doll back.


53/95

!

52

T h e T w o W o m e n

Two women sat across from each other, reading from an ancient book.

The two women poured their souls into the book and knew the book

inside and out. In fact, they had completely memorized the book. This

was one of their weekly meetings to discuss their new readings,

interpretations, and the questions that arose in their minds. This week

though, they heard a knock on their door, and the first woman went to

open it. When she opened the door, she was floored by the overwhelming

presence that rushed into the room. It was Jesus of Nazareth in the flesh.

He told them, Dear Sisters, I have come to ask if I could join in

your reading of the Bible; I have seen true community amongst you, and

the word says, Wherever two or more are gathered in my name, I will be

there also. The women were shocked that Jesus would appear at their

study and wish to study the Bible with them, but they both welcomed him

in with open arms.

Jesus sat down, and began to ask the women which part of the

Scriptures they were reading. But suddenly, the first woman jumped up

from her seat and ran from the house, never to be seen again. Jesus asked

the second woman if he had done something wrong, said something

offensive, but the second woman was still in shock of his presence and


54/95

Gods and Gods

53

could not even muster a single word. She sat there at the feet of Jesus for

eternity, not ever being able to say a single word.


55/95

!

54

T he F ac t o r y S ky l i ne

Two boys sat looking beyond their towns landfill at the plumes of smoke

and smog rising from the newly developed industrial sector of town. Due

to the high amount of pollution, the annual rainfall in that area had

dropped dramatically, and the whole region was severely affected by the

drought. One of the boys had gone off to University after high school and

had studied meteorology. His brother had stayed behind to become a

gardener. Both boys had wonderful careers, and were home for the

holidays to see their parents. As they sat looking up at the plumes of

smoke, the meteorologist brother noticed them forming into shapes that

resembled clouds. He recalled his training though and was not fooled into

apparent hope for rainfall. His brother though grew excited and

exclaimed, There it is brother! Rain is on the horizon!

His brother retorted, Those are just smoke plumes, nothing but

smog and pollution. Theyre not rain at all. Both brothers sat there silent

for a few moments, when the meteorologist brother looked up at the sky

again. He had felt a drop of water touch his face, but he was sure that it

was not rain. But, he looked up, and he saw that there wererain clouds up

there. He could see, through a break in the smog, that large storm clouds

were covering the sky, but none of the water could get through. It was all

being absorbed and carried off by the dense smog. The meteorologist

brother said, I know how to fix the drought. He ran off to tell the


56/95

Gods and Gods

55

factories to stop producing for just a moment, so that the rains would fall.

But, when he came back dismayed by their continued production, his

brother told him, I was just playing with you. I was dropping water on

your face while you were sleeping. I thought, if anyone would, you

would know that the smog had completely killed the rain.

And with that the boys went home. And the meteorologist wept.


57/95

!

56

T h e V o i c e

There were two women who lived together. They loved each other very

much and had spent their whole lives faithful to one another. But over the

years, they had slowly grown apart. The smarter woman had gotten a

wonderful job at a prestigious university, and the more domestic woman

had stayed home to tend to their adopted children. One night, the two of

them got into a fight. The one who stayed home finally voiced her

opinions about all of the late nights and long hours and piles and piles of

books that littered her house. The fight gradually escalated until both

women were nearing hysteria. Finally, the smarter one asked, Ive

provided everything you could have possibly needed your entire life!

What more could you possibly want from me? Ive paid all the bills,

bought all the food, paid for all the doctors appointments! What else

could I possibly do?

With that the smarter one had thought she had won the argument.

But the domestic woman muttered, Thats the whole point isnt it! I

didnt want your money! I wanted you! I wanted you to be there to listen.

I wanted you to be there to hear my voice! Instead, I just got a few hugs

and kisses along the way and a whole bunch of threats veiled in

suggestion.


58/95

Gods and Gods

57

To the children, this seemed very sad. It seemed like their

parents were fighting so much that they would never be friends again.

But it wasnt sad. When the morning came, both women rolled over and

looked each other in the eye and said, I hear you. Why dont we go

make some breakfast?


59/95

!

58

S t eps o f t he W ol f

In the wild, there is one predator feared not for its size or strength but for

its stealth and precision. The wolf knows what it is and knows that it

cannot outrun and overpower all of its prey, but the wolf also knows that

none of its prey can outthink or outmaneuver the wolf. In the beginning

of the reign of the wolves as the most fearsome of hunters, there was one

Wolf that was the greatest of all the wolves in the land. This perfected its

hunting technique with every venture into the wild; it made additions and

refinements and augmentations with every kill. During its most prized

hunt, it caught a wild elk off guard that was able to feed the whole pack

for months.

As the Wolf thought about how he had captured this elk, for he

wanted to codify the hunting technique for future hunts, he remembered

that he had accidentally given away his position to the elk early in the

stalk. The Wolf figured that the elk must have noticed this misstep and

maintained a position of where the wolf should have been. But the Wolf

was able to sneak around and catch the wild elk off guard. The Wolf told

his fellow wolves of this technique, so that they would all be able to feast

for the rest of their lives.


60/95

Gods and Gods

59

Many of the wolves followed in this great Wolfs footsteps, and

many of the wolves had great success. They all deliberately gave away

their positions in order to achieve a great element of surprise.

However, one day the great Elk came to the wolves camp and

asked to speak with the great Wolf. The camp buzzed with anticipation at

what the great Elk and Wolf were talking about. Perhaps the elk had

become too weak to continue being massacred by the wolves, and they

were willing to offer some sort of treaty that included a provision of meat

for the wolves. But as the great Elk came away from the meeting and left

the wolves, the great Wolf appeared disheartened, for during the meeting

the great Elk had asked if the great Wolf had seen the elder elk, which,

though a grand elk, was senile and ill and had a propensity for wandering

off into the territory of the wolves. The great Wolf remembered his

famous kill and remembered the way in which that elk had not struggled

nor has his flesh tasted fresh and virile. He realized the elder elk was the

victim of his most famous hunt and that his strategy for killing elk was a

cheap farce. From that moment on, he forbade any wolf to use his

technique. The wolves suffered a great deal from all this, and the pack

eventually came to the brink of starvation.

The great Wolf eventually died from this starvation, and the

wolves discussed plans for the future. Since the abolishment of the

hunting techniques, there had been no great hunters that had risen up in


61/95

!

60

the pack. However, one of the wolves suggested that without going back

to the old ways of hunting there would be no way any of them would

survive. So, a decision was made to return to the old techniques, and the

wolves never starved again.


62/95

Gods and Gods

61

S c h o o l F o r G e a r sThere once was a giant industrial machine. It consisted of smaller

machines, pulleys, and motors, but the most important part of the

machine was the gears. The gears whirred and churned to keep all of the

parts moving in unison, and without the gears the entire apparatus would

have come screeching to a halt. So, when the original gears began to age

and rust and lose the ability to keep the machine moving, they decided

they needed to teach a younger generation of gears to keep the system

moving. Keeping the machine running though would take a great deal of

training and expertise in the intricacies of the mechanics of the system.

See, the older gears had taken an entire lifetime to perfect the system, and

the new replacement gears would get no such luxury.

So, they began a school for gears. In this school, the gears were

taught to turn and churn and rotate in the exact manner needed to keep

the system running smoothly. They appointed teachers and leaders to

convey to the young gears how important it was to keep the machine

running.

The young gears loved learning about everything their

predecessors had done. They absorbed the knowledge fully and without

hesitation, and eventually the day came whenever the first installment of


63/95

!

62

changing gears would take place. It was a tumultuous day filled with

excitement and nervousness. Every time a new gear would take the place

of an old one, the entire machine watched closely to see how it would

function. For the most part the switch ran without obstacles and without a

great deal of interruption in the daily function of the machine.

However, there was one small aspect of the young gears life that

could not be foreseen by the older gears. One day the younger gears

decided to abstain from turning, churning, and whirring. They decided

that no longer could they stand to be a part of this machine; so, they

stopped. It was a tragedy for the older gears to see. Their entire system

was crumbling before their eyes, but there it was, a cessation of

productivity, the ultimate evil in the world of the gears. Why would one

ever want to stop turning? and How dare they disrespect the tradition

of all traditions! were commonly heard during this time of great

confusion.

But softly the young gears could be heard talking amongst

themselves. And they were all only saying, Why?


64/95

Gods and Gods

63

T h e W a y O n w a r dHere, then, is the first rule of acting: assume that the success of your

undertakings depends entirely on you, and in no way on God; but,

nonetheless, set to work as if God alone will do everything, and you

yourself do nothing.

- Hevenesi, Hungarian Jesuit, 1705.

When I, as a human being, experience myself as cut off from God, atthat very moment of the utmost abjection, I am absolutely close to God,

since I find myself in the position of the abandoned Christ.

- Slavoj Zizek, On Belief, 2001.

But father, what

--Yes, the What. Right. Get it. This is it.

- Dave Eggers, What is the What, 2006.


65/95

!

64

P r i s on F o r G ea r s

Needless to say, the older gears were appalled at this act of defiance and

decided they must act to rectify the situation. So, a plan was made to

construct a place for all the gears that didnt whir, churn, and spin to

spend the rest of their days in solitude. This place struck fear into the

hearts of the younger gears, and it worked at restoring order in some of

the gears. But there were some who were not afraid of the place of

imprisonment. So, those gears continued to not spin.

Because of the defiant gears, the older gears instituted a new

system of getting the younger gears to spin. So, they started teaching the

younger gears that it was their duty to their elders to continue on their

traditions. They said, The only way of life imaginable is the way of life

we gears have lived for years. This scared some of the younger gears

into thinking that if they failed to whir, then they would fall into oblivion

and never be able to enjoy the comforts of their elder gears. But, there

were some gears that were not afraid. They did not believe the older

gears whenever they said there was no way of life outside of the machine.

So, the elder gears, in a final attempt to restore full production,

tried their most underhanded tactic yet. Instead of attacking the younger

gears defiance from the outside, they slowly infiltrated the circles of

trust of the gears and began disseminating the message that their really


66/95

Gods and Gods

65

was no battle to be fought and no battle to be won, because not spinning

is just another form of the machines production. The older gears said,

Whether or not you spin, the machine lives on and the machine still

produces. You might as well live comfortably and only concede on a few

points of principle. The younger gears slowly began to agree with the

message the elder gears had snuck into their ideas, and one by one, they

went back to churning, whirring, and spinning.

Yet, there was one group of young gears that had heard the

message and did not believe it still. They realized that they, the young

gears, were the ones who controlled the machine and what it produced.

The realized that the comforts were something they could produce if they

wanted to, but they also realized that they could form their own machine

and work in their own way, creating their own things. They snuck their

way deep into the heart of the machine and hollowed out a space for

themselves to create and spin in freedom. They wanted to understand

why they spun and then choose if they wanted to spin or not. To this day,

those gears still live in the heart of the machine. And to this day, they are

still churning the same way they did, even before the great revolution of

gears.


67/95

!

66

H e a v e n a n d E a r t h 3

A group of religious leaders were called to a summit to discuss the

possibility of a single religion showcasing its soteriological superiority

over the others. The great leaders of Islam, Christianity, Judaism,

Animism, Deism, Atheism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and all of the others

assembled to discuss this possibility. Each religious group argued for its

obvious superiority, and the debate began to become heated and

passionate. But before violence could break out, a courier rushed into the

great hall to deliver an urgent message. I have some Good News and

some Bad News, he said, trying to catch his breath. The Good News is

Jesus is coming back The Christians let out a cry of joy and

celebrated with their brethren as their claims had just been validated, but

the courier continued: The Bad News is hes going to Salt Lake City.

Embarrassed, the Christians lamented their arrogance and returned to

their seats as commotion broke out amongst the assembly. Many of those

assembled left to go try to reconcile with God. Slowly, a wise holy man,

who had not up to this point said a word, stood to his feet and said,

Finally now that all these trite discussions have been settled we can all

get to business with the weighty matters.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!H!C0'!I%A'!1-')'&/!(&!/0()!1*-*:,'!()!*//-(:9/'4!/%!=,*&!D%&')!$-%+!0()!:%%A!.$/-'

0)1,%23'45"'6"7"89':)#'$;'.


68/95

Gods and Gods

67

T h e G a m e

There is an ancient game that has been played for generations and

generations. Certain strategies have evolved, fallen out of fashion, and

resurged with the turning of each age, but the basic rules remain the

same. A young boy was learning to play the game with his father and

mother when he realized that something was going terribly wrong. He

had learned all of the strategies and was exceptionally bright for a boy of

his age, yet he had never won a single game. He always lost to his Father

or Mother, and they always seemed to lose to someone else. The cycle

went on and on. The boy decided to trace the chain of wins and losses all

the way up to the top. He found that the wisest man in the world had

beaten almost everyone in the game. The young boy went to him to see if

he had ever lost.

When the young boy got to the wise mans house, he was greeted

with open arms. In traditional hospitality, the wise man offered the boy a

chance to play the game and have a bite to eat. The boy accepted, hoping

to learn from the strategies of the old man. However, the boy was

shocked within a few minutes of starting the game. The wise man was

awful at the game. The young boy had only made a few moves and was

already very far ahead. He was on the verge of winning when the wise

man said to him, You have learned the game now my child. The wisest


69/95

!

68

are dumb. And the dumbest are wise. Now that you have won, you will

lose. You will always lose. You will always lose.

The young boy was confused at the words that came out of the

wise mans mouth. So he decided to play the wise man once more to try

to gain some insight into the nature of the game. This time the young boy

was once again shocked within minutes of starting the game, as he had

fallen far behind and was on the verge of losing. The wise man told him

the same thing once again. But the boy was still confused. The two kept

on playing long into the night. Sometimes the boy would strike a victory,

and other times the wise man would defeat the boy. But as the two of

them began to grow weary and sleepy from their hours of playing, the

young boy and wise man started to forget to keep count of who won and

who lost. They had played hundreds of games, but they had not a record

of who was winning or losing. As the two fell asleep, the scorecard fell

out of the young boys hand. As it fell to the floor of the wise mans

house, it appeared as though the card was completely blank.


70/95

Gods and Gods

69

I n M y N a m e

Jesus was addressing the twelve disciples, In the final days you will say

to me: Lord, we prophesized in your name, we drove out demons in your

name, we healed the sick in your name. But I will reply to you, Away

from mefor I never knew you. When did you feed the hungry, clothe

the poor, or heal the sick? And then you will say to me, We did this for

you Lord and in your name for all of those around you. We fed the

hungry, clothed the poor, and healed the sick in the name of the Christ.

Still though, Jesus sent the twelve disciples away for they had

failed to realize what he meant by feeding, clothing, and healing.

Jesus turned to the beggar beside him and said, They never

realized that it is not about doing for the sick and poor in my name. To

enter the kingdom of God, my son, one must give up my namein order to

work formyname.


71/95

!

70

T h e S a m u r a i

A great Samurai teacher was instructing his pupils in the arts of war.

There were many exceptional pupils, but there was one that stood above

all the rest. In front of the entire group of young men, the teacher asked

this pupil, What is the purpose of your sword? The pupil responded

quickly, To draw it out. The teacher was impressed with this answer, a

mature answer from such a young man, and he asked another question of

the pupil: What does one do when the sword is drawn? The pupil was

slower to respond this time, but he finally managed to gather his thoughts

into words and exclaimed, Work to sheathe it once more. All were

amazed at the wit displayed by the young man, and his teacher

commended him.

After the days training was finished though, the pupil went to

his teacher to ask a question. What must be done in order to sheathe my

sword? Is not a sword only to be put back after it has struck? The

teacher contemplated his answer, and he asked the pupil to come back

tomorrow. For days and days after this the student continued to ask the

question, and his teacher deferred the answer. Eventually, the student was

old enough to leave the teachers care. During his final day of training,

the teacher asked him once more, What is the purpose of your sword?

And the student responded, To draw it out. Then the teacher asked,

What does one do when the sword is drawn? The student suddenly


72/95

Gods and Gods

71

remembered the answer he had seen in the Samurai master; this time, the

student did not reply. The samurai left the student standing there until

nightfall, and finally the master returned and said, My student, you have

understood what one must do to sheathe the sword. You must only

sheathe your sword.


73/95

!

72

T he B es t N i gh t o f O ur L i ves

Sometime, usually around the middle of May, there is a gathering of

individual students from high schools all around the nation. They gather

together with the sole purpose of dancing the night away, and looking as

fancy as possible while doing it. The girls get their hair cut and curled,

and all the boys buy color-coordinated tuxedos. Some students drink and

dance all night long, and others tend to keep to themselves and their

friends with conversation and jokes. For many students, this will be

termed the greatest night of their lives. For others, there will be an

existential crisis that results from not getting a date or being left by a

date. But, there will be one student who does none of these things.

He will tell his parents he does not wish to attend or partake. He

will tell them that he does not want to buy a tuxedo or ask someone to

this dance. He will tell them he would have much more fun doing

something else the entire night. He will convince his mother to be his

date for the night, and they will go to the Indian casino thirty minutes

outside of town. They will be sitting at the blackjack table when his

mother asks him if he regrets not going to prom. She will ask him if he

thinks he missed out on the pageantry and parties. She will ask him if he

did not want to go because he was afraid he could not get a date (To

which she will quickly add, in all motherly capacities, Youre such a

handsome boy and any girl would be lucky to get to date you.). And he


74/95

Gods and Gods

73

will look at her and say that this has been the greatest night of his life. He

will say he did not care about the boutonnires and bouquets; he will say

that his friends will see him tomorrow and that he will find a girl

someday. He will tell her that he could not imagine a better night, despite

having lost his money. When his mother gets a perplexed look on her

face and asks him how that is possible, he will respond, Because it is

tonight, and we are alive.


75/95


76/95

Gods and Gods

75

dogma and our sister was trying to avoid her reality. See, my child, I

have come to be all things to all people, but I have not come to bring

peace, but rather, a sword.


77/95

!

76

T h e F i n a l D a y o f A t o n e m e n t

After the bull had been slaughtered, lots were cast to see which of the

goats presented would bear the sins of the people away from the land of

Israel. This process went on without any hiccups or significant





Despite poor choices for a guide for the goat into the desert the

past two years, the priests still had high hopes for this years chosen man,

for he was the high priest himself. The priest was not worried about his

journey to the wilderness for he had spent much time in study of the

Torah and was a man of upstanding ethics and thoughts. He looked

forward to meeting this fabled creature and had hopes of gaining great

wisdom and strength from the meeting.

When he went with the goat into the desert, he walked along

reciting psalms of repentance and thanksgiving for the sins of his people

and the graciousness of Gods covenant with them. Azazel appeared next

to the old man and walked along with him as the old man quoted the

Torah under his breath. Slowly, the old man spoke as he heard the

creatures footsteps alongside him.


78/95

Gods and Gods

77

Im pleased to see you again, old friend. Its been many years.

How does the time pass with you?

Ive been pleased by the years and my time in the desert. The

men you have sent to me have been most interesting as of late. The

peasant and the tax-collector both learned much from our visit.

Here is the goat, my friend. Take it and know that the covenant

remains intact. As long as you will have our sin, we will grant you respite

here in the desert.

Azazel took the goat and devoured it. Then, he turned to walk

away. But the priest needed to say one last thing.

When the tax-collector came to you, he was not afraid, but the

righteous farmer we sent to you was terrified of your presence. What do

you make of this?

I make no claims out here in the desert except that we see things

as they truly are. Every man has no time for deception and plenty of time

to look about. Even you, yourself, can see clearly out here.

The priest looked up from the ground to gaze upon the face of

the beast that devours sin and is granted refuge in the desert, and, behold,

it was none other than the face of God. And the priest walked away

trembling for he and his people were doomed.


79/95

!

78

T he I n s a t i ab l e S adnes s

A young boy was born into a family who lived in the slums of LosAngeles. His family was loving and supportive, but it was sometimes

difficult to put food on the table. The boy did well in school, but he was

unable to go to college. He had to settle for a minimum wage job, and he

worked backbreaking labor for the rest of his life. But around the time he

was twenty years old, he met the most beautiful girl he could have

imagined. Shortly afterwards, he asked her to marry him, and she,

luckily, said, Yes. They had a happy family and many kids, but they

suffered from the same lacks that the boy has lived through as a child.

Despite this, he worked hard, and he loved his life.

The boy grew up, and he grew old. He grew feeble and sick. One

day, he died. Now, the boy had not been overtly religious, but he had

lived a good life and he showed love as often as possible. So when, to his

surprise, he entered into heaven, he was overjoyed. But soon, his joy

turned to fear when he looked down to earth and saw that his lovely wife

and children were on the other side of an infinite chasm. He began to cry,

not just for his separation from his loved ones but also for the hard life he

knew they would have to live without him.

Eventually, God heard the crying of this boy and God called for

him to be brought into the throne room of God. The boy was put on


80/95

Gods and Gods

79

Gods lap, and God began to wipe all the tears away, just as the boys

mother used to do. However, despite all the promises and demonstrations

of good, beauty, and light, the boys sadness could not be overcome. God

tried everything. God orchestrated a dance in the boys honor, displayed

all the secrets of the Universe to the boy, and allowed him to reside in the

immediate presence of God. Yet nothing could calm the boys sadness.

God was beginning to become very anxious about this boys situation,

and God felt that there was nothing left to do. But then, God came up

with an ingenious idea. God pulled the boy aside and whispered in his

ear, My child, I know I cannot stop your tears nor is being in my

presence enough, but I know of one who I think could help you. Here,

take this key and leave the pearly gates this night. No one will know you

have gone, and in the morning you can come back to heaven if you wish,

but if not, heaven will be waiting for you whenever you want to come

home.

Suddenly, the boy was no longer sad. He did as God had said,

and from that day on no one in Heaven heard from him again. But when

God thought back on the incident, his face grew bright for the insatiable

sadness had been overcome, and the boy was truly happy.


81/95

!

80

T h e D e a t h o f a B o d y g u a r d

Traveling along a long and lonely road, there was a caravan of traders.

This road was treacherous, filled with dangers, and constantly patrolled

by bandits. So, the traders brought along with them three bodyguards to

keep watch over them while they slept. These bodyguards were of the

finest quality. They were strong men who had been trained in all arts of

war and were loyal and zealous.

But in the night, the bodyguards heard the sounds of many men

gathering around their camp. As they peered out into the darkness, they

could only make out dark figures, but they knew there were more men in

the dark than they could repel. Fearing for their lives, the bodyguards ran

and abandoned the camp and the traders. Upon hearing the commotion of

the guards departing, the bandits pursued them, thinking they held the

treasures they so badly desired.

In the morning, the traders awoke and noticed the missing

bodyguards. Outraged, they began to curse the names of the men and

vowed to embarrass and expose them upon their return home. The traders

finished their journey with ease, and began to return home. They traveled

day and night for fear of the dangers that surrounded them, but they never

once heard or saw the bandits. Just miles from the security of their home

city, the traders came across a dead body strewn carelessly to the side of


82/95

Gods and Gods

81

the road, stabbed and marked with typical bandit brutality. Upon

searching the body, they realized that this man was their bodyguard. And

they exclaimed, Oh! What have we done? How could we have thought

that this loyal guard abandoned us to our deaths? Is it not apparent that he

had abandoned us for our life?


83/95

!

82

T h e H e r e t i c a n d t h e S a i n t

There were two men who lived together in a hermitage far away from the

cities of the world. Both men were revered and known by almost all

Christians, but for different reasons. The Saint was known for his ascetic

l

Date post:	02-Apr-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	zachselby
View:	269 times
Download:	2 times

Gods and Gods

Documents