Who Is My Neighbor?
Aug 15, 2021 3:26:11 GMT -5
Post by Radrook Admin on Aug 15, 2021 3:26:11 GMT -5
Who Is My Neighbor?
It was on a cold winter Tuesday evening when the creature suddenly arrived at our church’s door. We were all reverently singing hymns when suddenly there was a loud banging that caused us to stop singing: How Great Thou Art, and to turn around.
Naturally, we were extremely surprised. After all, church visitors never knock, especially not in that desperate manner. Instead, they just very gently pry the door open and take a seat during services. So the loud pounding was something very unusual, and so we hesitated. Finally, when I could bear the tension no longer, I volunteered to go and see what was the matter.
It was nine in the evening, dark and misty outside and when I opened the door, and only the illuminated entrance pavement and faint outlines of cars in the parking lot were visible. But as my eyes began to adjust, I saw the creature staring at me from behind a nearby tree. No, it was not a menacing stare, but one of pain that and noticing that it was nursing a wounded arm arm tightly with the palm of one furry hand, and its eyes seemed to be pleading with me for help stopped me from bolting in panic. .
“Can I help you?” I heard myself say in a trembling, fearful voice.
”Yes! Please!” were the words I heard it say telepathically.
“Stay there, I’ll be back with the first aid kit”! told it after forcing a friendly smile before turning around and going back in.
“What was it? the pastor asked with an extremely worried look on his wizened face.
“Öh, just someone who is in need of bandages, painkillers and antiseptics. I struggled to sound as normal as possible in order to avoid panic.
“Then why didn’t you bring the visitor inside?” the pastor asked frowning at me as if I had been extremely cruel in not bringing in whomever it was that was injured.
“No Father, this time I think it’s best that I take care of the problem outside!
“But why son? What is the problem? We are Christians and we must show compassion. You go prepare the bandages and other things, and I will go outside and bring him in!” the pastor said taking a few steps towards the door.
“No! Father, please don’t” I grabbed him firmly by the arm before he took another step towards the church door.
“Also, father, please keep everyone inside until I say it is OK to leave!”
For the first time since I had known him, Father Robinson stared at me as if I had been a total stranger, and slowly backed away.
“Why? Is he some kind of a criminal? Did he just threaten you with violence? What’s going on son? You can trust us. We are all brothers and sisters here!”
“Well Father,” I hesitated a long time before finally saying I was about what about to say:
“... you see, it’s not a human being that knocked on our door.”
I heard gasps of horror from those in attendance and one elderly sister in the faith dropped backwards into her seat. For a moment I regretted having told them, but what was I supposed to do?
“Not human?” the Father Robinson uttered with a horrified look on his face.
“Is it an animal? A feral ape? I mean, we heard pounding and only an ape can pound like that on a door in that humanlike way. If it is, I have a gun...”
“No father, a gun will not be necessary! Just the medicine and bandages and I will send it on its way!
“Send It on its way? You just called it an it? Is this thing some kind of a demon outside? Is that what you are saying? Something supernatural that has chosen on a visitation to our sacred church to put our faith to the test? If so, then let us all kneel in prayer so that God can come to our aid and protect us from Satan’s machinations.
“Father, it’s bleeding profusely, and if I keep delaying, it might maybe bleed to death. No, it doesn't look like some supernatural evil creature. Just a creature in need of our help. ”
There were murmurings and gasps of concern from the churchgoers who were now all standing and grouped together staring back a the door in fear.
“Maybe it is something like an extraterrestrial who maybe crashed in the woods? Or maybe it’s Big Foot? I don’t know Father, but whatever it is, don’t you thing that we owe it a measure of compassion? It thanked me for offering it my help Father, and is now probably wondering why I am taking so long.”
At that moment, there was a high-pitched howl of pain from the creature and a loud thud as if it had suddenly collapsed against the church door. All the church-members suddenly huddled together in a far off corner behind the priest who was suddenly holding up a crucifix towards the door as if it were a weapon that would protect them. When I tried to get to the medicine cabinet, he blocked my way as if I also was some kind of an unholy enemy of all that he and Christianity held sacred.
Following his lead, the other church members began glaring at me in horror as they would at some preternatural monster. One brother, whom I had known for decades, was holding a metal chair above his head threatening to hurl it at me if I insisted in walking in his direction. Sisters were protectively embracing their kids who were sobbing and whimpering in fear as they sought motherly shelter from approaching harm.
“Shame on you! Shame on all of you!” I shouted. “Christ told us to help our neighbors who are under distress!. We are told to be kind even to our animals! You all know that, and yet you are refusing this creature the help that it needs? Why? Because I said he might be an extraterrestrial and he must from Earth and human in order to deserve your compassion? Who are we to say that God did not create others in his image who differ from mankind in physical appearance only, but are spiritually our equals or our superiors? Do you really think that our creator would want us to deny such creatures our help in their time of need? Is that what all of you really think?”
But my words had no effect on any of them as they started slowly backing away from me. There was suddenly another moan of pain from the outside, and as I turned to go and help the creature as best as I could, the pastor discarded the crucifix and pointed a gun in my direction.
“Don’t you dare open that door! Nothing unclean is to be permitted in the house of the Lord!”
As I ignored him and continued towards the door I felt a telepathic surge of great pity for the people who had refused the creature help. It was an emotion brimming with compassion and forgiveness, as if it understood that their human irrationality was involuntary. Then it telepathically recited the words that Jesus had said during the last moments of his crucifixion.
“Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.”
Naturally, we were extremely surprised. After all, church visitors never knock, especially not in that desperate manner. Instead, they just very gently pry the door open and take a seat during services. So the loud pounding was something very unusual, and so we hesitated. Finally, when I could bear the tension no longer, I volunteered to go and see what was the matter.
It was nine in the evening, dark and misty outside and when I opened the door, and only the illuminated entrance pavement and faint outlines of cars in the parking lot were visible. But as my eyes began to adjust, I saw the creature staring at me from behind a nearby tree. No, it was not a menacing stare, but one of pain that and noticing that it was nursing a wounded arm arm tightly with the palm of one furry hand, and its eyes seemed to be pleading with me for help stopped me from bolting in panic. .
“Can I help you?” I heard myself say in a trembling, fearful voice.
”Yes! Please!” were the words I heard it say telepathically.
“Stay there, I’ll be back with the first aid kit”! told it after forcing a friendly smile before turning around and going back in.
“What was it? the pastor asked with an extremely worried look on his wizened face.
“Öh, just someone who is in need of bandages, painkillers and antiseptics. I struggled to sound as normal as possible in order to avoid panic.
“Then why didn’t you bring the visitor inside?” the pastor asked frowning at me as if I had been extremely cruel in not bringing in whomever it was that was injured.
“No Father, this time I think it’s best that I take care of the problem outside!
“But why son? What is the problem? We are Christians and we must show compassion. You go prepare the bandages and other things, and I will go outside and bring him in!” the pastor said taking a few steps towards the door.
“No! Father, please don’t” I grabbed him firmly by the arm before he took another step towards the church door.
“Also, father, please keep everyone inside until I say it is OK to leave!”
For the first time since I had known him, Father Robinson stared at me as if I had been a total stranger, and slowly backed away.
“Why? Is he some kind of a criminal? Did he just threaten you with violence? What’s going on son? You can trust us. We are all brothers and sisters here!”
“Well Father,” I hesitated a long time before finally saying I was about what about to say:
“... you see, it’s not a human being that knocked on our door.”
I heard gasps of horror from those in attendance and one elderly sister in the faith dropped backwards into her seat. For a moment I regretted having told them, but what was I supposed to do?
“Not human?” the Father Robinson uttered with a horrified look on his face.
“Is it an animal? A feral ape? I mean, we heard pounding and only an ape can pound like that on a door in that humanlike way. If it is, I have a gun...”
“No father, a gun will not be necessary! Just the medicine and bandages and I will send it on its way!
“Send It on its way? You just called it an it? Is this thing some kind of a demon outside? Is that what you are saying? Something supernatural that has chosen on a visitation to our sacred church to put our faith to the test? If so, then let us all kneel in prayer so that God can come to our aid and protect us from Satan’s machinations.
“Father, it’s bleeding profusely, and if I keep delaying, it might maybe bleed to death. No, it doesn't look like some supernatural evil creature. Just a creature in need of our help. ”
There were murmurings and gasps of concern from the churchgoers who were now all standing and grouped together staring back a the door in fear.
“Maybe it is something like an extraterrestrial who maybe crashed in the woods? Or maybe it’s Big Foot? I don’t know Father, but whatever it is, don’t you thing that we owe it a measure of compassion? It thanked me for offering it my help Father, and is now probably wondering why I am taking so long.”
At that moment, there was a high-pitched howl of pain from the creature and a loud thud as if it had suddenly collapsed against the church door. All the church-members suddenly huddled together in a far off corner behind the priest who was suddenly holding up a crucifix towards the door as if it were a weapon that would protect them. When I tried to get to the medicine cabinet, he blocked my way as if I also was some kind of an unholy enemy of all that he and Christianity held sacred.
Following his lead, the other church members began glaring at me in horror as they would at some preternatural monster. One brother, whom I had known for decades, was holding a metal chair above his head threatening to hurl it at me if I insisted in walking in his direction. Sisters were protectively embracing their kids who were sobbing and whimpering in fear as they sought motherly shelter from approaching harm.
“Shame on you! Shame on all of you!” I shouted. “Christ told us to help our neighbors who are under distress!. We are told to be kind even to our animals! You all know that, and yet you are refusing this creature the help that it needs? Why? Because I said he might be an extraterrestrial and he must from Earth and human in order to deserve your compassion? Who are we to say that God did not create others in his image who differ from mankind in physical appearance only, but are spiritually our equals or our superiors? Do you really think that our creator would want us to deny such creatures our help in their time of need? Is that what all of you really think?”
But my words had no effect on any of them as they started slowly backing away from me. There was suddenly another moan of pain from the outside, and as I turned to go and help the creature as best as I could, the pastor discarded the crucifix and pointed a gun in my direction.
“Don’t you dare open that door! Nothing unclean is to be permitted in the house of the Lord!”
As I ignored him and continued towards the door I felt a telepathic surge of great pity for the people who had refused the creature help. It was an emotion brimming with compassion and forgiveness, as if it understood that their human irrationality was involuntary. Then it telepathically recited the words that Jesus had said during the last moments of his crucifixion.
“Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.”