Faith is .... - Day 1
Deep in the forest, four individuals met. Each one was considered very intelligent in their own circles. Each one brought with them their own unique perspectives, backgrounds, and prejudices. And each one had a different answer to the eternal question of What is Faith?
They had agreed to meet in this neutral spot. Each would be allowed an opening statement of one sentence. Then each would be allowed one full day to present their case.
Each found their way to the pre-selected forest clearing. Each sat down in one of the four rough, wooden chairs that had been placed in a circle. None of the four cared about who set the chairs there, or even where they were. They each readied their minds for what they thought would be the debate of the century.
Finally, they looked around and noticed there was a fifth chair, a much smaller chair. As if on the queue by some invisible stage director, a small girl walked into their circle, calmly sat in the last chair, and nodded – as if to say it was now time to start.
A hard-faced man rose first. He stood just under six foot and was dressed in a casual sweat shirt and jeans – but the casual type of clothes that bespoke of money. Any raggedness in his clothing was there when he purchased it. One would expect him to pull out an ironed, silk handkerchief if a piece of pollen landed on his dark sweater.
In a low, rumbling voice, the hard-faced man cleared his thought, paused for a few moments and then issued his one sentence opening statement: Faith is hard, and then he sat down.
To his left sat the proto-typical college professor, complete with bow tie and spectacles. He sat lightly on the chair, his back still and a full three inches away from the back rest. He rose stiffly, and quickly uttered, Faith is complicated. He sat down as stiffly as he rose and kept staring at the center of the circle.
To the professor’s left sat the debutante, cheer-leader, aristocrat. Her clothes had been carefully selected to down play her background, yet they screamed of pampered life. She bounced up, smiled broadly, and in almost a football cheer voice said, Faith is wonderful.
On the cheerleader’s left sat a disheveled old man who looked more at home in an alley looking for food than in a circle discussing the meaning of faith. He didn’t rise, didn’t even twitch, but instead just verbally threw out, Faith is ridiculous.
After a few minutes of silence, the four started to rise, already mentally preparing for the next four days. The young girl rose from her chair and in a calm but very powerful voice said, Faith is simple. This startled the four. Did she really think she was a part of this? The four strode off, trying to ignore this child’s impertinence. Each shook their head at today’s kids. But in the back of each adult’s mind a small seed of doubt began to sprout.
They had agreed to meet in this neutral spot. Each would be allowed an opening statement of one sentence. Then each would be allowed one full day to present their case.
Each found their way to the pre-selected forest clearing. Each sat down in one of the four rough, wooden chairs that had been placed in a circle. None of the four cared about who set the chairs there, or even where they were. They each readied their minds for what they thought would be the debate of the century.
Finally, they looked around and noticed there was a fifth chair, a much smaller chair. As if on the queue by some invisible stage director, a small girl walked into their circle, calmly sat in the last chair, and nodded – as if to say it was now time to start.
A hard-faced man rose first. He stood just under six foot and was dressed in a casual sweat shirt and jeans – but the casual type of clothes that bespoke of money. Any raggedness in his clothing was there when he purchased it. One would expect him to pull out an ironed, silk handkerchief if a piece of pollen landed on his dark sweater.
In a low, rumbling voice, the hard-faced man cleared his thought, paused for a few moments and then issued his one sentence opening statement: Faith is hard, and then he sat down.
To his left sat the proto-typical college professor, complete with bow tie and spectacles. He sat lightly on the chair, his back still and a full three inches away from the back rest. He rose stiffly, and quickly uttered, Faith is complicated. He sat down as stiffly as he rose and kept staring at the center of the circle.
To the professor’s left sat the debutante, cheer-leader, aristocrat. Her clothes had been carefully selected to down play her background, yet they screamed of pampered life. She bounced up, smiled broadly, and in almost a football cheer voice said, Faith is wonderful.
On the cheerleader’s left sat a disheveled old man who looked more at home in an alley looking for food than in a circle discussing the meaning of faith. He didn’t rise, didn’t even twitch, but instead just verbally threw out, Faith is ridiculous.
After a few minutes of silence, the four started to rise, already mentally preparing for the next four days. The young girl rose from her chair and in a calm but very powerful voice said, Faith is simple. This startled the four. Did she really think she was a part of this? The four strode off, trying to ignore this child’s impertinence. Each shook their head at today’s kids. But in the back of each adult’s mind a small seed of doubt began to sprout.
posted by Jimmie C. | 12:19 PM
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