Day 5 - Faith is ...
Author's note: this story will break the 5 day convention, so stay tuned for day 6 and beyond
Day 5
The five gathered in the clearing the next day. No one was surprised that the old man had not arrived earlier and laid out an elaborate setting of computers and white boards, or of balloons and streamers. He was, after all, just an old man.
After each had taken their seat, the old man, still seated, began. He words flowed out in a mumbling sort of way, but yet each word was easily understandable.
And the old man continued for the rest of the day, citing example after example after example of the dark side of faith. He never rose from his chair. His voice never varied, staying in the distinct mumble. His eyes never rose from staring at the ground three feet in front of his chair. And yet he filled the day and into the early evening hours with words.
As the forest began to shut itself down for its rest time, the old man finished by saying:
And then there was silence so silent, even the evening animals of the forest stayed quiet.
This time the young girl was not the first one to rise. The three others got to their feet and left, leaving only the young girl and the old man. The old man finally raised his head up and looked straight into the young girl’s face. There he saw a face full of sadness, completely wet from tears. He stared at her for far longer than he had looked at anyone in a long time, lowered his head again, and left the circle. No one knew how long the young girl remained in the circle, crying.
Day 5
The five gathered in the clearing the next day. No one was surprised that the old man had not arrived earlier and laid out an elaborate setting of computers and white boards, or of balloons and streamers. He was, after all, just an old man.
After each had taken their seat, the old man, still seated, began. He words flowed out in a mumbling sort of way, but yet each word was easily understandable.
Faith is ridiculous.
Look at what faith has brought to this
world. Look at the wars fought due to faith. Look at the lives lost,
waiting on faith to come forth and heal them. Look at the tremendous waste
of time millions upon millions spend on nurturing their faith, and then throw it
away when its not convenient. Look at …
And the old man continued for the rest of the day, citing example after example after example of the dark side of faith. He never rose from his chair. His voice never varied, staying in the distinct mumble. His eyes never rose from staring at the ground three feet in front of his chair. And yet he filled the day and into the early evening hours with words.
As the forest began to shut itself down for its rest time, the old man finished by saying:
Faith is ridiculous.
It is sand used to fill in holes that
we don’t know what to do with. It is litter along man’s path that we just
don’t know where to throw. It is refuse and garbage and trash and it
should be removed from our existence.
Faith is ridiculous.
And then there was silence so silent, even the evening animals of the forest stayed quiet.
This time the young girl was not the first one to rise. The three others got to their feet and left, leaving only the young girl and the old man. The old man finally raised his head up and looked straight into the young girl’s face. There he saw a face full of sadness, completely wet from tears. He stared at her for far longer than he had looked at anyone in a long time, lowered his head again, and left the circle. No one knew how long the young girl remained in the circle, crying.
posted by Jimmie C. | 8:28 AM
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