The Fate of Prophets
by Philip Ekstrom
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Table of Contents parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
part 2
Second Meeting
“Interesting, and I think well done, but you did rather leave God out.”
“Ah, Napoleon, I shall play Laplace: ‘I had no need of that hypothesis.’”
They shared a grin at that old story, and both took a first drink of the night’s beer. Paul continued: “All of the Abrahamic religions regard spirit as primary. Matter comes from spirit in God’s creative action. In your scheme matter comes first, and spirit arises out of matter’s action.”
“Yes, that’s the idea. It’s a fundamentally different history, and one that better fits the evidence. But it doesn’t necessarily have big religious implications. God could have set it all in motion and then spirit, by which I guess I really mean mind, could arise as planned. In Genesis, He gives man life and mind at the same time and suddenly, but He could have done it gradually during evolution.”
“But you don’t think He did.”
“No, actually I don’t. That’s how it happened, but I don’t think He was even there to do it.”
“But you love the feel of a worship service.”
“Yes, I guess I do.”
“Most people in your situation would just shrug. They’d leave the puzzles to guys who know better about such things and go off to Evensong. But you found out the secret: no one knows better, really. That ruins it for you.”
“You admit that you don’t know? Then why are you making a noise like a pastor? Aren’t you supposed to think — or at least pretend — that you do know?”
“I’m not more than half a pastor. I’m a clinical psychologist, a volunteer.” Paul gave a little smile and continued. “I knew about religion growing up, of course, but my family never went to church. Psychology classes didn’t push me in a religious direction either, and I guess I had some disdain. But what I saw in my practice as a counselor started to change my mind. A religious view of life might not be strictly factual, but it sure could be useful. For some clients in some situations, it seemed to be essential. So, I saved up some money and went off to seminary to learn about it.”
“That’s weird! Grad school in religion without kindergarten first.”
“Yeah, and it didn’t work all that well. At least I didn’t ‘get religion.’ I took a break after a year or so and returned to my psychology practice. I’ll probably never go back to seminary. Still, I find that I need to be involved in religion somehow, but not in a usual church. At Luther House, I counsel students, and you have heard me when I sometimes give the Tuesday evening talk. Mostly I say things that both they and I believe, but one day they will see through me and throw me out.”
Paul stared down at his half-empty schooner. “People have hard lives. Some have it hard all the time, all have it hard some of the time. I suppose I mostly see the first group in my practice. Some of those just need to find out how their mind works and change themselves in some way. I can help them with that. Others are overwhelmed; they may have lost a child, or a spouse, or their legs. Any number of things can go wrong and destroy a life. I can sometimes help them to cope, sometimes not.”
He paused for a long, slow, swallow. “How does your view of the world deal with that? What happens when you tackle the book of Job instead of Genesis?”
“I don’t know that Job is much help,” said Andrew. “He’s mostly stubborn. It all happens to him, and he just keeps on going. He gets no answer in the end.” Andrew paused, then he turned to face Paul directly. “What if Job really is the answer? Look trouble in the face and stare it down. But that takes strength. Not everybody has enough.” Another pause. “Maybe you go with the Theravada Buddhists. Low expectations. Life is suffering; seek serenity and enlightenment in the middle of it.”
“Don’t try saying that to a grieving mother, unless she’s grown up with it. It sounds like you haven’t met any real trouble yet. An easy life so far?”
“Yes, no real trouble. So far, I guess I should say.”
“At least you are not yet crushed. You did quite a nice job on Genesis. How about something inspired by Job? I’d like to read it.”
Andrew stared at the wall, seeing nothing. After a minute he said: “I just might.”
* * *
The Book of Raymond
There was a man named Raymond, and he was wealthy, a dealer in grain. His wife was Leah. She bore a son and they named him Nathan. Raymond was very glad of his wife and his son and of his wealth, and he worshipped God and thanked God in the way his parents had taught him.
Leah conceived again but, before the child was born, Nathan fell into water and was drowned. Raymond prayed and asked God why this should happen, and he asked the same of the priest, but he heard nothing that could give him peace. In great sadness and with great hopes did he and Leah await the birth which was to come.
Leah’s labor began early when they were on a journey together far from any help, and it was hard. Leah died in bearing a daughter. Again, Raymond prayed and again he asked and again he heard nothing which could bring him peace.
As the child grew, she was as an image of her mother when young, and Raymond could not easily look at her. He named her Alice, and he gave the child to his sister to care for. He provided every thing she might need, but he would not come to her.
When Alice was a young woman, Raymond sent her to a distant city to study, and he was glad that she was not near. He sent her to study music, but she would not and learned instead the ways of business.
Raymond found no rest in the years of Alice’s growing, and he was often drunk. He went no more to worship God in the manner of his parents.
When Alice had finished her study, she came to her father and said to him: “Are you the only one who has trouble? Look outside your window and see a poor man with no home who still holds his head high. Must you hate me and hate God and ruin your business from drunkenness? May I not be a help instead of a burden to your life?”
Raymond looked at her long and said to her, “Come again to me in one week, and I will answer you.”
When Alice came again, Raymond said to her, “I cannot give you what you seek, but I give you what you ask. Care for this business and make it prosper again.”
Raymond went away and traveled from city to city, living among poor men like the one he had seen in the street. He learned their ways and lived as they did, but he was never again drunk. He went to those places in each city where homeless men could go to find food, and a bed, and work. He attended only to food and sleep and keeping warm. He was often dirty, and he stank.
In the places for homeless men, there was often a sermon first, and food after. Raymond listened to each sermon but, for a year, he said nothing.
One day the sermon spoke of “God, our help in time of trouble.” After the sermon, Raymond stood and said: “God is not our help in time of trouble. There is help only in man, in ourselves and in men such as you who serve us here.”
The preacher replied, “It is God we serve in serving you. We are his hands in this world.”
And Raymond replied, “That may be true. It is at least your image of God that you serve.” And he left that day without eating.
Often again, Raymond rose to speak after the sermon, telling of a thing that God was not. Those who preached called him “God’s knot,” something to be untied. But other men called him “the prophet.” and those who governed the places where he ate sent him away.
Raymond worked then as a carpenter’s helper, and lived in a small room, and was clean. Men he had known found him and came with questions. When they asked, he sent them away, but some would not go until he had given some answer.
One asked, “How is it that God allows some men to be rich while we are poor?”
And Raymond answered, “God is not a guardian of fairness in the world. That is for man to attend.”
Another came and asked, “How shall I find God?”
And Raymond said, “God is not a thing to be found by seeking.”
Yet another asked, “Always you answer by saying what God is not. Tell us instead of what God is.”
Raymond answered “I am not wise enough to know what I am. How then shall I say what God is? I am a fool to speak at all, and you are a fool to listen.”
One day, Raymond thought long and said, “If God rules the world, then it is just to blame him for evil he could have prevented, but it is not useful. If no God rules the world, then it is neither just nor useful. Nor is anything gained when I think on what cannot now change. Rather I must change what can be changed and welcome what remains to me.”
He left that place and sought again the city where he first lived. His daughter Alice and her husband welcomed him. She had done well with his business, and again it prospered. She would have returned it to him, but he would not accept it. Instead, he worked in it with her, and they took joy from each other’s company.
And in time when he held his grandchild, he knew all the peace he would ever find.
* * *
Copyright © 2025 by Philip Ekstrom
