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Show THE ZEPH YR/OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2003 When Jesus Spoke to "The Burning Bush" (continued) “Well...yes, I guess I would have to say that.” “And do you think that all the German people and all the Italian people and all the Japanese people in the Second World War were as evil as the men who led them?” Bush thought briefly. “No...I’d say those people just didn’t have enough information to know Bush and Ashcroft glanced nervously at Jesus and then at each other. Ashcroft shook his head slightly. Bush said, “It’s not over yet. Jesus, can you back off just a minute? John and I need to talk. Just sit back down there on the sofa and we'll be with you in a moment.” The two men conferred quietly for several minutes. Ashcroft walked to the Rose Garden door again and, to his surprise, it opened easily. He summoned the Secret Service agent and the young man came immediately. He saw Jesus, sitting on the couch and said, “How in the hell did he get in here? Who is he?” The agent called into his lapel mike, “We have a Code One in the Oval Office. Code ONE! I need backup now!” The President turned to Jesus, who now rose from the sofa. “Jesus, I believe in free speech as how bad their leaders were.” “Exactly,” replied Jesus. “So imagine this. Imagine that as Hitler’s armies swept across Europe, the Allies had simply refused to fight. As the Nazis charged, the young soldiers had laid down their weapons, extended their arms openly and said, ‘We will not kill our brothers.’ What do you think "Jesus," said Bush. "I believe in free speech as much as the next guy. But sometimes national security has to come first. We're not going to be able to let you go out there and be a rabble rouser and whatever..." would have happened?” “Tt would have been a blood bath,” Bush answered quickly. k “That's one way to describe it. The other way might be to say that, having actually proven they could love their enemy and turn the other cheek, these men were assured a place with me. Does that sound so bad?” Bush said nothing. “And what if the killing continued? What if, day after day, week after week, thousands and thousands more died, refusing to fight. How do you think this might have affected the common German soldiers, for example? In fact...let me ask you this. Had you been a German soldier, and you had seen these soldiers from ‘the other side,’ laying down their weapons and refusing to fight you, how would it have affected you? Would you have been able to keep up your enthusiasm for killing? For the slaughter of those young men?” “Well no!,” replied Bush. “ I don’t think any of us could keep killing like that. That would have been like a massacre.” “That's right. You have made my point for me, Mr. President. I agree with you. I believe that eventually, the horrors of war would have been realized more fully by everyone, had such an event occurred. I believe that the Axis soldiers would have been so tortured and shamed by their own deeds that they would have denounced the evil actions of their leaders and would have eventually embraced their enemies. That would have changed the world.” “But millions might have died, refusing to fight!” Bush argued. “Fifty million humans did die, Mr. President. And they died fighting. Much of the planet was bombed and burned to a cinder. And for what. Was peace the result of World War II? Has there been peace since then? Is there peace now? It’s time to try something totally different.” Jesus looked at both men who now stood beside each other near the fireplace. The fire had burned down to glowing embers. Bush picked up the iron poker and stirred the coals. Jesus sighed, “There’s really nothing else for me to say.” An awkward silence lingered in the Oval Office. “You know, Jesus,” Bush finally said. “You have a good heart and you make some excellent points. And in a perfect world, what you're sayin’ might work. But this isn’t a perfect world.” “Tt could be,” Jesus said softly. His eyes glistened in the glow of the dying embers. “Yes. Yes, of course,” said the President. “It could be but it isn’t. And that’s just the way it is.” Bush nodded knowingly at Ashcroft. “ I was hoping, at the beginning of our little chat, that you might see things our way. But obviously we don’t see eye-to-eye on this subject. So I’m assuming our little chat here will remain private..just between the two of us. Or three of us...excuse me, John.” Jesus walked toward Bush and Ashcroft, not ly but with a determination and force that made both men uncomfortable. They actually tried to back away but there was no place for them to back to. As the President and Attorney General leaned against the marble mantlepiece, Jesus closed the gap between them to just a few inches. “Listen to me closely. I cannot allow you to misrepresent me in this fashion. In my world there are no ‘Christian Soldiers,’ there is no killing in my name, and it would be wrong to suggest otherwise. No, Mr. President...I cannot remain silent. I must go out and talk to the people. That ultimately is why Iam here. I had feared our conversation much as the next guy. But sometimes national security just has to come first. We're not goin’ to be able to let you go out there and be a rabble rouser and whatever. Stirring up the people with this kind of radical talk. Notright now. It’s not good for America, it’s not good for our war on terror and it sure as hell wouldn’t be good for this administration...pardon my language” “T..I don’t understand,” Jesus said. Bush looked skeptically at Jesus. “Of course you do.” The President motioned to the agent. “Plain and simple, you're goin’ to need to cool off a bit. And we're gonna take you someplace where you can do just that. A little spot for you to be alone with your thoughts, as they say. Maybe a little self-reflection will be good for you. And then, after a while, if you start to see reason, maybe we can talk again. Until then, enjoy your little...vacation.” The President started to walk away, but Jesus caught his coat sleeve. “This ‘place’ you mention...where is it?” “A tropical paradise some say. Palm trees. A pleasant climate. Near the sea. We call it... Guantanamo Bay.” Four days later, on March 21, the United States invaded Iraq. In the months that followed, more than 4000 Iraqi civilians were killed by Coalition air and ground attacks. The numbers grow larger each day. The whereabouts of Jesus are now unknown. War is at best barbarism....its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fireda shot or heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell. William Tecumseh Sherman might end like this.” BROWNTROUT PUBLISHERS P.O. Box 280070 San Francisco, CA 94128-0070 800-777-7812 Browntrout was founded in 1986 as a book and calendar publisher. Our success has made us the largest producer of calendars in the country. In 1994 we launched our book program. The books we publish fall into two categories: photographic portfolios and trade books. Look for many of our books and calendars at: Back of Beyond Books in Moab or order on-line. www.browntrout.com | PAGEI4 | |