NATIVITY STORY

What follows is a work very much in progress. Actually, it has been in progress for almost two millennia. The first Gospel writers, it is accepted by many scholars, compiled stories from many sources to create life stories to fit certain audiences at certain times. As a Professor of Theology, Ernest Martin, once stated, "It's like we've intercepted letters written to other people in different places at a different time." Thus it is with the entire New Testament, at least.

My part in this incomplete process is another very fuzzy picture. The events described, from the first indications of the Hebrew People in Palestine, clear through the religious climate at the time Yeshua (Joshua /Jesus) was born, come from an incomplete picture of these things. Debate still surrounds the formation of the nation called in the Old Testament, "Israel, then Israel/Judah", and what Judea/Galilee were like in the First Century C.E. What you find here is disputed. Yet, it's a picture, albeit very probably inaccurate in at least some respects.

The idea is to present an alternative story. The real story of the Advent of Christianity is lost in the mists of time. Numerous wars have obliterated any documents, whether Jewish, Roman or otherwise, that could shed fuller light on the subject. So we are left with the traditional Jesus (Romanized name) or my stumbling attempt (among others) at another picture of Yeshua (Jewish name) -- or discarding the person of Jesus/Joshua/Yeshua altogether. With an entire religion built around this personage, however, this personage -- the human figure -- really cannot be ignored, but must be addressed in some manner.

So this is how I address the figure of Jesus/Joshua/Yeshua.

As I say, the history is still very much in dispute, so I'm certain others will find what they perceive as inaccuracies in this story I put forth here. I've rearranged the nativity narrative to coincide better with known historical events, such as the conjunction of planets that has been demonstrated of late, and the census under Augustus, which occurred at a later date than the Gospels give us. I thought this may help the story make better sense.

Another aspect is the figure, "Micha-el". This human replaces the Angel Gabriel of the gospels. In fact, where you read Micha-el, read instead, Eli Ben-Nazur, the Gabriel. This is a self concocted concept. That high elders of The Believers were given offices, that of the four Archangels. The word, "Angel" in the Greek is "messenger", just as an apostle is a messenger.

Anyway, here it is, for better or worse.

THE THIRTEENTH GOSPEL,

A BIOGRAPHY OF JOSHUA THE NAZARENE Commonly called Jesus Christ

By Dale M. Cannon

That which first existed was Expression, Purpose, Intent, existing both with God and as God: through which all things subsequently came into Existence, apart from which nothing could have come into Existence which has come into Existence even to the Present, and in which has always existed Life. This Logos was brought to People bright and shining, full of a light that continually appears in the darkness, although neither light nor darkness has ever been eager to accept the other. (My translation)

At the beginning God expressed himself. That personal expression, that word, was with God, and was God, and he existed with God from the beginning. All creation took place through him, and none took place without him. In him appeared life and that life was the light of Mankind. The light still shines in the darkness and the darkness has never put it out. (J. B. Phillips)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (King James Version)

[The Gospel of John, Chapter 1, Verses 1 - 5]

Forward

The Person of Christ -- mysterious, hidden in the mists of time, claimed to be known perfectly and yet those claimants are varied and their claims and descriptions of Christ just as varied. "Through a glass, darkly", we view this individual -- an "obscuring glass" would be a more fitting term. And the obscurement began with the compilation of the Gospels. Anyone reading these accounts perceives a contradicting individual in the Christ portrayed therein; one who preaches love and turning the other cheek; yet overturns the tables of the money-changers and blasts the Pharisees and offends his mother.

The accounts also contradict one another in chronology: John, for example, has Jesus overturning the money-changers' tables at a far earlier time than the Synoptic Gospels, which place this event within what is commonly called "Holy Week".

The effect of this initial obscurement of the life of Jesus and the subsequent accumulated obscurement of nineteen centuries of human perception of this person's life is this: that many thoughtful persons have not only rejected the Christianity that has resulted from such a strange alchemic admixture of early belief with rituals and beliefs of various other religious systems, they also have rejected the person of this Jesus and, sometimes, any belief system. They stand, without belief, without optimism, without vision.

Others, however, having rejected what are considered belief systems; i.e., Mainstream Christianity or any religion for that matter, have developed a personal belief system based upon "doing good". These have received, in general, castigation from the body of professing Christians and, specifically, vehemence from those that consider themselves "dedicated" Christians. Yet these "others" practice the basic tenets of Christianity -- love, helping, sacrifice for Humankind. But, as Jesus said, "He who is not against me is on my side." If the end result is the same, then the belief must certainly be just as valid.

I started this "Life of Christ" with these things in mind, with the aim of demonstrating that an alternative story to that generally accepted could also be one which proceed in a logical fashion. I had read some books concerning the Essenic Jews of Dead Sea Scroll fame; then I began constructing this "Life of Christ". As I did, I discovered that, were the chronology changed from the accepted Gospel version, a more cohesive biography would emerge, and one possibly more believable.

So I began the old, tried-and-true technique called "cut-and paste". I perceived then, more and more, that the original compilers of the Gospels had used this very technique in their biographies. A story here, a tale there -- additions and subtractions and embellishments to create a Christ that would reach near-mythic proportions. My intent is to humanize Christ, create a more real, to my perception, Jesus. My intent is not to evangelize -- to persuade others to adhere to my perception; for all perception is incomplete and obscure, as First Corinthians, Chapter 13 states.

My intent, rather, is to present a point of view, an alternative to the accepted point of view, and let the reader judge for her or himself whether any of what I present is valid for her or him. For my overall purpose is to demonstrate, in this and subsequent works, that it is individual faith and belief that are important, and the actions that accompany these, such as the demonstration of compassion toward others. The work in the New Testament entitled "The First Epistle of the Apostle John" tells us that we show our love for God by loving our "brother" -- and the Gospels tell us that Love for Neighbor is fully as important as Love for God. No matter the physical manifestation of faith; i.e., ritual and doctrinal adherence, if it is done with full belief then it is valid and if it leads to loving the neighbor then it is fullest religion. We forge our own paradise or purgatory here and now.

Genesis

Religion was at a crossroads. The direction it took now would depend upon the will and the strength of a few men -- and upon the Grace of God.

In the patch of land called Palestine, turbulent beyond its size, the relatively undeveloped religion of Judaism was attempting to find its shape. This was a process that had been evolving for about a century and a half, now, since the Maccabees' victory over the Syrian Antiochus Epiphanus; yet the religion had not completely formed into the cohesiveness that could be found with the Greeks and Romans and their mythology.

Centuries before, when the people now called the Jews were forming their nation, there was disagreement over whether worship should be centered in and controlled from Jerusalem, or whether it should be spread among the various tribes. Eventually, this dissension split the nation into two separate nations: Judea in the south, with its religion centralized in Jerusalem; and Samaria in the north, with its more localized religion.

A resolution of sorts came with the conquest of Samaria by Assyria. Jerusalem then stood alone as the center of Jewish religion. The Jerusalem dominance, however, was interrupted for a time with the conquest of the Jews by Babylon. In the midst of conquest, however, the Jews stubbornly held to their religion until they were eventually returned to their homeland by the Persians, an event which they attributed to God's favor to his Chosen People.

Returning to their homeland, the Jews found not only a land to rebuild, but a religion. Attributing their exile in Babylon to sinfulness, they stressed more than ever the holy books: the Pentateuch, or Torah, and the Prophets; and, to help the people to refrain from straying again into sin, the religious leaders fashioned proscriptions and restrictions in addition to the original law that they thought would help to define the Law better.

The Jews also found, in the northern territory of Samaria, people who worshiped YHVH, just like they did, and claimed Abraham as their ancestor, just like they did. However, these people held, as had the "Lost Tribes" after the split, that Mount Gerazim, in Samaria, was where God should be worshiped, rather than Jerusalem. The Jews chose not to believe that these people were their "brothers" from before. They considered these people usurpers of the land, foreigners settled there by the Assyrians so that the land would remain peaceable. The Jews called them "Samaritans", almost derisively, after the land of Samaria where they resided, and the returning Jews kept apart from them, leaving them out of their community, castigated similarly to lepers.

Undergoing various conquests after their return and over the ensuing centuries, the Jews still held their cohesiveness and their religion until, finally, with the coming of Rome, they were given a relative freedom. Judaism now embraced a broad spectrum of religious expression, particularly away from the area of Judea, centered as it was around the metropolitan, cosmopolitan center of Jerusalem, where The Temple stood.

The Jews, returning from Babylon, had remembered Solomon's Great Temple and its legendary splendor, destroyed by The Babylonians and its wealth taken to enrich that Empire. They almost immediately set about building a new one. That temple was changed several times, with the coming and going of conquerors and the fervor of the Jewish religious and secular leaders; it also became the scene of the aforementioned Antiochus Epiphanus' sitting in the Holy of Holies and to many Jews, fulfilling the prophecy about the "abomination of desolation sitting in the holy place", and giving rise to the revolt of the Maccabees and intense nationalism on the part of the Jews.

The Temple had been added to over the decades; however, the greatest work was done under "King" Herod the Great, who had the Temple Grounds greatly expanded to include a massive "Court of the Gentiles and had fine embellishments added that brought this edifice widespread fame. It was hoped that The Temple would anchor the religion around the hub that was Jerusalem, in response to the scattered nature of the Jewish religion.

With the Roman domination of Palestine, and the resultant decades-long peace, and the Roman tolerance for varied religions, came freer expression of religious thought. As a result, Palestine was full of discussion, which was healthy, for the different religious factions acted as a counterweight to one another, and dissension, which was unhealthy as these same factions vied for dominance within Judaism.

The oldest faction of Judaism was the Sadducees, or the Temple Faction. These were men who served as the priests and high priests at The Temple, a continuation of the lineage of priests from Aaron, of Exodus fame, according to traditional stories. The priesthood was hereditary, and was accorded many privileges. These were the men who occupied the chief seats of the Sanhedrin, and whom, it was said, "occupied the seat of Moses".

At one time, the Sadducees were the primary faction in Judaism; however, several factors combined to dissipate their high status. First, several sects arose to oppose the Sadducees' perceived "high-handedness", the most prominent being the Pharisees. Because of their time-honored station, the Sadducees seem to have become removed from the people more and more. They, combined with the "Scribes", or "Lawyers", set about to impose strict rules on worshipers, while at the same time finding ways to circumvent them. Secondly, they had lost considerable power due to their vehement vocal opposition to the Romans, which caused many other Jews to fear reprisals, and the Romans to become more heavy handed in governing Judea.

As a result, the Pharisees became the controlling faction of Judaism, during the time of Herod. Now, the Pharisees were a new school, having been established little more than a few decades before, but their exuberance in practicing religion and proselytizing in Asia Minor and Europe brought multitudes of converts whose added presence in Jerusalem during the High Feast Days helped, not only to hold the Pharisees in good stead with the Temple Faction, but also to give them more influence and high status in Judaism, even to the holding of seats on the Sanhedrin.

The variety of viewpoints of Judaism away from Jerusalem embraced a broad spectrum, from the ascetism of the Essenes in the south to the more liberal views of the Nazarenes in the north, around Lake Gennesaret. Several versions of the scriptures (meaning the Torah, or Law, and the Prophets) were extant, reflecting the differing viewpoints. The version of the Sadducees emphasized the central role Jerusalem and the temple should play in Judaism, while others had different emphases entirely; in some, a Messiah was emphasized more, thus mentioned more, than in the Accepted Version of the Temple Priesthood. The Samaritan version emphasized worship at Mount Gerazim rather than Jerusalem.

Overall though, the sects varied only slightly from each other in the basic tenets of Judaism. You could see these differences in the various "Manuals of Discipline", where admonitions regarding human interrelationships and strictures regarding the Sabbath, that most prominent feature of Judaism, varied. They all embraced democratic discussion of religious thought, as evidenced in the Sanhedrin, a body where each member had an equal vote, and in synagogue, which was held wherever people could find a place to gather, be it a field or a large building, where discussion of religion was extremely free and open.

Many of the groups found common ground, not only in their opposition to the Sadducees, but in a shared vision of a new Judaism disseminating the message of their God to the rest of the world, the "Chosen People" gathering new adherents to their beliefs. Much of the basic tenets of Judaism were common to all sects, also, so that many times the teaching of one sounded very much like that of another. Teachers of all factions, from the Pharisees to the Nazarenes, freely associated together and discussed issues of their religion. So it was that, wherever one sect held synagogue, others could also be found sharing the same Sabbath experience in the same place, and, whatever sect a person belonged to, that person felt part of the larger family of Judaism. So it was, also, that the Pharisees were representatives in the Sanhedrin of the rest of Judaism outside of the Priest Faction.

Strictures were found in almost all factions. The most austere were those termed "Essenes" by these outsiders located in the environs of the south end of the Jordan River and along the banks of the Sea of Salt, with a major community at Khirbet Qumran, where also existed a monastery.

A relatively new sect had arisen in the province of Galilee. The synagogues, or groups of people meeting, whether in a house or open field or wherever, seemed to be developing a variant belief system. There was a socialistic sharing of goods and wealth among members, and they called themselves, simply, "The Believers", yet others gave this group an appellation also, this being "Nazarenes", and because the Nazarenes were scattered throughout Galilee, this region was labeled "Nazareth". The relative freedom that the Nazarenes' philosophy offered appealed to many of the simple, hard-working folk in the region; yet the sect struggled, having to compete with other, more established sects.

Were the Nazarenes to become firmly established, their elders concurred, something nearly earth-shattering had to occur..

The Gift

She was young and didn't know what was happening to her. She felt another woman might know. After Sabbath Synagogue, she approached her older cousin, Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth saw her, the older woman could tell that something was wrong with the younger. There was a frightened look on her face, much like the look she had when she first had her issue. Elizabeth was certain about what was "wrong" and deep inside she was happy for her cousin although fearful for the consequences should this become public.

"What's wrong, Miriam?" she asked.

"You know when I came to you about what was happening to me and I was afraid because I thought I might have some terrible disease and might die and you told me it was normal and it would happen every month and it did and I felt better about it . . . "

"And now it has stopped."

"How did you know?"

"You have the same look of fear and confusion on your face. How long has it been?"

"Three weeks."

"If you only knew what was happening to you . . . "

"What is happening -- don't you know? You know all that happens to a woman. You are old and all that happens to a woman has happened to you. And I know you have some idea . . . "

"Quiet, child. I know what is happening to you. And everything that happens to a woman hasn't yet happened to me. Yet, as you can see, it shall, and at a time of life that these things usually don't happen to a woman. The same is happening to you, one so young."

"Yet I have not been with a man."

"What about those nights with Joseph?"

"He has been controlled enough not to . . . "

"Let us talk to Micha-el the Teacher -- he is wise and discreet and will guide you rightly. He has been a source of strength and knowledge to me through my own being with child -- he says that this," she pointed at her abdomen, "is a miracle. He can determine what your own child will be like."

"Micha-el, the Teacher, the Great Man of God is here? . . . I didn't see him . . . "

"He is discreet, as I said. He came in late and sat in the back and didn't join in the discussion at all -- it was as though he had a purpose other than the usual joining in Synagogue for coming here."

Micha-el, the great teacher, the Great Man of God, was highly respected by many. His preaching was eloquent, inspired. He seemed to have power to perform wondrous things -- he seemed to know what people were thinking and he seemed able to foretell events. He was greatly responsible for the growth of the Nazarenes here in Galilee, an area the powerful factions ignored, they, instead, concentrating on more lucrative areas of proselytism, such as Europe and Asia Minor, because, as they said, "Nothing good comes out of Galilee."

Thus a vacuum existed here, which was easily filled by the Nazarenes. The people sought spiritual guidance and the Nazarenes supplied it. Micha-el's importance to these people was not only in preaching and teaching, but also as a messenger from Damascus and enclaves in the wilderness to the north, from which came much Revelation from God and also where young men went for more intensive teaching. They would study under the local teacher, Micha-el, in this case, then be sent to Syria for another phase of teaching.

He had come because the leaders in Syria had some time ago been informed by Magi that a great celestial occurrence was imminent. In the fall would occur the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which presaged, according to the Magi, the birth of a great king, a man destined to be great. If this were so, then this boy would now be in his mother's womb. He was in Galilee because of a prophecy in the Torah. He had searched through several towns and could find no women with child. Discouraged, he was tempted to give up his quest for now and try again around Passover or Pentecost, when the women's condition would be more evident.

Then Elizabeth brought Miriam to him. He heard the story from the confident Elizabeth and the distraught Miriam.

"Don't be afraid, Miriam," he said, "that which is in your womb is born of a Holy State of Mind. He shall be great and all Israel shall harken to him. He shall be God's salvation to Israel. Name him Joshua, for he shall guide Israel to the true promised land where Salvation is not measured as the Sadducees measure it."

After Micha-el left, Elizabeth turned to Miriam, very much impressed.

"This is such an advantage to you, Miriam," she said, "And your child, Joshua, who is the fruit of your womb alone, has been greatly favored by God before he is born."

Micha-el was ecstatic. This surely was that child. He need look no further for the One to be born under the Great Sign. Here was the one he would nurture toward being a great prophet.

Joseph denied parentage of that which grew in Miriam's womb. To save face, he would have called the whole thing off except that Micha-el advised him to go ahead with the planned marriage -- and as soon as possible so as not to arouse the censure of stricter people -- saying that the sign the child would be born under marked great things if it were a boy. This allayed Joseph's fears and fed his ego.

Joseph and Miriam married and spent Spring and Summer busily preparing for a family. Joseph took up the trade of a carpenter, which had been handed down from father to son for generations in his family.

Fall approached, and with it, the Festival of Tabernacles, to commemorate when Israel lived in tents in the Wilderness. The resultant gathering around Jerusalem filled all the inns and the couple were turned away. The only thing Joseph could find was a stable. Around the middle of September, during the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, when the sun was in the sign of the Virgin, the boy was born and was named Joshua.

Certain of the Believers found shepherds in their fields and announced the boy's birth and brought them to the stable to see for themselves.

Joseph moved his family into a house in Bethlehem where he took up his carpenter's trade, and there they stayed for two years.

Then magi from the East came to see the boy. They explained that they had seen the Conjunction and knew it presaged the birth of a king. When the Conjunction came the second time, two years later, they were ready to seek him. The Conjunction being in Pisces, the sign of the Jews, they knew they must look in Judea. They had gone to Jerusalem, thinking he would be born of royalty. Herod had consulted with his scribes and they stated that Bethlehem would be the king's birthplace. Herod sent the magi away, asking them to return to tell him so he could also pay homage to the new king. In Bethlehem, the magi asked about a new king, but most people didn't know what they were talking about. The Nazarenes who lived in Bethlehem knew, though, and brought them to Joseph's house. The magi brought gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Those of the Believers in Jerusalem, some of them in contact with Herod's court, discovered what Herod's true intentions were, for the king guarded his power jealously. They brought news that Herod meant to dispose of any perceived threat to his throne. The Magi were warned to leave to their home country and Joseph, to take his family away from Judea.

Joseph and Miriam found welcome in the Jewish Community in Egypt, although they felt out of place. Some years later they returned to Galilee at Augustus' decree for a census, and Joseph took up his trade there.

Novitiate

At age ten, Joshua was sent regularly to Micha-el for teaching. The boy was quick to learn and Micha-el enthusiastically taught him. No matter how much was taught, Joshua absorbed it readily. About the same time, Johannes, Elizabeth's son, was adopted by the Qumran community. His father had died some time ago, and now, his mother had died. The monastery saw great potential in this bold, brash young man.

The fruit of Micha-el's labors was shown after Passover when Joshua was thirteen. Joseph and Miriam both brought Joshua in for teaching. Micha-el knew something had happened and, from the look on their faces, it seemed to be a very serious thing, indeed.

"What is wrong?" he asked them.

"This boy is lacking in respect for his mother," Joseph said.

"Do you know what he did, Rabbi?" Miriam broke in, excitedly animated, "After Passover, when we were returning home, we couldn't find him and we didn't worry because we thought he was with friends -- you know, we travel together in a big group for safety and we know everybody there so we were certain he was with some of his little friends . . ."

Joshua winced.

"I looked for him in the crowd," Joseph stated frankly, "but he was nowhere to be found."

"We were halfway home," Miriam said, "We had to go back over our steps and see if we could find him. I was worried sick -- we left our other children with friends and they went on home and we went back clear to Jerusalem before we found him. He was in the temple."

Micha-el was curious, now -- he wondered if Joshua had done something really remarkable.

"What was he doing there?" he asked.

"He was arguing -- I mean really arguing -- with the temple priests and the scribes and others."

"Well?"

"Well, what? No boy of thirteen argues with the priests of the temple."

"Did he learn anything from them?"

"He was teaching them!"

"He showed a great lack of respect for his elders," said Joseph, "even his mother. When his mother asked him to come home, he just replied, 'I should be about my Father's work.' I didn't say anything because I can't be sure I am his Father."

"I see he has returned with you."

"We had to tell him that he should consult with you before taking these things up on his own. Then he came with us willingly."

"I'll talk to the boy."

After Joseph and Miriam had left and Micha-el and Joshua were alone, the teacher turned to the student.

"Well, Joshua, what have you done?"

"I didn't mean anything by it -- I simply stopped by the temple grounds after the Festival was over to look at the temple when no one was there."

"And how did you come to be disputing with the priests?"

"A few were coming across the temple grounds and I asked a few questions. I thought they were men of great knowledge."

"You just asked a few questions?"

"Yes, but they didn't give me satisfactory answers. I asked some more questions and they still couldn't give me satisfactory answers. Then I asked them about certain passages of the Torah, quoting from them and they didn't know the passages."

"These temple priests did not know the Torah?"

"They got others, scribes, to help them, and I discovered I knew more than any of them."

"How long did you stay?"

"I got there in the morning and it was late at night that my parents came to get me."

"So you must be 'about your Father's work'."

"Isn't that what you have taught me?"

"Do you think that arguing the Torah with these temple priests is doing that?"

"I must teach those who know less than I."

"Well, were they receptive?"

"They persisted in holding on to their own thoughts."

"How useful was it, then, for you to persist in attempting to teach them what they did not want to learn?"

Joshua was silent.

"That is one of your first major lessons -- don't waste time attempting to teach those who refuse to learn. A greater teacher will do that.

"Are you going to teach them, Rabbi?"

"No -- YHVH teaches in ways unknown those that Man cannot by speaking, and that is why you should not call me, 'Rabbi'. In the end, there is only one teacher -- YHVH. No Man is a real teacher, for we all must learn continually."

Concurrently with learning from Micha-el, Joshua apprenticed under his father at the carpenter's trade. A man must eat.

When Micha-el began Joshua's training in earnest, it was a fine Spring day, after Passover and during the time of reaping one harvest and planting another. Instead of teaching Joshua in the house, Micha-el decided to take advantage of the good weather.

"Where are we going?" Joshua asked when he saw that they apparently were going some distance.

"Closer to God."

They began to climb a steep and predominately high mountain and Joshua asked, "You don't really believe that God is up here, do you?"

"We will see God."

Joshua was taken aback -- see God? What special thing was Micha-el preparing here? They were close to the summit. In all directions, everything was lower than they. Far to the East, Lake Gennesaret lay dark against the hills for the sun was directly overhead now and would not be reflected off a body of water to the east. A thin ribbon of river could barely be made out flowing south out of the lake. Everyone knew what that river was. Joshua turned around to remark about the view to Micha-el and found only the teacher's back facing him some distance away as Micha-el proceeded toward the summit. Joshua ran breathlessly to catch up.

"Do you see God?" Micha-el asked once they reached the summit.

Joshua could only stand silent for a moment, contemplating where God could be, trying to come up with an answer.

Finally, he honestly replied, "No, Micha-el, I do not.

"Fine!" came the reply, a look of pleasant satisfaction on Micha-el's face. "Do you think you have seen God anywhere along the way?"

"With every step I saw a part of God."

"Did you truly recognize it as such?"

"I know it's God."

"Knowing is not recognizing. But you are on the path toward that recognition when you do not find God in any one place at the exclusion of all others. Where else is God?"

"Wherever I have been."

"What things are a part of God?"

"All things."

"Even people?"

"Why certainly."

"You know, but you don't recognize. You question how people can be a part of God. You wonder how God can be Evil as well as Good."

"Allow Evil to exist along with the Good."

"It's the same. If all is God, then so is Evil."

"How can this be?"

"God is all -- YHVH -- all that exists. You see what you perceive to be Evil from the smallest living creature to the largest -- all kill others to live."

"But that is necessary -- the death of one is the life of another."

"Except with Men. Men do not kill to live -- men do not harm other men and women to live. Why does God allow that?"

"God is good -- God will not tolerate the sins of Men for long."

"Then why has God waited for so long to enact vengeance? Why does God allow such suffering. Do you not think God could stop it?"

"God will."

"God hasn't."

"God must."

"Why?"

"God is good."

"If God is YHVH -- Existence -- and if all that exists if God, then what part of God is the Devil?"

"None -- the Devil is not God."

"Have you seen the Devil?"

"No."

"Have you seen God?"

"I have told you -- in everything I see, I see God."

"Even in people?"

"Yes."

"Every one of them?"

Joshua hesitated.

"Why," Micha-el asked, "is God not in the Evil Man as well as the Good? Why would one man or woman be of God and not another?"

"They are sons of the Devil."

"How does that come about?"

"They choose to be."

"But before that, they were of God?"

"I don't know."

"If all is of God, then how would they not be of God. If the Devil is of God, then how would he not be of God?"

"He has separated Himself from God." "How can that be?" "Go to the farthest reaches of the Heavens."

"But that is of God. The Devil being of God would still be of God."

"God will not allow Him to exist."

"Does He exist?"

"I don't know."

"You know God exists. Why don't you know the Devil exists?"

"I haven't seen the Devil."

"If you see God, you know God exists -- if you don't see the Devil, you talk about Him as if He exists, yet you don't know if he exists. Where is the Devil?"

"I haven't seen Him."

"Then what you don't see does not exist."

"Then where does Evil come from?"

"You answer that, Joshua."

"Men?"

"Then how are Men of God?"

"The good are."

"You know from the Torah that none are good -- then none are of God."

"But some are."

"Who? The Torah says 'ye are gods'. Who is it talking about?"

Joshua was silent.

"You who are so astute don't know? You have let the Jerusalemite's views of good and evil cloud your mind. Who is the psalmist talking to?"

"Those who judge unjustly."

"Wicked men?"

"Yes."

"And they are, according to the psalmist?"

"Gods -- and children of the Most High."

"Fine -- then they are of God."

"But how?"

"We all must discover this for ourselves -- how are you God?"

"I don't know."

"When you find the God in yourself, then you will know it in others."