Solomon's Private File #387
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 33 in this story, in the Spring of 2059.
Solomon's Private File #387 "The Devil Made Me Do It"
START Page
A man was speaking on stage, in his church. A sermon. Then he said in
a strange voice, "I speak for God!" He started to say more, then he
started acting strangely, grabbing himself all over, and twitching like
he was being electrocuted. In a way, he was. Then he ripped some wires
and other equipment from his clothing and around his neck. I stood up,
not looking like me, and said, "Sir, can you repeat that? I think I
missed something of it." He said, "I'm not feeling well. This service
is over for today." I said, "I'm an audio engineer. I can help you fix
your fake speaking for God equipment. Reasonable rates. Good
references. What do you say?" He said, "Got a card?" I said, "Sure." I
walked to the stage and handed him a card that he bent down to take. I
said, "You sure are lucky the people here didn't bring rotten fruit
with them." He almost laughed. Then some people stood and threw shoes
at him. I said, "Tough crowd. Well, that's shoe business." That earned
a good laugh from a lot of people.
He want offstage. One of the men near me said, "I haven't seen you
here before." I said, "Odd if you had. My first time. Heard about his
er, performance. Wanted to check out his equipment." Some grinned, and
I said in a hurry, "I mean the electronics. He shows me anything else,
I'm gonna run." Laughter. One said, "Think he's going to call you?" I
said, "He might, but would be more interesting WHAT he calls me."
Chuckles. I said, "I should get to the office to wait for it." I walked
out, with a lot of nods and smiles in my direction. The card I gave the
preacher looked ordinary, and then changed when he was in private, and
said on it, "You do anything more in faking anything in a supposed
House of God, losing your electronic voice will be the least of your
problems. Have an ethical day, Solomon. PS, better you don't mention
that I was involved." He did read that, and said out loud, "I
apologize. I didn't know you were doing this kind of thing." I said in
the air, "That's because, well, who's going to admit it happened?" He
laughed, and said, "True." I said, "Boss ordered me to do this work.
Probably one of the reasons for that is to watch how I do it. Yes, he
really does have a sense of humor." He grinned, and said, "Thank you. I
know you could have done more." I said, "You're welcome. Have a better
day."
One asked an Imam in a well filled Mosque in Qatar, "Is that true?"
The Imam said, "In the name of Allah, it is true!" His nose grew
bigger. They stared at him in silence. He said, "What is wrong?" One
said, "Your nose has grown bigger." He felt it, and said, "How did this
happen?" One guessed correctly and said, "Maybe it was because you
lied. Did you?" Imam said, "I didn't lie!" His nose grew even bigger.
The man said, "It just grew larger again. A test; say you lied, and
then feel your nose." He said, "For this test only, yes I lied." His
nose went back to normal, which his hand reported. People looked
around, trying to spot me. One said, "Solomon, did you do this?"
I said in the air, "Yes I did. To lie in a House of God is a sin
against God. To say He affirms a lie spoken in His own House, is a
GRAVE sin against God. I have been asked to er, reduce how often that
happens." One said, "Did you give them bigger noses?" I said, "No, this
is the first time for that in this kind of situation. I like to be
creative. Most of my corrections of this kind are not thought to have
been of my work. When I show them to religious leaders, I have to guard
my sensitive hearing." They laughed. I said, "Oh, you were with them?"
More laughter. I said, "And those who it happens to, really don't want
to make it public, which is a good thing, because it allows people to
keep doing it where I can correct it." One said, "If somebody does it
on the street, you won't correct it?" I said, "I haven't done much of
that yet, but I can't dismiss the possibility that irate drivers might
help without asking." Laughter.
One said, "Would you make them naked?" I said, "To me, being naked is
not a bad thing. I see some of you know that about me. Fortunately, as
a consequence that doesn't cause physical damage, for people who DO
have a problem with being naked, it can be very effective." Grins and
nods. I said, "Were you asking me to do that?" They all looked at the
Imam, who said, "Please no!" Chuckles. I said, "Unfortunately, some
people are offended by God's created body, and in most places, public
nakedness is against the law. So, I don't use it often. But when I do,
I usually do more, to make it more er, interesting." Big grins.
I said, "But enough of that. Imam Ahmad, If you have anything to say
to your guests that isn't a lie, I suggest you start doing that, or
close your meeting. One more thing. Lying to people often causes them
to wonder WHY it was done. Thinking about that might help you to
consider not doing that in the future. Have a nice day." Nods. They
stared at him. He got up and left. I did more of those in Mosques. It's
becoming noticed by the public
An old preacher was ranting about the devil. In the middle of that,
people started looking at him in horror. He said, "What's wrong?" One
woman said, "You're looking like the devil!" He said, "No, that's not
possible." A man said, "Why's that not possible?" Preacher said,
"Because there IS no devil!" I removed the image of the devil from him.
Another said, "But you said there IS a devil!" Preacher said, "You
believe in him. You won't come to my church if I disagree with you. You
won't go to ANY church like that." He said, "So you've been lying.
Isn't that a sin?" Preacher said, "It IS a sin, and I will suffer for
it, but to help you to come closer to God, which you won't if I don't
support your belief, I make that sacrifice." One said, "You lie to us,
FOR us?" Preacher said, "Yes, that's about it. Solomon said there is no
devil. I already knew that. Who do you think made me look like that,
and why?" There was a group, "Oh!"
He said, "There's more to this. Pictures of the devil aren't real.
Nobody has ever seen a devil, or God. We've got proof God exists. Four
times a year, actually. There's never been any proof that a devil
exists." One said, "It's in the Bible!" He said, "So is slavery. Do I
have to remind you about that?" Another big, "Oh!" One said, "Is it
true just because Solomon says it?" I said, "God has said Solomon
speaks for Him and doesn't lie. While we don't have to believe that if
we don't want to, I think we should believe something else that God has
already demonstrated. If Solomon does or says anything wrong,
particularly about religion, the whole world's going to hear God
correct it in a broadcast." Nods of agreement.
I shifted in, and said, "Right. People just don't know how it is with
me. I have an all seeing, all powerful Boss who doesn't usually give me
specific instructions. I have to figure it out for myself, and do what
I think he wants me to do. Then I can feel if he likes it, but not
completely why. I REALLY don't want a repeat of the broadcast
correction! I think you've heard me in some alien actions, say that God
has certain rules for Houses of God." Nods. I said, "A big one is, no
lies. I can't correct all of them, or whole lot of people wouldn't be
able to say much of anything." Chuckles. I said, "But the ones that
directly involve God, and what He supposedly created, or didn't create,
I should. I should also stop fakery, which is another kind of lie. For
instance, in some churches, some people are expected to roll around on
the floor, making strange noises. It's called speaking in tongues,
caused by Saints and God. Actually, it just noise. It's not real. But
people do it. Some are faking, and some are in a suggestible state, a
kind of self induced hypnosis. Some people are actually paid to fake
it. None of it is an any way religious. That practice is dying out."
I said, "Since religions began, they've used the Gods of other
religions as something like the boogyman, to frighten people into
obeying. The Hebrews were no exception, but as they grew more numerous
and powerful, they needed something better. The Christians then took
and ran with it, adding a kind of get out of jail free card. YOU didn't
do that wrong thing by choice, the boogyman made you do it. Oh, I mean
the devil. Very convenient for the Catholic Church, to make their
Confessionals seem actually useful. But it caused a lot of harm, and
not just because they created whole populations of enemies with it, who
didn't agree with them. When a person won't accept responsibility, he
won't correct what causes the problem, and if Confession fixes the sin,
well, that's just fine and dandy! He can commit any sin he wants to,
and it wasn't his fault, and he can say a few words to a bored Priest,
and it's all fixed, so he can go out and to it again and again. That's
not good for people, and REALLY not good for society."
Pastor Smith said, "Confession doesn't help a person?" I said, "It
DOES help, psychologically, very much. In the sin being forgiven by
anybody or God, no. Making the sin right, actually fixing it with your
own effort in correcting it, or doing other good deeds if you can't, is
what you need to do. Who didn't know that? I see no takers. Well, it's
obvious. No, I'm not going to say anything bad about the Catholic
Church. Er, much." Chuckles. I said, "But they're really improving. I
see the question. It's because they WANT to. How about you? Still going
to blame the devil that doesn't exist, for all your problems?" Pastor
said, "We shouldn't. We're not little children. We don't need to be
frightened into behaving, do we?" They said, "No!" I said, "Whoever
said talk is cheap, hasn't tried to buy air time on TV." Chuckles. I
said, "But, the thought behind it is oh so true. You know what I mean."
They did.
I said, "It's easier to be against something, and external is much
better for that, than FOR something. We just love to fight, don't we."
Grins and nods. I said, "I'll tell you why. It's BORING when we aren't
fighting. Who likes boring?" They really didn't. I said, "So, you'll
have to do some work to make not being against a fantasy, be not so
the glass church?" I said, "I'm not going to say either way. I like the
speculation about that. But, if you have to ask, you don't know me very
well." They laughed.
I said, "It's not just the belief in the devil that needs fixing.
Pastor Smith is a good man, but he's only one person. He can lead you
in worship, and teach and counsel you, but it's YOUR lives you live,
not his. He can help you, but you're not totally incompetent in that
yourselves. Yes, you can help yourselves, AND each other. God doesn't
exist only in church. He exists in everything, and that means in all of
you. YOU can be a messenger of God, in helping others in their needs,
and that includes how to be good people. You don't even have to mention
God to them. Good deeds are good deeds. Part of that is being a good
example. I know you know what I'm talking about." Nods. I said, "Some
people don't want to go to any church. That's alright. They can still
know God, and be good people, even without anybody telling them to be.
The same in the other way, too. Not all people who come to church are
good people. You know that." They did. I said, "You know how Jesus
would want you to be. Try. You could do a lot worse."
A woman said, "He kissed men. Do men now have to kiss men?" I said,
"It was the custom then, and still is in many societies, but nobody HAS
to do it. I've never heard of a law on Earth that requires it. And
believe me, there are some really strange laws." Chuckles. I said, "In
my group, we all kiss each other. I don't think it's a bad thing at
all. It's a gift of friendship and love that doesn't cost you anything.
Could do worse. In one society, where people don't wear clothes, it
isn't hands that men shake in greeting. Yes, what you're thinking is
correct. I have to tell you, there, people with sticky hands are really
unpopular. And cold hands? Oof!" Laughter. I said, "I have to tell you,
those people are good jumpers." Loud laughter.
Pastor laughed loudly, too. When he could, he said, "I could never
have imagined anything like this ever happening in my church!" I said,
"Ah! Thank you." Chuckles. I said, "This isn't my first time here." He
said, "True. We first met when you were eleven. You told me you didn't
think the devil existed." I said, "And you told me why you had to
support the belief that it did. Been a long time in fixing that." He
said, "Yes." Then to the congregation, "Is it fixed?" They said, "Yes!"
I said, "Make next Sunday show proof of that."
One said, "Will you put this on TV?" I said, "Why would I do that,
and warn people about what might happen to them when they lie in a
House of God? Do you REALLY want me to stop er, you know what I mean."
Grins. He said, "Personally, absolutely not, but I think we should."
Nods. One said, "God contact first?" I said, "We don't know what he'll
say. It could be bad. Yes, it's happened. I see you still want it. One
more thing. God doesn't need me to ask Him to show up. In fact, I
don't, anymore. I do a love broadcast, and He bursts right in as he
chooses. He even did that to my sister!" Nods. I said, "Worse, He can
even take me over, and start a love broadcast when I don't plan to.
Yes, He's done that. Sometimes, He speaks right through me. That's
REALLY awkward!" Awe and chuckles. One said, "Can He make you do
illusions?" I said, "He can use any of my abilities any time he wants
to, and I can't do anything about that but say wow." One said, "Have
you ever said bad words to Him?" I said, "No, but He does know what I'm
thinking." Grins.
I started the love broadcast. God joined us, and said, "I invited
Myself. Solomon is My Senior Prophet for all time and spaces. To love
and obey him is to love and obey Me. We are truth! Only truth my be
spoken in My Houses. There is no being you call the Devil. Only YOU are
responsible for all the choices you make. I did not need to tell
Solomon this, because he knows truth in his very being." I said, "Like
explaining water to a fish?" He said with humor we could feel,
"Similar, but a little drier." He left, and I ended the broadcast. I
said, "Pastor Smith, will you say for the record what we heard in that
contact?" He did, and said, "I could feel his humor, when He said the
comment about being drier!" I said, "My sister asked if God learned His
sense of humor from me, or I learned it from Him. He said the answer
was it's the same. So, we have the same sense of humor. But I think
mine is a little drier." Awe and grins.
One said, "How can it be the same? Does that mean you're God?" I
said, "When we are able to, when we die, we join with God. There are a
lot of parts of God like that, and some are bigger and stronger than
others. My father, Stephen, is the biggest I know of, by far. When I
die and join God, I will be even bigger, by billions of times. If God
uses any of us in his make up, most of that will probably come from me,
more than others, because I'm the most powerful, and He's said nobody
will ever be my equal. Now here's the really strange part. God, and
those who join Him, see all time as one. So, in one sense, I'm already
a part of Him, and that can explain our similar humor. He may have
liked mine the best, when He was choosing one for Himself. It was
probably the most noticeable. I think the person who likes my humor the
most, is ME." Smiles.
I said, "I'm going to give the recording to CNN, but I'm not doing a
show on it, and I'm not going to comment on it. Let the public mess
with it." Grins. I offered to hug them, and we did that, then I shifted
out. I said to the pres of CNN, "Got an action. No show and comments
from me, which I said in it." He said, "Ordered?" I said, "Nope.
Victims requested it." I gave him the recordings. He read the crystal,
and grinned. He said, "Some new things in here, and a lot are open
ended, for debate." I said, "Yes. Isn't that great?" Chuckles.
Mario, the host of what was broadcast, couldn't hide all his smiles.
He and others commented on it well, but none came to any important
conclusions. Independent churches did a lot of rethinking, and some
compared notes. Some of what I had done to them before, made the news,
with speculation that it was me who caused it. Then some said it could
have been God directly using my abilities. Then they said it would mean
that I couldn't be held responsible for things I didn't say that I did
them. That caused a LOT of thought. Boss was amused, and let me feel
his approval. Family was all grins.
Pope said to me, "You disapproved of part of Confession, but then
said it's beneficial. Your back and forth with us is looking a lot more
sexual than it is." I said, "I'm properly shocked at what you said!"
Grins and chuckles. He said, "We ARE changing. Personal improvement,
our new mission, can't happen without work. We'll only offer partial
absolution on Confession, with full absolution when the sins are
repaired." I said, "Problem with impure thoughts." He said, "Yes. We're
deemphasizing that about the sexual. Serious thoughts about harming
people need professional assistance." I said, "If they don't want to
see a shrink, the new Scientology might be able to help." He said,
"Your recommendation?" I said, "Yes, you can blame me." Grins. We
hugged.
END Page
--
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grant
|
|