Injustice

The Story

Several years ago, Mike Baker and his family were the victims of a home invasion. An intruder bludgeoned Mr. Baker and his wife, Cathy nearly to death, tied them to chairs, and forced them to watch while he brutally beat and then raped their twelve-year-old daughter, Megan. The intruder, let’s call him Mister X for his real name is immaterial to the story at hand, then slit Megan’s throat and stabbed her parents repeatedly. Megan died almost immediately; her father later that night. Despite her severe injuries; however, Mrs. Baker managed to survive, but was in the hospital for weeks and took years to fully recover physically; mentally, she never quite did.

Mr. X was found a few days after the incident, arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison; he was acquitted on a technicality during an appeal and released. Mr. X continued his antisocial behavior through a string of burglaries, armed robberies, auto theft, and other various criminal activities which culminated in the murder of an elderly woman for the $2.35 in her purse. This time, Mr. X was convicted to life in prison and there were no appeals. Mr. X spent the rest of his life in prison, dying of pancreatic cancer just five years into his sentence.

Dolores Wise was the Baker family’s neighbor, but wasn’t home at the time of the attacks. She was out doing what she normally did on Thursday nights – volunteering at the Senior Center. After the attacks, Mrs. Wise helped the Baker’s other family members to make funeral arrangements, with transportation to the hospital, and kept them all well-fed. This wasn’t anything new for Mrs. Wise. Her entire life she had always tried to help whenever she could whether at the animal shelter, or with the local blood drive, or soup kitchen to name a few. When Mrs. Baker was able to come home from the hospital, Mrs. Wise spent a good portion of the day helping her to eat, bath, and keep the house. She read to her, cooked meals, and took care of errands like grocery shopping and paying the bills. She did this almost everyday for three years until Mrs. Baker eventually died from unseen consequences of the brutal beatings – or perhaps grief.

In the last few months of his life, Mr. X was bedfast, and so he did a lot of reading and thinking, in particular the Bible. He started to think back on his life and all of the things that he had done and the pain that he had caused. Two days before he died, Mr. X accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

After Mrs. Baker’s death, Mrs. Wise had a lot of free time on her hands, so she went back to the volunteer work that she had enjoyed so much throughout the rest of her life. She continued to work with at the Senior Center, the animal shelter, the soup kitchen, and other miscellaneous activities. A few years later, Mrs. Wise died after suffering a stroke. As she was near death, she though back on her life and how fulfilling it was, how full of love, hope, and joy. Now, Mrs. Wise knew that she only had one life to live, that there was no heaven or hell or afterlife of any kind. She firmly believed that no gods existed and that with this one precious gift of life that nature bestowed upon her, that she must live it to its fullest – and she did. Mrs. Wise died a non-believer secure in the knowledge that her life had been one well spent.

As chance would have it, Mrs. Wise and Mr. X died on the same day and were taken to the same funeral home. Dale Wheaton was the funeral director and while his wife Leah was at work, their ten year old daughter Emily stayed in her dad’s office at the funeral home.

Pastor Halton arrived at the funeral home at the request of Mr. X’s sister, Pat. When he arrived, he inquired about Mr. X and seeing Mrs. Wise’s name displayed, inquired about her as well. He was particularly curious as to why only three people were present in the viewing room for Mr. X, while Mrs. Wise’s room was filled to the brim. Mr. Wheaton explained about the life of crime that Mr. X had led and all of the suffering that he caused. Only his sister, her husband, and Mr. X’s brother had bothered to show up. In contrast, he explained, Mrs. Wise was generous and warm – loved by all who new her.

Now Emily, being the curious creature that she was, couldn’t help but eavesdrop on her father and Pastor Halton. Emily listened intently to what they were saying trying to keep hidden. Pastor Halton told Emily’s father that surely such a woman deserved a first class eulogy and wanted to know which minister would be conducting the service. “None” said Mr. Wheaton, “Mrs. Wise was a non-believer, an atheist”. Pastor Halton was somewhat taken aback; he couldn’t believe that a woman of such integrity of character and moral principles was an atheist. “It’s a shame”, he said, “that she didn’t come to God before she passed”.

Suddenly Emily burst out from her hiding place and dashed forward, inserting herself between her father and Pastor Halton.

“Why did you say it was a shame, Pastor Halton?” Emily asked.

“Because, now she won’t be in heaven with Jesus.” Pastor Halton answered.

“But she was good.” Emily implored.

“It doesn’t matter, Emily. She turned away from God and now must spend eternity separated from him.” Pastor Halton explained.

Emily asked, “Separated? Where? In hell?”

“Yes, Emily. It’s sad, but just” stated Pastor Halton.

“What about Mr. X?” Emily asked.

“Well, as I understand it, witnesses say that he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior before he died, so he will share eternity with God.” Pastor Halton explained.

“So he was wicked and goes to heaven, but Mrs. Wise was good and spends eternity burning in a lake of fire?” Emily asked with incredulity.

“That’s correct Emily. If we believe in God, we are rewarded by his Grace, but when his children turn from Him, He must punish them for their transgressions.” Pastor Halton explained.

“Daddy” asked Emily “you would never leave me or hurt me just because I couldn’t believe in something would you?”

“No, Emily. You are my child and my love is unconditional” said her father lovingly.

Emily hugged her father tightly and then turned to Pastor Halton.

“I want to be just like my dad when I grow up – and like Mrs. Wise.”, said Emily.

Pastor Halton shrugged and walked over to Mr. X’s family. He talked with them for a while and then left – never stopping to pay his respects to Mrs. Wise.

Commentary:

The Bible talks about what happens to those that do not follow God/Jesus:

Matthew 25:41 (Jesus speaking to people at final judgment), ...Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

Revelation 20:12, 15, And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life...And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Matthew 10:28, And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Luke 12:5, But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which AFTER he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Matthew 18:8, 9 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Does your church teach this? How can a god be just if he sends good people to hell and cruel people to heaven? Does an epiphany at life’s end negate a life of evil? Does the lack of one negate a life of compassion and generosity?
Can you be truly happy in heaven if your family is burning in hell? If you think you can, if you think it’s even acceptable to be put in this situation, then, I feel truly sorry for you. Sorry and disgusted. How anyone can worship a god that is so heartless is beyond me.
Wake up, people. Most of you are more moral than the bible that you cherish and more moral than the god you defend. Act like it – through off the cruel god of this bloodthirsty religion. Stop propagating this twisted man-made fairy tale. Think long and hard about what your religion truly means and above all – Think for yourself.