PWG Writers Archive

True Believer

A Conversation of Faith

A gentleman holding a bible enters a mid suburban coffee shop and seats himself at a table. As he sips his coffee he places a small yellow card on the table. He gets up for a refill and on his way he drops more of the small yellow cards on each table he passes by. The card he places on each table reads, "Are you saved?" and includes an addressed invitation to his church. The gentleman has been to three public places before coming here and has left the yellow cards on every table at each location. This is the information phase of indoctrination. He sees another gentleman seated on the outside patio of the crowded coffee shop and approaches him. The contact phase begins. "Excuse me, but are you saved, Sir?" the gentleman asks?

The other gentleman seated outside looks up at the other gentleman and then looks to the bible. He motions with his had inviting the gentleman to join him at his table. He stares at the bible as he replies, "I guess, saved would be a relative term, as I have seen no one upon this earth saved from anything."

The gentleman takes a seat across from the other and thinks for a moment. His people at the church had prepared him for such encounters. He was well versed in the teachings of the bible and alone had increased the numbers of the congregation by hundreds. As he started to speak the other gentleman raised his hand to stop him.

"Be careful, Sir. Because I assume you are about to introduce yourself as a representative of God." The gentleman spoke in a calm voice that made the other a bit uneasy. "If you do speak for God, and your book holds his words then be prepared to prove it."

The gentleman realized he was gripping his bible now. He still felt relatively confident with his well rehearsed lines. This conversation was leading toward a subject of faith. Faith is the fallback to proof and since it can neither be proven nor disproved, it always serves its purpose. "Sir, we can only have faith in God's word which has been left for us as a guide to teach others and lead them to his flock."

The other gentleman sat up in his seat a bit now. He now took his gaze from the other's bible and stared him deeply into the eyes. His voice had a chill to it now. Yet still calm, he seemed to be biting his words off. "I am faithful to my God and diligently await a sign, but even I have never seen the face of God nor heard a word spoken from the lips of God as I speak to you now."

The gentleman was very uncomfortable now. He had not ever encountered a person such as this. He counted himself a talented salesman and this talent had until now served him well in his role for the church. He responded, "I can only attest, Sir, that these words here in this bible, the King James, version is the true and correct word of God."

The light around the other gentleman seemed to get dimmer and shadows grew darker around him. The warm air was now colder. He sat for a moment then replied, "You mentioned faith, Sir. Can you have faith you are speaking to a man seated across from you?" His skin now appeared pale in the decreasing light of the sun. "Does your faith, tell you I am a man?"

The gentleman was now keenly aware there was no one else seated near them and he was out here alone with the gentleman. He peered around nervously. He then realized that he had never before had to think about God in a very real sense. He, himself, had been indoctrinated to believe as those around him believed. He spoke again but his voice was trembling and unsure. "I have faith in God, Sir."

"I do not question your faith… I doubt your sincerity." The other gentleman responded raising his cup to his lips. The man's eyes were darkening in an unnatural way. It could have simply been a trick of the failing light as the sun passed behind the clouds now. But the gentleman's eyes were off in a way that was quite unsettling.

As he spoke again the shadowy gentleman's voice carried a tone of sincerity. Anyone that heard him speak these words could have faith he meant them. "If you speak for God… be well prepared to prove it... for the sentence of the sin of blasphemy is death. And I judge every man that claims to knowGod."

Previously Posted on FullofKnwledge.com
Friend me on Facebook!: www.facebook.com/jaid.orion