103 lines
3.9 KiB
Plaintext
103 lines
3.9 KiB
Plaintext
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Msg #: [211/226] Base: PAGAN-Spirituality
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Date : 13 Oct 93 20:52:13 Stat: Sent
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From : Jim Taylor
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To : All
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Title: A Picture of a Faith-Holder
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@INTL 93:9609/0 93:9004/0
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One of the most perceptive fiction writers of our time is Gordon R.
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Dickson, originator of Dickson's Law, which I have found to be of
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immense spiritual and practical value.
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In his book, "The Final Encyclopedia", Dickson introduces and develops
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the character of a Faith-Holder by the name of James Child-of-God,
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second-in-command of a group of partisan warriors resisting the
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Occupying Forces on the world of Harmony.
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This is a fascinating character, as Dickson portrays him: a harsh old
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man, who has spent his entire life fighting against those whom he
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regards as the enemies of God. Not of his world, but of God. The
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current leader of his command is a young woman he raised from childhood
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while fighting and running and fighting again.
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Child-of-God was married for two and a half years, before the militia
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of the Occupying Forces killed his wife in a running battle.
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Child-of-God is now an old man, and the command has been fleeing the local
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militia for weeks. Finally, the old man's constitution gives out, and
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he elects to remain behind, while he still has the strength to give the
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militia a fight that can delay them significantly in their pursuit of
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the command.
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The hero of the book, Hal Mayne, briefly stays behind to help set up
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barricades and a field-of-fire for Child-of-God. At this point, let's
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take a look at these last moments in an old warrior's life:
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<From "FINAL ENCYCLOPEDIA", by Gordon R. Dickson:
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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"Go," said Child, without looking up at him. "There's nothing more for
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thee to do here. Thy duty is at the Command."
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Hal looked at him for a second more, then turned to go.
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"Stop," Child said.
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Hal turned back. The older man was looking away from the firing aperture
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and up at him.
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"What is thy true name, Howard?" Child asked.
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Hal stared at him.
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"Hal Mayne."
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"Look at me, Hal Mayne," Child said. "What dost thou see?"
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"I see...." Hal ran strangely out of words.
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"Thou seest," said Child, in a stronger voice, "one who has served the
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Lord God all his life in great joy and triumph and now goeth to that
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final duty which by divine favor is his alone. Thou wilt tell the
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Command and Rukh Tamanni this, in just those words, when thou returnest
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to them. Thou wilt testify exactly as I say?"
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"Yes," said Hal. He repeated the message Child had given him.
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"Good," said Child. He lay gazing at Hal for a seond longer. "Bless
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thee in God's name, Hal Mayne. Convey to the others that in God's
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name, also, I bless the Command and Rukh Tamanni and all who fight or
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shall fight under the banner of the Lord. Now go. Care for those
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whose care is in your hands."
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He turned to fix his eyes once more on the forest as seen through the
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firing slot in his barricade. Hal turned away also, but in a different
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direction, leaving James Child-of-God upon a small rise in a rain-
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saddened wood, awaiting his enemies--solitary, as he had always been;
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but also, as he had always been, not alone.
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Thus Gordon R. Dickson's description of a Christian Faith-Holder and
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a Christian warrior--well done.
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Comments and/or insights on this are solicited.
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* Z
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* F O S
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* E
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Light & Life,
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Jim
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--- DB 1.54/003113
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* Origin: Home of the PODSnet Co-Moderator, SPIRITuality Echo (93:9500/2)
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