Chapter Three
Gray Deer was an able student in philosophy, but he
had his problem with The Law. Not only did he fail to understand some
Laws, but even in the Lessons spoke harshly of them.
2 "As long as you know them," the Voice told
him, "I do not care of your opinions of them. Some Laws I object
to, also. Some I think are too mild, some I think are too
harsh. But I will protect every one.
3 Like these: 'No person shall be denied
their turn to speak in The Temple for any reason except one...never
shall any man teach hate in The Temple of The Lords. No person
shall rise up in Their Holy Place and say 'These people are different
than us. Let us despise them. These people are richer than us.
Let us attack them.'
4 Judge not a man because of his birthplace or his philosophy, but judge him by what is in his heart.'
5 Now, many object to this Law," explained The
Voice, "because they want to use the people's jealousies to gain
power. Such men must always be watched for, always guarded
against. If one of them got out of control, he could enslave the
land, as The First Evil did.
6 And here is another Law. 'No village,
city, or district shall impose taxes of any kind upon the people.
The Church shall be supported by the rents of its land, the increases
of its herds, and the donations of the people. Never shall one
person be made to pay for a service they do not use, even if it is to
the benefit of the community.
7 Now, here is a Law that is being
broken in many places," continued The Voice. "Many a village and
City Speaker throughout the land has begun to tax the people. And there
is an illegal government in our land that is bleeding the poor dry,
forcing merchants to pay protection and helpless widows, any who they
can threaten or terrorize."
8 Gray Deer spit, and the name came off his
tongue like something foul and disgusting. "Hoods!" he snapped, "That
curse out of The Land Of The One that brings no one any good. How
will we ever bring an end to it? How can we fight those that come
in the night murdering, entering the innocent, burning...how can such
evil be stopped?"
9 ""We must form," answered The Voice, "our
own group of hooded fighters, but not to do evil, to do good.
People that move in the shadows, that attack, disappear, and attack
someplace else...you must fight such evil on its own terms. Few of them
will understand decency and reason. They laugh at an open hand
extended to them in friendship. They return evil for kindness, so
you must return to them what they understand....a club for a club, an
arrow for an arrow, a blade for a blade. If they take one life,
we take five. This they will understand, this they will honor."
10 Mountain Glory left her dishes and walked
over. "You're mad!" she cried, "You're out of your
mind! You can't fight The Hoods, they'll kill us all! The
other things you have said, perhaps they make some sense, but this;
this is insanity!"
11 "What kind of world do you want that child
in your belly to grow up in?" asked The Voice. "Do you want him
to walk the street like a man, or do you want him to hide in the
shadows, puffing on a pipe full of poison, molesting young girls,
stealing babies and selling them to people that want them for other
purposes besides children to have and love? If you don't want
that kind of world for your child, someone has to fight, someone has to
go out and oppose the evil."
12 "Well, why can't it be you?" asked Mountain
Glory, "Why does it have to be the one I love? He has US to tend
to. It is not his business to be a hero."
13 Gray Deer rose. "Perhaps," he said, "the
man with the most to love is the one who will fight the hardest."
He put his hand on Mountain Glory's belly. "There are some things worth
fighting for, worth giving your life for, some things more precious
than gold and silver, or, your personal safety, or even your life,
itself."
14 Tears began to flow down Mountain Glory's
cheeks, and she turned to The Voice. "Damn you!" she cried, "Damn
you! Why must you always be right?" She turned and returned
to her dishes.
15 "Forgive her, Lord," asked Gray Deer.
16 "There is nothing to forgive," he said,
"she spoke only from her love. She understands. She does not
totally accept, but she understands. We have had enough for
tonight. We are almost ready...just a few more weeks.
17 You may take The Tests, and officially
become a member of The Church. Then, in a couple of more months
you will take the Speaker's Test. Then, we will have to find a
Local Speaker who will let you be his assistant. This should not be
difficult. There is not a Temple in the city that is not short of
Speakers."
Page 172
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