Chapter 11: Unhealthy Opinions

“If none of them ever talked to Them and never really knew Them,” Frank said, “It really was like being an alien here! I knew I was right all along!”

“From the age of four, frankly,” I said to my husband, “He didn't belong here. That wasn't just a feeling, Frank,” I said to Frank Li next, “It was more real than you think, let alone much more than what the rest of the humans on earth think. Just like you don't belong here in fiction anymore than you did in the real world, because they are only creatures of reason and imagination. You are not. And never were. And very few of them can understand that even with the Spirit's help. All the humans and even the occasional man and woman who seems to know Them can hold it in their mind for the little while He shows it to them, and that He does time and times again. He doesn't give up until there is nothing left to do.”

“They think they are real,” Frank said, understanding what he overheard as well as what I said to him, “I'd rather be part of the object lesson or metaphor either one. To live with no more significance than a dogwood tree! Man! Why would they do that? I mean to live with nothing more significant than being one more bad example of being merely human! What is that!”

“What it is,” my husband said, “Is purposeless meaninglessness. They would rather be nothing more than a sex machine, part hoping to get their spouses pregnant to help that hopeless situation continue, so they think forever. Most of them feel love for their kids when they are really young, but the older they get the more difficult they become to even live with let alone love. It's almost like their kids all had autism they are taught so little about anything meaningful before they start making their own decisions for themselves even on a limited basis and that's because their parents never really knew anything different. That is why they put such a high premium on having kids they can mold into themselves whom they vainly assume are good people when really all they are is pretty good at being merely what they can't help but being in the first place, human beings. Being anything real is as far beyond them as astrophysics is beyond Washoe, the Signing chimp. Strangely the chimpanzee is more real and using its brain more effectively than the scientists who taught her to Sign.”

“You're not a prophet anymore,” I said to my husband almost calling him by name by accident, “Let Frank figure things like that out on his own. He can think, Dear. Let him think.”

“Forgive me,” my husband said to both of us, “You are right. He should use his mind. It will help it heal. Forgive me, Honey? Frank?”

“Of course, Dear,” I said, but noticed an uncomfortable feeling in Frank Li's spirit so I said nothing more. Then my husband noticed it too.

“It's just that you two sound like an old married human couple,” Frank said in an accusatory tone, “Are you two still married?”

We looked at each other and my husband raised his eyebrow like Spock. And I almost giggled.

Then I said, “No, Frank Li. Technically we are not married. We were at one time when we were like you. And we can't bear being apart, so we've been together an awfully long time.” Then I said to my husband, “But I still think of you as my husband, Dear.”

“And I think of her as my wife, Frank Li,” my husband said, “We were like you once, aliens in an ignorant, hostile, world, you know?”

“And,” Frank said, “That is permitted?”

“Love is always permitted here, Frank Li,” I said, “But hate is not allowed. Ever. Especially, when it's not real, but pathological like Satan who hated Them in the end of it and even more now that he has fallen.”

“Did you ever love anyone, Frank Li,” my husband said, “I mean in the way a man loves a woman or did you even feel strongly for a human like the animals do?”

“Yes,” Frank said, filled with sadness, “I felt so strongly for someone, a seventeen year old girl named Kathy I almost killed my body twice. But I don't want to talk about it. I was so disappointed when I found out she was just a pretender then. She was immature though. I hope she has changed by now. But I was delusional concerning her. In truth I didn't even like her. I thought she actually knew me, but of course she never got to know me at all.

But a lot of that was my fault. I was so delusional where she was concerned I never really let her get to know me and got upset when she didn't fit my delusions of what we had. I can but thank Them now that it didn't work out. That would have been horrible! I have always wanted to really love someone, but I don't expect to anymore.

And I wanted to love a girl named Jessie who was only half my age. But it never materialized past the wanting to stage, I realize now. She was merely human and she fell in love with a little girl half her age on the Web to prove it I guess. I had to ask Them to get me out of the relationship. And I praise Them forever because They did. They were even kind enough to get me out of that entire hateful scene with those who called themselves my family. Not one of them even had very strong feelings for me. They were mostly just humans with a couple of pretenders thrown in for bad measure. They can't stand the truth let alone the Light.”

“That's what the Apostle Paul meant by being unequally yoked, I think,” I said compassionately.

“The thirteenth apostle!” Frank said seeming to be shocked, “The Christian Pharisee? All the pretenders love to quote him! I always thought he killed more real people than he ever made real.”

“They have no chance to live without him, Frank Li,” I said equally as compassionately.

“Who the pharisees or the pretenders?” Frank Li said and we sensed his hostility, “Because of him-? Do you even know how many think its just a word game about being moral!”

“They tried, Frank Li,” I said, beginning to lose my patience with him, “He is very hard to understand.”

“Most pretenders want to be just like him. I hated to even meet up with them. Like any psychopath, they all think they are smart enough to understand him. I met him once you know? I liked him. A lot. But that was before I saw how many were perishing because of all them books he wrote! Now I'm not so sure They should have sent him and his ego to anyone. I know They don't make a mistake, but...”

“Yes, Frank Li!” I said glad he was finally off his soap box, “But-? It is up to Them, you know?”

“Surely it would have been better for the Christ to say it,” Frank said. “It didn't come off well when he did it. I'm sorry, but it took me along time to forgive him. John was so much more superior to him. If it hadn't been he had been there when I met Paul-? I might have die. But I have to admit he told me the truth in a way I could understand. I just hope I don't wind up like Paul. I'd much rather be like John. But I have to be who I am, just like he did. So-?”

“You are more like the one that saved you and brought you to Christ than you know perhaps,” I said, “And, Frank Li, I am surprised at you.”

“I'm sorry, Paul,” he said, “I still love you. It's just hard to think of Them as being that desperate. But my writer is pretty desperate too and I hope They can save him.”

“A lot of us agree with you,” my husband said, “That only makes Paul all the more special.”

“We are here to help you too, Frank Li,” I said, “And Paul is too. I assure you he is, Frank!”

“I'm still privileged to have met them, but I did everything I could think of to protect my faith in Them before I met him and John, inspired by Them who I even heard telling them to come to me. They had objections, especially Paul. He didn't understand what They were doing, but he did it anyway. I could still learn a lot from him that way.

John acted like he had no hope for me in a way. At least that's the way I read him. He even tried to find a place to sleep on the job apparently thinking me and Paul were going to talk all night long. He really loves. I hope I can be just like him someday. I don't like being like Paul much. Without him being there I wouldn't have made it. And They knew it. That's why They sent him, just to be a role model for me.”

I looked at my husband and he looked at me with a sigh of relief.

“I-I'm sorry,” Frank said, “Forgive me if you have anything to forgive, please?”

“Of course,” we both said at once, “If we do, Frank. We will.”