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if it were a paper panorama, the stars themselves rolled back and seemed to
fall away.
From within or behind the tear there appeared a distant light which cast upon
the earth a cruciform image which removed all doubt of the meaning of the
event. The panic which gripped the people of the camp now became outright
frenzy. In seconds the light grew so intense that the sun itself, had it been
visible, would have appeared as just another star in the cosmos.
Then from the midst of the light above the clouds there appeared a human form
seemingly dressed in the light that surrounded him and sitting upon a large
white beast that appeared most closely to resemble a horse. And at that moment
there erupted the sound of trumpets, and behind the first figure there
appeared a countless entourage similarly attired and mounted.
Robert Milner steadied himself and held firm. He knew this moment would come
and he, for one, refused to be frightened.
Then there came to those in the camp and those along the way who had not yet
reached Petra, a shout which reached through the panic in their souls and gave
them hope. "STAND FAST!!"
Christopher said in the universal language and speaking directly to the minds
of all who followed him, as he had done in his address from the Temple in
Jerusalem. "Stand fast!" he repeated. "Stand fast and see the destruction of
our enemy!"
From Petra to near Jerusalem where the final contingent of Christopher's
forces had spent the night, a spontaneous cheer went up that filled the camp
and stretched the entire length of the procession. Christopher's words so
filled Robert Milner with excitement and expectation that he found it hard to
breathe.
Borne up by the spirit beings who had delivered him safely to the ground when
he leapt from the pinnacle of the Temple three and a half years earlier,
Christopher rose from the earth to meet his challenger in the air. As he did,
the other figure
408 Acts of God descended, coming near enough to the ground that those
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closest could see that he was dressed in a white robe that appeared to have
been dipped in blood. Milner savored every moment of this final confrontation.
He would remember this time forever.
Still a hundred yards away, Christopher began to address his foe. As before,
he spoke in the universal language so that all who followed him could hear and
understand. "Jesus," he called, "follow me."
The other did not answer.
"There is no need for us to oppose one another. My fight is with the Father.
Join me."
Those who followed Christopher struggled to understand the scene which
unfolded before them. Was it truly possible that the meeting they watched
could result in an alliance between Jesus and
Christopher against Yahweh?
But why not?
Were they not, after all, the same, this Jesus and Christopher? Whatever
resulted from this meeting, there was a sense of hope in just the fact that
Christopher did not appear frightened by the man.
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"Join me! Join us!" Christopher shouted.
Jesus still did not answer.
"Pity," Christopher said finally. "Still, it was worth a try." Suspended above
his anxious audience, Christopher turned and waved his right arm above the
mass of people, "Well," he said, looking back at Jesus, "what do you think of
my little gathering? Quite a turnout, wouldn't you say?" Christopher laughed a
forced laugh. "And they're all here to see you. Gathered here to oppose you,
that is. To take what is rightfully theirs: their freedom, their inheritance,
their destiny!"
Christopher's followers began to feel foolish for doubting him; obviously he
was standing up for them, defending them to this representative of Yahweh. And
was this not, after all, what they had come here to accomplish?
A deafening cheer of excitement and approval rose from those on the ground.
Robert Milner was exuberant. The
The Epic of Eight Millennia 409
foretaste of victory was sweet upon his lips. "Curse him," Christopher told
his followers. "Scream your curses so the whole universe will hear!"
Christopher understood exactly what they were thinking and feeling. "Over
sixty million," he said as he turned back to face Jesus, "here of their own
accord. All have willingly followed me. Those you died for. Those you intended
for your bride. All, by their own free choice, have become my whores and
sluts!!"
The millions who watched fell into sudden stunned silence. What had he said?
His 'whores and sluts?' Though they tried to deny it, the meaning came to them
all, including Milner, like a house collapsing. In that brief moment there
swept over the entire scene an atmosphere which was at once macabre and
hopelessly pathetic. They had not been brought to this place for a battle
between
Humankind and Yahweh. They were not here to bring down the walls of Petra.
They were trophies, paraded out by Christopher and put on display. This was
not about winning liberation. This was about spite. Suddenly all of
Christopher's lies became transparent, revealing not only the ugliness of the
lies, but also of the liar. And suddenly Milner realized his fate. The sudden
change was so abrupt Milner could not believe it was really happening, and for
the moment he was dumbstruck.
A new panic consumed the camp. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]