Mr. Kucher is calm but firm, stating that he can't interfere with the religious decisions of his employees but he will not allow his slave Bredd or his daughter Kathrine to be put through this pagan ritual. She tries to argue but he silences her with that sort of "I'm your father" look, and she hangs her head. Bredd just looks frightened.
--M. J. Young
Oooh, that's a bummer! My own past is catching up with them.
Let us hope that the testimonies and the preaching change his mind. I will not baptize them today. If really needed we can try to do this secretly some days later. And the ritual is only a testimony to the inward change. It is not the inward change itself.
"We will not baptize you today." I tell Katherine and Bredd. "But I will try to talk with him some more in the next week. Maybe I can convince them. We should all pray that he will change his mind. Maybe we could come together for that?"
This puts something of a spanner in the works. I believe that Bredd was slated to be the first baptized, but that you were going to have testimonies before baptism. I expected that Bredd and Kathrine would be near the beginning of those testimonies. But then, there's been no statement that they can't speak--only that they can't be baptized.
So give me your updated program, and we'll proceed with the service.
--M. J. Young
Yeah, I figured as much (but too late, as I was at work).
Bredd and Katherine will not be testifying nor be baptized. I'm sad about it, but I will try to speak with her father some more tomorrow or the day after that.
Further everything will go as planned. I will take some time alone with Bredd and Katherine after the Baptism, to talk about the next steps.
The presence of Mr. Kucher puts a damper on everyone's spirits here. The men testify, but none of them have the dynamic life-changing moments Bredd and Kathrine have had. It does not help that Kathrine is obviously quietly fuming at her father (Hmmm--unusual idiom, it means that she has an anger metaphorically similar to a smouldering fire).
You conduct the baptism, and it certainly has meaning for those baptized, but there is a cloud over the entire service.
Mr. Kucher waits for the formal ceremony to end, and then orders Bredd back to his quarters and tells Kathrine to come with him back to the house. She glares at him, and glances helplessly toward you, but leaves with him as ordered.
--M. J. Young
I was wondering where the resistance would be. An act such as this was bound to have some spiritual warfare going on. (Did I feel anything specifically evil around or in Mr. Kucher's person or presence?)
We had a celebration still. As Katherine looks helplessly to me, I fold my hands towards her and mouth the word 'pray' to her.
As the Kucher family is gone I gather all of the people and inform them about a second kind of Baptism. The Baptism of the Spirit. I read-translate for them from the book of Acts (the pouring out of the Spirit on the apostles, but also on the people/masses later on) and from Joël 2 (or 3 depending on translation), and then I will pray for God's Spirit to descend on them in power, and they will wait with a (hopefully) receiving heart. Afterwards, whether the Spirit descended on them in Power or not, I will lead them all in prayer for the Kucher family and for Katherine and Bredd.
prayer one:
Reading forcefully out loud (while explaining the basics): 45 minutes (I guesstimate)
Praying over the people: 15 minutes, eyes closed, hands outstretched over the people. Praying out loud.
Can I combine those for the time of an hour for this ritual? It would always be used for newly baptized Christians.
prayer two:
combined prayer for as long as we can. Personally I think I would get 20 minutes of praying in English, but I would be praying in tongues while/as long as others are praying. The goal would be that 1. Bredd and Katherine would be able to get baptized and 2. that Mr. Kucher would get to know God. That is also the priority listing of desired results. It does not necessarily have to be both, but it would be counted a great blessing.
Mr. Kucher is not an evil person. He is a good person and a devotee of Gaia who raised his children to believe in their goddess/creator. He simply is not prepared for the message you bring.
Reading forcefully out loud (while explaining the basics): 45 minutes (I guesstimate)
Praying over the people: 15 minutes, eyes closed, hands outstretched over the people. Praying out loud.Can I combine those for the time of an hour for this ritual?
Yes you can, making the reading part of the prayer as it were (a necessary preparatory aspect of the skill), provided you want to do that every time (or develop a separate skill for other situations). If you're good with that, I'll treat it that way.
I'll resolve this one first.
--M. J. Young
While you are teaching about the Holy Spirit a few members of the group begin praying in tongues. You do not get the dramatic sudden presence of the Spirit in all those present, but it is clear that He has begun His work in His own way.
I sometimes warn players to give careful consideration to what they are asking. For example, the sudden demise of Mr. Kucher would have a high probability of answering both of these prayers, but is not the outcome you desire or intend. I'll thus ask you to clarify a bit exactly what you think will bring about your desired outcome.1. Bredd and Katherine would be able to get baptized and 2. that Mr. Kucher would get to know God.
--M. J. Young
This seems very close to a skill you already have:
1@2 Third Party Revelation M7@7 15:00 TF prayer eyes closed with appropriate words asking that a specified individual perceive a specific truth about reality, using prayer tongues as part of prayer, +45SM
The differences I see are that you are praying for five minutes longer and that you are involving other people. If the other people are a necessary component, we can create a new version of the skill, but the extra five minutes is only going to add about +3 to your chance of success, which is already fairly strong, and it makes sense on some level to say that this is that skill used in another application.
Thoughts?
--M. J. Young
You pray that God would reveal the truth to Mr. Kucher, concerning the fading of Gaia from the world and the importance of your message. You have a strong assurance that God is answering this prayer already.
What next?
--M. J. Young
-- Back into time a little. --
As some people I prayed for start speaking in tongues I begin smiling gratefully and openly, like a very happy child. It's the first time that God has used me for this. I go from a rational knowing or speculating that God could use me for this to a experiencing of it, making it even more tangible or believable.
If some people are freaked out, I try to reassure them that it's good and that it's OK.
then we all pray for the Kucher family.
-- After the prayer for the Kucher family. --
As I get a response from God I smile. "He's probably using Katherine for that already. Thank You Lord."
I open my eyes again and speak to the crowd. "If I'm not mistaken, God just told me that He has heard our prayer, and that He is answering it. Let's thank Him together."
And I lead the group into a prayer of thanksgiving.
What is the time of day right now? Somewhere near noon?
Noon? Really? Wow. I can hardly imagine anything being over so early as that. But then, my schedule is really not very ordinary. No, that "later" concept that is so natural to me does appear in a previous post, which reads:
The next big event is the baptism, which is happening on an afternoon when most of the workers are free.
Thus I would say that we started shortly after lunch and have been here for a couple hours, so it's between three and five, probably between three-thirty and four-thirty.
--M. J. Young
Ah yes, I didn't remember when we started with the baptism. In that case, after the thanksgiving and further celebration of the baptizing, we'll agree on a weekly time to meet so that the basics of the faith can be taught more thoroughly, as well as focusing on living 'in the spiritual' (since at least a part of them has been baptized by the Spirit).
The ranch schedule is very erratic, and of course there's work to do every day, unless you hold meetings after dinner or before breakfast at least a few people will be busy. People who needed to be here were able to change their schedules by swapping with someone for time off, but that's not something they can do all the time.
Probably if you picked any time during any day you would have about two thirds of the men and half the women working (the women have shorter workdays and don't go to the fields, so they can arrange to be at a meeting during the day more easily). Of course, which people would be available would change from week to week, so you would eventually catch everyone that way.
There's also your own schedule to consider.
--M. J. Young
I don't always remember such things, but I do recall looking back for some indication of something like that, and if it's there I'll take your word for it.
Indeed, you can meet on that day, although you'll want your meeting not to conflict with any Gaian meetings, partly because it might send the wrong message to the Gaian believers, partly because they're more likely to investigate your meetings if there's no conflict with theirs, and partly because you'll probably want to use the same dining room for your meetings they use for theirs. Of course, there's still work to do and some people have to do it, but that's the best day for the maximum number of people available. An evening meeting is still best, or an afternoon meeting, because when there are Gaian meetings they are held usually in the morning.
--M. J. Young
It's here: http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/nikolaj-rising/page/3#post-9361
I know I want a week to prepare each sermon next to the (leather)work and the bible translating. Evening meeting it will be, if that is the best. That means that I could have the morning to prepare much of it.
You agree to meet on that eight-day schedule. I think this must be that day, as it must have been chosen for the maximum number of people to be available. (It also explains why it was in the afternoon, if there may have been a Gaian service in the morning which Mr. Kucher would have attended.)
I believe this means
--M. J. Young
I think that's it, yes. I'll spend the rest of the day thinking (or contemplating), probably being a bit anxious and confused. That is, if nothing happens and people won't interrupt me for questions. I might just take out my Ukulele and start praising God, no matter how I feel.
"Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light." -- Mt 11:29-30
It has worked for me before, praising out of obedience instead of out of (or in opposition of) how I feel. I end up praising God with feelings that belong to that most of the time.
You spend the afternoon in praise, and almost lose track of time before dinner, but the dinner bell pulls you from your reverie.
The new converts are sitting together, and invite you to join them. They are excited, and talking among themselves about the things God is doing.
--M. J. Young
They look at you, and each other, and then one of them asks, "Um--what do you mean? How do we do that?"
Someone else asks, "Is that like the Elven custom of thanking Gaia for all that comes from the earth before eating? Do we have to sing?"
--M. J. Young
I smile. I kind of anticipated this. This is the best way to learn.
"I don't know the Elven custom, but it's an act of gratefulness towards God for the food He provided us. Most of the time we also ask Him to bless the food. Singing is not needed, but you can do it that way if you want. It's not even obligated. It's a way to show respect and gratitude for the food."
If they want, I'll do it this time, as an example. Next time one of the others will then be asked to do it.
One of the men volunteers.
He looks around the table awkwardly for a moment, and then says, "Well, God, we are all thankful to you for what you've done today, and over the past weeks, and we want to say thank you for that, and for the food we are about to eat, since it would not be here were it not for your kindness to us. Thank you."
The others nod, and one says, "Thank you."
--M. J. Young
I also say "Thank you", followed by an "amen".
If they ask, I'll tell them that "Where I come from we usually close a prayer with the word Amen. It means something like 'So be it', in the language Christ spoke. It's not needed, nor obligated, but I'm used to it, because I've been thought so."
"Thank you" comes more natural, and I've noticed ending my own prayers like that often, then adding amen without need.
"So be it," one of them says. "I like that. It's like you're agreeing with what he said."
Attention turns to the eating, but also to talking about faith. You are several times asked for more stories about Jesus, although some of the women will interrupt such requests with, "Let the poor boy eat." Meals appear to be the social events of the day, the opportunity for people to interact with each other, and they're taking advantage of this to get more information from you.
--M. J. Young
Indeed it does, and everyone heads to bed save those few who keep an eye on the ranch overnight. If you've no other plans for the day, we'll move to tomorrow morning.
--M. J. Young
After breakfast you report to the leather shop and get back to work. Bredd seems a bit dejected.
--M. J. Young
I notice. I make sure that I spend some quality time with him. I'll eat lunch with him at the shop and have a good talk with him then.
"Hey Bredd, my bro! You don't look so happy... Are you sad about yesterday?", I ask him (as I enter the shop in the morning)
The plan is to have some quick talk now, since we're still at work, but take more time while we're not working.
You might have to put off that opportunity. Around ten in the morning a female orc enters, looks around, and comes over to where you are working. From her dress, she is probably one of the housemaids.
"Begging your pardon, master," she says to you. "Master Kucher asked me to invite you to have lunch with him at one thirty this afternoon, if you are free."
--M. J. Young
I look from the maid to Bredd and wince a little. He's my friend, but Master Kucher is ... well, Master Kucher. The Boss, authority, ... Best to take it. It might have something to do with yesterday. I hope it's not the order to not do baptisms on his ground any longer.
I agree with the maid (and thank her) and ask Bredd to stick around after work this evening. We'll talk then. I tell him I'm sorry that I can't have some time with him sooner.
Actually, I just realized this must mean that I can read his emotions from his body language by now. Is this for all orcs or just with him, because of familiarity?
That's a good point. I'd say that having been immersed in this culture for several months and spent a significant amount of time with orcs, you are probably beginning to be able to perceive their feelings; but it is easier with Bredd, partly because he was born and raised in human society (even if among orcs) and partly because you work with him six days a week.
The maid leaves, and Robert speaks up.
"Lunch with the boss, eh? You should probably clean up a bit before you head for the dining room--get the dyes and tanning chemicals off your hands, at least. You've got a couple hours, but don't let the time get away from you."
--M. J. Young
"Will do sir.", I reply and then finish what I'm doing. (if it's finish-able in a short time) I clean myself and get straightened up. I try to wear what I suppose could go for something official. Normally I'd wear a suit, but I'm not sure what the idea of costume is around here.
Actually seven day's a week. An 8-day week. ;-) But I get your point.
Right--thanks for keeping that straight for me.
You change into clean clothes, at least; since it's a work day, no one expects you to be too well dressed.
On your arrival to the main house, you are escorted to the small dining room where you shared a meal with Kathrine the other day, and told Mr. Kucher will be with you in a moment and asked what you would like to drink. The food is similar to that which was served for the previous lunch.
You are then left alone in the room for a few minutes, until Mr. Kucher comes in rather hurriedly as businessmen often do when they are in the middle of their days.
"Please have a seat, Nikolaj." He asks the orc servant to bring him mead. "And for you?" he asks.
"I'm sure you're wondering about this invitation," he says. "I may--I may have been too hasty yesterday in connection with your, what did you call it? Baptizing service. I've had a rather long talk with Katy, and realized that she's not a little girl anymore, and I should not have forbidden her from making this decision, whatever I thought of it.
"But there is also the matter of the orc slave, Bredd. This religion of yours--I honestly did not know it was a human faith, I thought all humans were Gaian. So when it started to appear among the slaves a while back I sold those who were identified with it, thinking it some orc religion. I don't much like dealing with orc religions, as some of them are dangerous and the ones that are most dangerous often pretend they're benign. But I'm very confused about this, because it seems like this human religion you preach is being preached to orcs as if they were equal to humans. Have I misunderstood something?"
--M. J. Young
I order coffee.
After pleasantries, the welcome, thanks and agreeing with Katherine being a big girl now, I try to reply.
"Actually, it is the religion. Man did not invent it, neither did orc, elve or dwarf for that matter. We believe it, because it is true. And as a point of defense for the orcs, sir, if they would be less then human, could they even have religion? They can have faith in a God most of them can't see. Quormlach saw me being attacked by an orc God only to be saved by my God, or even Gaia. I have spoken to Gaia, as has your daughter, and she confirms that it is time for her to become less, and for the God above all Gods to be known in this world by his creation. It seems to be the reason my God sent me here."
Mr. Kucher frowns.
"I don't think it's so much a matter of whether a religion is true. That is, as you recognize yourself, men and elves and dwarfs did not invent faith in Gaia--she is truly the mother goddess of the world, giver of all things on the earth. Nor do I doubt that the orc gods are also real, and that their religions are based on genuine revelations from those gods. My objections to the worship of orc gods isn't that they aren't real, but that they are, and that they are dangerous and divisive.
"That raises a second issue, an issue of fairness. To this point, it has been the rule on the Kucher ranch that only worship of Gaia is permitted. The men understand this because they're all Gaian, and the orcs accept it because they must. But if I make the rule that only this new Christ God can be worshiped, then I am being unfair to all those who have been faithful Gaians and faithful employees; but if I make the rule that Gaia and Christ can both be worshiped, I lose the ground to object to the worship of Sarne or Grumsch or any of a hundred other orc gods, of some of which I know nothing and of others that they are indeed very dangerous.
"Now, what you say makes some sense. Your presence here seems rather inexplicable, and there does not seem to be anything in your preaching that is against the Gaian faith other than that Gaia is relegated to a lower position--and even that, you could argue, is only the position which she, from your view, has always held, that of servant of her own Creator as creator and nurturer of a people for Him. You still preach the unity of all peoples, even more so by including the orcs with us. You still preach that we ought to do good toward each other, and be grateful for what we receive. I am strongly inclined to believe that you bring us a true religion, something that moves us above and beyond what we have long known to be true to a greater and deeper truth. I might wonder whether the world is ready for this, but it would seem that your very presence here suggests that decision has been made, and it would be foolish for me to second-guess it. Personally, I am inclined to accept what you preach.
"But I do not act solely for myself. I must also act for the good of the ranch, for the unity and harmony here. Robert is the son of a Gaian cleric; he is not going to take easily to the suggestion that his family's faith is wrong, or that we know better than he. What I do, what I decide, will have an impact on the lives of everyone here, man and orc alike, and I must make my decisions with that in view.
"As to Bredd, if he still wishes to be baptized, I will not object provided his parents do not object; I do not want to stir up trouble among my orcs by creating religious strife. Kathrine has her own mind, and will be baptized as soon as you can arrange it. I am not certain what steps to take from here, but at present I will not interfere with your new religion."
--M. J. Young
"Wohoo!", it goes inside my brain, and it must be visible on my face as well, as I feel myself cracking a surprised smile.
"As far as I get it, Grumsh and Sarne, who tried to assault me, have never been gods and have fallen from the place of serving of God. Gaia, as far as I know, but I'm rather new to this notion, is also only a servant of God, never really meant to be a God. Why He allowed it, I do not know. Before a few months I did not even know orcs existed. There are still a lot of mysteries for me. But what I do know is that God has servants. Servants who differ in rank and grandeur.
"At a certain point, the greatest of them wanted to be the same as God, on His place. God kicked him out with a whopping third of all his servants, who rallied behind the other servant. The others remained faithful. So there is a distinction. But I do not know all your gods and am in no position to judge over them. All I know is that in the end, the only one truly deserving praise and honor, is God. The one I preach.
"If you, as you say, sir, are inclined to accept my preaching, I want to ask you why. Why is it that you accept it, and what consequences will it have in your life. You've summed up some, but I mean deeper, on a personal level. This God wants to know you, and wants you to know him."
I will explain, if needed, the Gospel again, with emphasis on the relational aspect of it. I would assume I do not have the wordless booklet with me, so I will improvise it with a white dinner plate, yellow cheese, red wine (how appropriate!), black coffee and some green leaves from the oranges or something like that.
I will see what this brings me before going on with taking action from the replies.
Gaia, as far as I know, but I'm rather new to this notion, is also only a servant of God, never really meant to be a God. Why He allowed it, I do not know.
"Well, I would think the 'why' is fairly obvious. I'm not sure where 'Bel-jinn' is, but it is apparently quite a long way from here, and from what I gather of your message, this Creator God became human to deliver his message to men. In one sense, that's a very clever and effective way to do it--come down to our level, talk to us as one of us, be one of us in the midst of us--and so I can see why He might do it that way. But then, it also very much limited His ability to spread the word. We had to wait for whatever miracle it was that carried you from Bel-jinn to the jungles near our ranch. And, from what you say, God didn't do this right at the beginning of the world, but considerably after that. So in all that time, who was going to help us begin to understand how we should live? Who was going to make sure we had food and clothing? I delegate the responsibilities for running this ranch to men like Robert in the leather shop, and (there have been names given of some of the other men that I do not recall, so assume that those names are used here in place of the **) ** in the slaughter and meat preparations area, and the foremen ** and **, and ** who runs the kitchen and ** for the household staff. So, too, your God obviously appointed people--or gods, or spirits who at least compared to you and me are as good as if they were gods--to oversee the tasks that had to be done. I do that because I can't do it all myself; but I also do that for another reason, and that is that I want to train my people to be able to become better people, more capable in what they do. Doesn't it make sense that God would appoint gods to take care of us until He could turn his attention to us personally by bringing you here?"
Why is it that you accept it, and what consequences will it have in your life.
"Well, honestly, it was Kathrine. She came to speak to me last night, and it was quite remarkable how different she was. She wasn't a petulant little girl complaining that Daddy didn't let her have her way, and didn't come with angry demands; but she was not simply submissive, either. I tried to tell myself that she had grown up and I had missed it, but there was something much more than that here. Something had changed her. She approached me with every bit of respect, more I think than I remember her having for a long time, and yet told me to my face that I was wrong. That's something I'd have had a hard time doing myself, yet she did it admirably. And I realized that indeed I was wrong, but more than that, that there was more at work here than merely a young girl becoming fascinated by an exotic foreigner. She understood something I had missed, and she genuinely believed, as if it were something she had seen for herself, that your God was Gaia's employer, for lack of a better word. I see the truth of what you're saying in the life of my daughter, Nikolaj.
"That, though, doesn't resolve my problem concerning how to handle allowing the new religion and the old but not allowing the orc religions. Sure, I can agree that the orc gods are less than God, less than gods, less than Gaia; but once I agree that Gaia is less than God but still permit those who worship her to continue to do so, it's a lot more difficult to say that the orcs can't also worship gods who are less than God, even if they are less than Gaia. You see my conundrum?"
--M. J. Young
"That sounds reasonable.", I reply to his comparison with a company, "But I'm confronted with His word, that tells me that He is a jealous God, not tolerating other gods before Him. And a human person who spread this great message around most of the known world, inspired by God, wrote that everyone can know God if they look around. If they see nature and how beautifully it is created, they can know that there must be a God. And He can reveal Himself to those who truly seek Him. Sometimes it's because someone preaches to them, but others have been known to meet Him in their dreams or in visions.
"In the end, Gaian Worship should stop, and Christ's Worship should take over. That's what God wants, but He will let the people choose. He will not force them to worship Him. He wants them to come willingly.
"Talking about that, now that you know it's real, do you want to hear my message again? It might help you with your decision, sir."
If so, I'll do the impro-wordless book.
I like the Bel-jinn thing!
"No, I--I get the message. One day, hopefully not too far distant, you will probably be putting me under the water. The part that's problematic is the transition here on the ranch. If I announce that all Gaian services are canceled and only Christian services will be held on the ranch from now own, people are going to be upset, and a lot of them are going to leave--more than the ranch can afford to lose, probably. Those who stay are not going to be happy, and I'm going to be seen as an unfair employer, which hurts everyone here. But if I say that Gain and Christian services will both be permitted, I then lack a reason for saying that the orcs can't have their religions as well. I know enough to know that some orc religions are benign enough and others are cruel and dangerous; I don't know enough to know which is what. I also don't know how to be fair to everyone and disallow orc religions, but allow that there might be two human religions.
"If you can solve that problem for me, that would move everything closer to the world you envision.
"But I shouldn't expect you to solve my problems. More salad?"
--M. J. Young
You must log in to post.
