#but I do need to be sane to serve on a jury and hand down judgements against people

[niniblack]

I'm kind of infuriated at the moment that the county court and district court don't share info. I was summoned by county court in April and excused due to disability (should be permanently) and now I've just been summoned AGAIN by the district court and have to get a new form filled out and mailed in so that I can again be excused, hopefully permanently, due to disability.

I'm not magically sane enough to serve on a district court when I wasn't sane enough for county court, jesus christ. The amount of anxiety this is causing is insane.

[grapeinacape-blog]

The Cold Hand, by Alex Goodwin

This story is entirely based on true events of the occurrences in Longstanton, from the dates of the 10th of April 2017, to the 24th of November 2017. The case can be followed through newspapers and is often referred to as the ‘High Street Dismemberment’.

As a quiet village, the happenings were kept to a minimum. Most people knew each other well and I was one of such villagers. The crime rates were low, maybe because it was such a small place, or maybe because it was such a slow town. There were dog walkers and day drinkers, as all places offer.

But when the murder happened, it’s like they went into limbo. It was on the news first thing Tuesday morning. A murder so horrible, it shocked everyone as to the lengths some people will go to. It was dramatically horrific, a dismembered body, all bloody as it lay for the world to see in the middle of High Street. Her head lay, like a ragdoll, mucky blonde hair covered her slim face, whilst her torso lay in the middle, on her back, chest torn out as if ravaged by a wild animal. But no animal, the report said, could have removed her legs so expertly, crossed them beneath her as though creating a symbol which beckoned a silent prayer, to a God that did not exist. For if He existed, He would not have let this happen.

Passers-by stared in horror. People screamed. The cameras could show no footage and the police were baffled. It took 4 days for her to be identified.

“Her name is Lisa Hightower, she’s 26 years old and is from Derby. She was visiting friends in the village. They were concerned when she didn’t return home, though had received a text stating she was staying with a gentleman that night and returning the next day. It is in both her and the public’s, best interest to find this gentleman and understand what he knows. If anyone saw any suspicious behaviour the night of the 9th of April, call us now. If you have seen this woman, let us know.”

After watching the report, viewers stayed to watch the image of a pretty woman on their screen. No longer mucky, her wavy blonde hair fell to her shoulders and her face was no longer obstructed. Slim cheeks, with a round chin and small nose. Tight lips stretched into a smile painted with red. Bright blue eyes that shone as she posed in front of the camera. She never thought it would end up here, not like this. She had dreams, like so many others do. She wished to be on the stage, acting and singing. She’d done a couple of hits in the musicals, back in Derby and had caught a bug for it.

She was a kind woman, she spared a moment for everyone, which is what ended her life in the end. She stopped to chat in the middle of anywhere she went. She was always smiling and just had such a pure heart. That’s why it was such a crime that she’d been taken, because what could the motive be if no one was out to get her? Did it mean that everyone was at risk of being ripped apart in the middle of the street?

The town was abuzz, all wondering who, or what, could have done something as cruel as this to such a bright young woman.

“Must be a sick man, that one. Some sickening fantasy to get into her pants, then rip her apart. Poor girl, she had her whole life ahead of her.”

“I’ll tell you what they should do, they should string him up. Hang him and cut him apart. Death penalty’s too good for him, I say.”

When a man was finally found, they found themselves eating their words. All talk, no play, apparently. This story is a difficult one to tell. It was as though the facts unravelled themselves before your very eyes in slow motion. Watching Detective Hall beg the public for information, to his grave announcement that the man in question had been found. Curled blonde hair was found in Joseph Mackenzie’s bed, clumps of it in his bag, along with a knife. Though apparently the end of the case, it seemed we would have no luck.

“Joseph Mackenzie has been found in his apartment. His time of death approximates to half an hour before that of Lisa Hightower. Though our main suspect, he has now been ruled out. Once again, we ask for any information as to their whereabouts that night. Lisa Hightower must have left the apartment.”

This shook the village even more. Many of them read between the lines. Not only had their main suspect been eliminated, but he was their only suspect. They were back to square one. Now, many of the followers of this investigation knew a few things about crime. They knew, that not only was this a horrible crime, but that no sane man could live with himself having destroyed not only one, but two people in this way. He’d have to come forward at some point or another.

Joseph was not found in the same way as Lisa. He was not bare, for the world to see, every part detached from the other. No, he was a break in the pattern, they said. Though, how a pattern could be established after one killing, is unusual. Joseph lay in his bed, as though sleeping. His ruffled hair in his eyes, his shirt strewn amongst the rest of his possessions on the ground. It was only when the duvet was pushed off him that they noticed the gaping hole where his stomach once lived.

On his bedside table was a picture of his four-year-old son, Samuel. It seemed clear to everyone that the murderer’s only intent was ruining lives and pulling people apart the most gruesome way possible. Again, the quiet village was thrown into limbo. People became scared to leave their houses. They were assured it was a one-time murder. But the locals weren’t convinced.

It took months before there were any developments, leaving months for people to return to their normal lives and all but forget the case that had shook them. There was no news from the police, until we watched as a man was dragged, kicking and screaming from the local pub. Greying hair, thin-framed glasses and the beginnings of a beer belly.

The officers in charge, had managed to trace the text that Lisa had sent, back to her location at the time. After finding this, they then managed to follow that trace. She’d had her location on the whole night. After drinking, she made her way back to Joseph’s apartment. She was there for approximately an hour, before leaving the flat and making her way towards Stevenson’s Road. Walking down it, it seemed Lucas was awake, inviting the girl in. She stood outside for an extended period of time, refusing to go in. With his wife away, maybe that was what encouraged the desperate plea for companionship. The phone followed her into the house eventually. And there it remained, down the back of the sofa. The murderer had then planted evidence both at Mackenzie’s residence and elsewhere to remove himself from the murder completely. But it hadn’t worked as well, as he’d hoped.

“Clever, isn’t it? That phone could’ve saved her life. That phone is bringing the darling the justice she deserves.”

Lucas refused to talk for weeks. He did not deny the charges, he was too scared to. He did not agree to ever meeting, nor tearing the young lady apart. He simply sat, tight lipped, staring at the wall.

“Lucas Bell, you’re being held here for the suspected murder of both Lisa Hightower and Joseph Mackenzie. Remind us of your whereabouts on the 9th of April.”

“I was at home.” The quiet voice replied, to the officer that sat opposite him.

“Anyone able to prove that?”

After a pause, Lucas had replied with a simple shake of his head.

His family had been away for the week and by being away they had permitted the murder of Lisa. Following his few answers, he lapsed back into a silence. There were no ‘no comments’, nor more movements of the head. He simply lost the urge to fight back.

He was charged with two accounts of murder. By the time the court date arrived, Lucas Bell was a sunken shell of a man. The growing beer belly had disappeared, and his clothes hung off him. His hair was all grey now, except for the few streaks of black that still remained. His face was hollow and when the jury met his eyes, there was nothing there. His lawyer tried, but Lucas gave him nothing to work with. He just stood there, staring.

It didn’t take too long for Lucas to be sentenced to life in prison.

“After one of the most horrific cases I have come across in my time here, there is no doubt that Lucas Bell must be found guilty on both accounts.”

Once again, the small village was stunned into silence. I don’t know, to this day, whether it was relief that this man was off the streets and serving time for such a horrid display of human nature. Or whether it was shock, that the man that lived so close to all of us, that drank our beer and bought our food, had been capable of something like that. A normal man, with a lovely wife, 2 children and a grandchild on the way.

In a way, that’s what all this was for, really. Lucas Bell exposed humans for what they are and in turn gave this village an entertainment. Now, even a year later, Lucas still hasn’t said anything. He is no longer a sunken man, but barely a man at all. Empty not only physically, but emotionally.

Blood stains the High Street, even when washed away. And blood stains a man’s hand, even when scrubbed away. Red, raw hands that remind him of the price he had to pay. Was it all worth it?

***

“’Alex Goodwin’s novel has hit the shelves like a tidal wave. It offers inner details of the tragedy that struck Longstanton. Experience dark interviews with the police and descriptions of the images that have been kept from the public eye. Now a bestseller, it’d be an absolute murder not to pick the book up today.’ I bet you were glowing from the response your story received.”

“It’s true, I was shocked by the amount of feedback I received on my work. I’d always written crime novels. My other work features fictional accounts, however. Such as ‘The End.’, ‘No Rest For the Wicked.’ But nothing worked as well as this did. I’d known for a while I should write a real-life account of a crime, but everything had been done. I needed something new, fresh and local.”

The recorders were switched off and I felt myself relax in my chair, as the assistant brought through my coffee.

“Can I get you anything else?”

Smiling up at the woman, I take a moment. That’s what it’s all about, really. Using this newfound hierarchy to see what I could have, if I really wanted it. And I did really want it.

“You know, for my story I used a research method of conflation of information that had been given by the officers, and Lisa’s family and friends.”

I let my hand brush across hers as I reach for the coffee. I’m certain her cheeks go pink, though I don’t need to look to check.

“Very clever, Mr Goodwin. We’ve just got a couple more questions, before we finish up here. Is that alright?”

“Of course, dear. And what are you doing once we’re finished?”

She doesn’t reply to that, leaving the room as I sip at my coffee, staring at the wall as I wait for the others to return with her. I don’t have to wait very long, though I’ve already drunk half my coffee now. The recorders are switched on again.

“How long had you been writing before ‘The Cold Hand’?”

“Oh, years. With no success of course.”

“You’re a young man, Alex. You had lots of your life ahead of you, why were you so desperate to get the fame now?”

“Good looks don’t get you everywhere.” I laugh.

It’s true. I think, truly, if looks got you anywhere at all, this woman would be a lot prettier than she is. And the man beside her wouldn’t be a balding middle-aged one, but a fit, toned young man.

“You like a good-looking person though, don’t you?” It comes off as an accusation, but I shrug it off.

“Who doesn’t?”

“And Lisa Hightower was one such woman.”

“She was very pretty, yes.”

Putting my coffee cup down I lean back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Well then, tell us again, if you can, Mr Goodwin, your whereabouts on the night of the 9th of April.”

“No comment.”

“Did you threaten Lucas Bell’s wife and family, so that he would take the fall?”

“No comment.”

“Why kill Lisa Hightower?”

“Why does anyone do anything, Inspector? I deserved my big break. And I got it.”

[the-foxwolf]

The Nature of Storytelling: Why We Have Superheroes

This article is intended for everyone. Not just people who read comics or books or play card games. What I am addressing in this article is the question of: why we have superheroes. Why do we, as a species, have stories of superheroes? To my knowledge, every single culture on Earth has a story about some great individual, or group of individuals, that has made significant changes in their world in the name of a greater good. But what makes this such a ubiquitous concept? Why do humans have stories of superheroes?

Gather `Round. It’s Storytelling Time!

Let’s take a look at a group of characters from my fandoms. Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Magic: The Gathering. These aren’t all my fandoms, but they’re the one I feel will resonate most with the reader due to the character’s popularity. I would include RWBY or Overwatch but so brevity’s sake, I’ll try and keep it shorter.

Captain America: Sam Wilson

Sam is a powerful voice for minorities in the comics. He wears the shield and he fights for what he thinks is right. But in his fight he discovers the dark side of The United States of America no one really wants to look at or remember. An imperfect judicial system. Shady politicians. Parasitic business people. Flawed penal system.

For each shady politician he exposes, another gets voted in. Every time he crushes a business whose practices are illegal and unethical, it creates a power vacuum that only empowers other parasitic business people. When he looks the U.S. Court system and hopes that he can trust in it. When his friend, Rage, is wrongfully arrested for theft, Sam trusts that the courts will execute justice and let Rage go free.

But Rage is a black man accused of a crime in a jury that wasn’t representative of the local jurisdiction.

Rage never stood a chance.

The prosecutor obliterated him. Rage couldn’t afford a lawyer and was assigned a public defender. But as is too often the case, the defender was so overworked, too spread thin, that he spent less than three hours reviewing the case before going to trial. Even with overwhelming evidence to his innocence, Rage was still found guilty. This is an awful reality that we see all too often. What does this about your judicial system?

When Rage was put in jail he was thrown in superpower prison. In General Population. That’s the same as putting a cop in general population. And exactly what you don’t want to hear, but what you expect, happened. A group of super criminals beat Rage into a pulp. They left him comatose with little chance of survival. What does this say about our penal system?

How does Sam respond when he watches his faith in the U.S. Justice System crumble? He gives up the shield. Sam is embarrassed to wear the flag and shield of his nation. No longer would be fight in the name of a nation he didn’t believe in, that he didn’t trust.

Sam came to realize that fighting the symptoms isn’t going to work. It will become a perpetual cycle. He realized that he needed to treat the disease. The people needed educating. They needed hope. They needed to be spurred into action. And it looks like it’s working. Slowly. But people in New York, in the comics, are starting to accept that they can’t rely on Sam to protect or fight for them. That they have to do their part.

Sam is showing us the ugly side of America. He is showing us that we can’t sit around and hope things work out. Sam Wilson teaches us that we need to treat the disease of this nation, not its symptoms, as a group- without relying and hoping on someone else. That we have to stand up and make the changes from the very bottom of the ladder.

Captain America: Steve Rogers

Captain America became an agent of Hydra because the Red Skull rewrote reality with the Cosmic Cube. Steve became Hydra’s ultimate weapon who was then handed to the United States to let him manipulate it from within. Direct the military towards non-critical targets. To destroy evidence about major operations. Provide Hydra with intel. And who would doubt him? He’s Captain America!

But you know what really stands out? Steve Rogers never changed. His history was rewritten, yes. But Steve remained exactly the same person he has always been. A man who fights for justice, for truth, for peace, for the greater good.

“What? But he’s Hydra!” You might say.

I respond with: “True Hydra, not Red Skull’s Hydra and not Hitler’s Hydra, was originally meant to bring peace to the world.”

Steve believes in what Hydra used to stand for. A unified planet where ALL its people would be protected by a single government whose interests would solely be on the people. In application, yes, this is pretty much impractical. But the point is that Steve wanted that world. He wanted that peace. Steve Rogers has always fought for ideals and for values. Even when he wasn’t a member of Hydra, Steve fought for “truth” and “justice” and “peace”. He fought for what he thought was right. Now he still does the same. He is still fighting for “truth” and “justice” and “peace”. Nothing about the character is different. All he wants is to help the world be a better place. His tactics are different, yes. But his end goal is the same.

The fact that he’s fighting for Hydra puts many people at an uproar. But why? Because we’ve been taught that the world is an “us” versus “them” environment. It’s led us to believe that anyone who takes a different approach or point of view to us is evil. But that’s simply not true. It is that very thought process that is the cause of war and strife all over the world.

In his stories, Steve tries to teach the reader to stop being a mindless sheep. He tries to tell us to open our eyes and think about the world we live in, beyond what we’re told to believe in. Steven Rogers is teaching us that we must never accept something as truth without thinking and researching about it first.

Not just in his story, but in his comic as a whole. People who don’t read his comics hear he’s joined Hydra and what do they do? Clamor and shout about how Marvel has ruined an American Icon about how they have made Steve a Nazi. How many of those people clamoring and shouting, what percentage, have actually gone to their local comic book store and purchased even one Captain America: Steve Rogers comic book?

That. Is. The. Problem. Too many people in America watch a television ad, or see a Tumblr post, and they latch onto it, thinking it to be truth. How many people will go out and research a politician or a political issue before forming an opinion?

I am not saying that I want Hydra’s dream of a tranquil totalitarian regime to come true. I am saying that the function of all of Steve’s stories right now is serving the idea that we need to question what we are told, that we need to research before we speak. Personally, I hope all of Hydra is taken down and that the world, and S.H.I.E.L.D. learn their lesson. I’m not saying I agree with Hydra or it’s goals. All I’m saying is that Marvel, and Steve, are trying to teach us to research before we speak and question what we accept.

Wonder Woman: Princess Diana

Geez I have so much to say about this. Wonder Woman has been amazing.

Recently, Diana had to deal with a major identity crisis. It was so bad, she lost her powers and was admitted into a psychiatric hospital. Do you know how much that means to me? WONDER WOMAN. DEALT. WITH. MENTAL. HEALTH. ISSUES. !!!!!!!!!!!!! Reread that again and again. This woman, so powerful, so beautiful, so strong, so determined... she fell ill to mental illness. What am I trying to say?

Even the most powerful of people can fall victim to mental illness

It’s okay if you admit you are mentally ill. It’s gonna be alright

Mental illness is real problem that ANYONE can deal with

It’s not something that “weak people” deal with

I, who suffer from Severe Depressive Disorder- I who have to take a handful of pills a day just to keep myself sane- look at Diana and realize that it’s okay to be sick. That anyone can get sick. That anyone can endure.

What else can Diana teach us? That women can be powerful. Look at her.

She’s beautiful. She’s sexy. She’s wise. She’s strong. She’s courageous. She stands her ground against gods. She stands her ground against gods.

Here’s the kicker.

Diana does all this without losing her identity as a woman. Not only is she a warrior. She’s a woman too. Diana teaches us that women can be powerful and not lose their femininity.

Aquaman: Arthur Curry

Aquaman has the BEST storytelling I have EVER seen in ANY comic book. EVER. The character development. The story progression. The high stakes. Everything. Aquaman is my favorite character in all of fantasy. Arthur Curry is by far the coolest character ever.

What does Aquaman have to teach me? That I have to stand my ground.

I literally can’t even begin to give you a rundown on the kind of crap he’s had to deal with. I’m serious. On a daily basis, Arthur is saving the world. Let me tell you some of what he has to deal with.

Rebels in Atlantis, wanting to overthrow him

Warmongers on the surface, looking for Atlantian tech

Countries of the world, wanting to nuke Atlantis out of fear

Factions in Atlantis, wanting to flood the world out of fear

Atlantian leadership telling him he can’t marry Mera

The jokes and disrespect many people in the world have for him

The jokes and disrespect many of the Justice League have for him

These are just some of the crap Arthur has to deal with on a daily basis.

Arthur, as King of Atlantis, has to make hard decisions every day. Every. Day. Every single decision he makes can be difference between total annihilation of Atlantis or of the entire surface world. How many decisions do you think the King of Atlantis has to make in a single day?

Try to imagine what that weight is like. One second of hesitation. One moment of anger or frustration. Even one misplaced word or mistake could ruin everything. Arthur teaches me that I have to stand my ground against the weight of the world. Even when EVERYONE wants me to fail, I have to stand and endure. Arthur teaches me that I must have control over my temper. That I have to think before I act. That every choice in my life affects everyone around me, not just myself.

Arthur is literally fighting the entire world at once. And he can’t flinch. He can’t even blink or the world will swallow him up. And you want to know what’s BEST about all of this?

Arthur Curry fights against all of this oppression and his powers can’t help.

Read it again, and read it carefully. Arthur can give Superman bruises, bounce bullets of his flesh, mind manipulate krakens and leviathans, take on the Shaggy Man (A MAJORLY powerful villain that usually takes the whole Justice League to defeat) on his own. And yet... all of that power means nothing when he has to endure against the stress of every day life.

Yes, Arthur is a super hero. But the greatest challenges he faces aren’t ones he has to solve with his fists. They are the ones he must defeat with nothing more than sheer force of will and careful thought.

What an inspiration. What a...wow.

Nissa Revane

Look at Nissa. She’s beautiful. Powerful. And a real butt kicker even without her magic. But you know what else she is? She’s shy. She’s an introvert. She’s quiet. She’s loving. She’s considerate. Nissa is so much love wrapped up in a quiet little package. She doesn’t want thanks. She doesn’t want a reward. All Nissa wants to do is protect the life of every plane because she loves life so dearly that she is willing to break free of her comfort zone, leave to far away strange places, and selflessly and thanklessly help people.

There is nothing in it for her other than to take the time to learn a little more about herself. She’s amazing. Her heart is so big. Yet, she’s fought and defeated eldritch gods, dragon gods, and political tyrants. Never did she want anything in return. She just wanted to help. 

Nissa is still shy. She’s still an introvert. She’s still happy to be in the background. And that’s okay. It’s okay to be an introvert. There is nothing wrong with that.

Wow. What an inspiration. Not only for introverts everywhere. But even for everyone else. If someone as timid as Nissa was able to break out of her comfort zone to do what is right, how could we not choose to do that same?

Gideon Jura

Gideon teaches us that no matter how hard or painful your past has been, you can never give in to the anger inside. Gideon fought for his life, daily, on the streets when he was orphaned at 6 years old. In prison, he fought for survival every day. When he planeswalked away from Theros, he was thrown into a foreign and unfamiliar world. He was alone and afraid on a world he knew nothing about. Gideon lost his mother at 6 and his father walked out on him before he was born. His friends died because of a bad decision he made. The love of his life was nearly executed because he chose to fight for a cause he didn’t fully believe in.

Gideon has suffered so much. And I haven’t even gone into detail on any of this. But what do we learn from him?

Never give up. Never let the anger and the hate destroy you. Even if you think you have every right to do so. Even if the darkness threatens to engulf you. You have to fight. You have to stand back up. And you can always stand back up when you’ve been knocked down.

Humans have been telling stories since even before we had language. Why? Because we need something to look up to. We create these characters who suffer from very real problems but end up enduring or we talk about the amazing feats of real people around us. But at the end of the day, storytelling is critical to the human condition.

Humans NEED storytelling.

I know things are hard for you sometimes. Or even all the time. But listen to me. Listen closely. You. Can. Endure.

You. Can. Endure.

You. Can. Endure.

You. Can. Endure.

YOU. WILL. ENDURE.

But you can’t give up. Look to our storytelling for beacons of hope if you must. No one I mentioned in this article uses their powers to fight against the real problems they deal with. Sam’s fighting prowess won’t fix the American government, courts, or penal system. Steve’s super soldier serum can’t help him teach people to take possession over their own lives. Diana’s powers can’t prevent her from falling to mental illness or help her recover. Arthur’s powers won’t help him make the decisions he needs to make and hold on in the tidal wave of stress those choices bring. Nissa’s powers have nothing to do with her going about spreading love in her own quiet way. Gideon’s powers and fighting skills won’t help him keep his darkness at bay.

Don’t look at these characters and dismiss them as mere fanciful stories. They’re so much more.

As someone who has been to the darkest brink of Depression, who’s stood at the edge of suicide... I can tell you that you can endure. I will not promise you that your life will get better soon. Or that it will be easy. But I will promise you that you can make it through whatever it is that’s hurting you.

I know some of you read this and say “Pssh. Not me. You don’t understand what I’m going through.” Stop it. I know because I have found myself saying the same thing. This isn’t the end. it doesn’t matter how dark you think things are. It doesn’t. I have stood at the brink of suicide and stared at the depths of hell. And it was terrifying. It was so awful. But I survived. I endured. I came back. No. It wasn’t easy. It took months and patience and steely will to crawl out of it. Even now, 5 years later, I still have to deal with my Depression every so often. But I know I can beat it. I defeated it at it worst, so I know I can endure it when it pokes its ugly head out.  Let me promise you something. A truth that will stand despite ANY argument you can make.

You. Will. Endure.

I only tag blogs for my articles that I feel merit doing so. If any of you find this practice in any way improper, let me know. I use this judiciously and only for my biggest works, so I hope it is no mistake of mine to do so. Let me know if you feel otherwise. I am tagging the Vorthos blogs I know, my biggest fans, and most of the people I follow. If you would like for me to only tag you in my “Magic Only” Premiere Articles, please PM me and I can make sure to adapt my lists.

@askkrenko @confused-phyrexian @actualborossoldier @vorthosthewillis @gatewatch-central @sarkhan-vol@sheoldredsecrets @vorthosjay @flavoracle @kytheon-hero-of-akros @chelsea-beleren-vess @hopelessly-vorthosian @magic–the–memeing @mtgfan @the-gitgud-toad @jori-en-ruin-diver @yawgmoth-lord-of-sin@bobstropajo @obi-one-drop @odric-master-swagtician @zomburai @klarel25 @brandnewera @celestialtyrant @animar-smol-of-elephants @dovinbanned @commandtower-solring-go @hereitsallalright @gryffns-nest@ecurps @iamafireplace @randomtmbl555 @mazes-end @augur-of-colas @formalcasual

[gracedman]

Now What???

So you have been truly saved. I mean "born again" in the fullest biblical sense. And you have become aware that something dynamic has happened in your life. You may not know just exactly what. And you may not know all the details about it, but a new sense of peace and joy has entered into your mind and heart. In fact, you are now conscious that you are a lot more than you once thought you were. Somehow you entered a whole new arena and have awoken from a deep sleep. Things are beginning to make sense for you, perhaps for the very first time. Maybe we feel like that beggar Jesus met in Bethsaida:

 Mark 8:22–25 (ESV)

22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

 Now I know the analogy may be weak, but give me a little leeway, please. A little artistic license. But I see a perfect picture of what Jesus Christ desires to do in our lives. I remember as a very young believer, one full of the enthusiasm and excitement of his rebirth. I was called to jury duty. I was a part of a pool of prospective jurors who were called to serve in the trial of a murderer. In the state I was living in, a person could delay his trial and sentencing by a declaration of "insanity". Some states in our country allow a person to totally escape the indictment by such a declaration, but in Pennsylvania, if such a person ever regained his sanity, they would be required to stand trial. Such was the case in this man's life. He was declared legally "sane" and was to be tried for his crimes. There was quite a public interest in this matter because he had killed four or five known mafia style mobsters and was caught with a list of names in his pocket with their names checked off. These men had put "the Italian evil eye" on his life and had each sealed it with a personal kiss on the cheek. It was a kill or be killed type of situation.

 As we entered the court room as prospective jurors, I noticed a throng of people packed into the room, but I was unsure of the reasons why. The judge asked us all to be seated and asked the following question: "Do any of the prospective jurors present believe in the Italian evil eye and other such things as horoscopes, wee gee boards?" and then he went on to list dozens of other things that have definite occult involvement. I raised my hand to ask the question: "What do you mean by "believe in, Sir?" The judge shuffled and struggled to answer. "Everyone knows what I mean by this statement, there is nothing cryptic about it."  Well, I stood to answer: "I believe that these things are the evidence of Satanic realities or words to that effect." And was asked in return: "Do you feel that your convictions would hinder you from making a fair and impartial judgment in this or any other case?"  "No, I replied, in fact, I feel they make me the most qualified person in the room, if others do not recognize these Satanic realities, they are blind to what may have gone on here in this case." Well, I noted that several people in the room were writing things down on their clipboards at this point so I sat down. In a few short sentences, I had effectively, disqualified myself from this case and as it turned out from any other case.

 After the day's proceedings, a wiry young man in a polyester suit came up to me with a clipboard and a pencil. He interviewed me, asking questions, my name, and background etc. He also asked me to more fully explain what I meant by what I had said. Naively, I answered each of his questions as fully as I could. I had no idea who he was. The next day, the morning paper had an article about the opening of this trial. There in black and white were the words: "I believe in the Italian Evil Eye". My name, background and some twisted explanations of why and what I had said were presented. Soon I was the laughing stock of my community. The brunt of multiple jokes. People were parading with my words as if I had made a major spectacle of myself in court. And what an idiot my father had for a son. My father was deeply embarrassed and chose not to speak to me. I saw the people around me like trees walking. Once I was blind but now I could see. But I had no real idea about what it was I was looking at. I had met my first momentum test, people and their reaction to the changes in my life.

 For many people, being a fool for Christ is more than they are willing to handle. They don't really come to terms with the fact that everyone is a fool. Just need to ask the right person. God has said that a lot of people are foolish and are fools. He has his declarations of fools in his word:

 Luke 12:20 (ESV)

20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’

 Psalm 14:1 (ESV)

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

 Proverbs 18:2 (ESV)

2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.

 You and I will need to be ready to hear the scorn of the world. It comes to us all if we begin to live by his word and express this salvation of free grace to others. But it is better to be one whom God takes pleasure in and finds wise and faithful than to have the respect and friendship of the world and the spiritual forces of Darkness. Fool for Christ, and live by God's thoughts and his words, or a fool for the devil and the world? Which will it be?

 Lord Jesus, maybe there is one out there who was like I once was, sure that what we have discovered in Christ is the greatest thing going, and it is, but then shocked and a bit disturbed at how the world responds to our new faith. Help us to weather the storm, the ridicule and the reaction that will come as we live out our new faith in you. Amen!!!