Chapter 101

101
PRESS ROOM, KISSINGER PLAZA, STATE DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D.C.

The trip to the news conference seemed a little more rushed this morning than usual. General Tower had waited until the last minute before boarding the limo. Inside, Jesus, Juan and Beatrice were jumping station to station on the radio's push buttons. Juan thoughtfully ceased this activity and turned it off as the General slid into the seat before him. The State Department limousine appeared to a casual observer as a sleek giant luxury car. Riding in it made apparent the amount of armor and weight which had been added to it. The sensation was a bizarre mix between an old pick up and an ocean liner.

"Have You been listening to Stratton any this week?" the General asked.

"Just a little. He seems to say about the same thing every time. For a while I was trying to teach Juan a few English words from the sermons, but he seems to speak in a certain way that makes it especially difficult." Jesus answered.

"Well, I am not talking about how he speaks as much as what he has been saying, You know, about the homosexual business. Have You heard any of that?" Tower inquired.

"Yes, a little. We didn't pay much attention to it. Do you think it is important?" Jesus asked the General.

"I only mention it because there will probably be a question about it at the news conference today." the General commented. "You might collect Your thoughts so You'll be ready for them."

"I guess I hadn't thought of that. All the reporters in the news conferences seem to be pleasant enough. A lot of them are downright friendly. I've never particularly felt that I had to prepare Myself for their questions." Jesus answered thoughtfully.

Jesus, Juan, Beatrice and the General filed into the empty room to take their places. General Tower had to give the nod before the reporters were allowed to enter.

"Hello everyone. Let's get started." Jesus said as He was still walking to the podium.

"Marge Lassiter, Sacramento Enquirer. Everyone has heard the latest from Southern California. Many people now think that Pastor Stratton has 'outed' You and Your friend, Juan. I understand that this a personal affair between the two of you, but would You care to comment?"

"I am aware of the kinds of things this pastor says on his radio show. Of course they are troubling to Me, but I have to say that I would have to be very naive to expect this to be otherwise. It is not a personal affair between Me and Juan, and I would be pleased to comment." Jesus cleared His throat.

"As to Juan's homosexuality, the most I can say is that he isn't a homosexual. In My own case I can say that I am not a homosexual either. In our view, and I speak also for the voice of My friend Juan when I say this, we are not insulted or upset by having been called by this label. It is similar to saying that we each have only one leg. If we had but one leg would we be insulted? And more, since we have two legs what is the purpose of it? If one of us, either Juan or Myself were homosexual should our lifelong friendship be other than it is? What would it mean? What would it mean to the other one? What would it mean to the world? Is this an invitation for Me to speculate about this Pastor's sex practices and tell all the world the answer to My guess about it ?"

"I am here to minister to all men and women, not to judge them. The people of the world are doing as well as can be expected under the conditions here."

"The people who use My Name as the title of their religion and who seem to worship their book as a means to reach their spiritual potential are free to do that. They are also free to take tribal laws made in the desert in ancient times and follow them, if they choose. I can only suggest that they reflect on the nature of this world. In fact it is made the way the Creator willed it to be made. That means there will be one legged men if the Creator causes them to be one-legged. It also means that there will be homosexuals if the Creator makes them such. One day it will occur to these book worshipers that their book is for them. There are others in the world with them. Their book is not for these others who have chosen another path to glimpse the face of God. The book worshipers have spent literally centuries putting forth one opinion after another about the meaning of the book. They have demanded that all people follow their lead and worship the book with them. In some cases this has led to historic tragedy when others have not been able to resist them. It has sometimes led to slaughter and all kinds of other things which even the book says are wrong. I don't claim to understand this. I certainly don't claim to know the secret of the book, if in fact, there is one."

"They usually look in the book and call Me the anti-Christ or the Beast. Just as I am not a homosexual, I am also not the anti-Christ nor the Beast. These words have meaning inside their group. They have meaning to those who worship the book. These words mean nothing to Me other than that they are words inside that religion. Calling Me the anti-Christ means about as much as calling Me one-legged. It doesn't hurt My feelings or discourage Me. It wouldn't hurt My feelings or discourage Me if I were in fact one legged. It has no meaning to Me. I cannot assist these people in the worship of the book, but I wish them well in their search for their spiritual path."

"Now, while I am on this subject. The book worshipers have traditionally been quite unpleasant to the men called homosexuals. I presume that they have chosen to call Me that because they plan to be quite unpleasant to Me, and worse yet, to Juan, My friend. One can only ask why, with such an array of abominations available to them, do they seem to always select this exact one? Why haven't they said that I have borne false witness against My neighbor, or that I have not honored My father and My mother? Why am I not accused of coveting my neighbor's ass, or afflicting a widow or fatherless child? Why is it that I am accused of being a homosexual? Perhaps, it is because these ministers just think about homosexuals very often. Perhaps they think of men lying with men much more frequently than the affliction of widows and fatherless children or bearing false witness against one's neighbor or coveting the ass of the neighbor. Their accusations speak volumes about the thoughts in their hearts and minds. With respect to what I intend to accomplish here, it would not matter one whit if I were homosexual or not. No one will think of that."

"It is difficult in this age to live as desert tribesmen, to follow those laws. I saw fully the results of this in My last life. Many have chosen or have been forced to choose this system of laws as a path toward spiritual adulthood. The end result seems to be consistent whether one attempts it before the Golden Gate of Jerusalem or the Golden Gate of San Francisco."

"What I will ask the world to do is exceedingly much greater than divining the meaning of an ancient book. It is very much harder than going over the verses of their Bible once and again and again for centuries. If the book were meant to have all the answers for all time, why would I show up twenty centuries ago? Or for that matter, now?"

"Finally, if I am a homosexual, what does it have to do with them? I have always felt that perhaps the most important part of spiritual maturity is minding one's own business. It is very spiritual to mind your own business." All the reporters in the crowded little room were wordless as Jesus very clearly got these words off His chest.

"Who's next. The gentleman right here by the aisle. I remember you, Mr. Washington. It's good to see you again. What is your question?" Jesus stepped to one side so He could see the man who was rising from his seat.

"Jason Washington, Newark Daily News. Since we have already broken into the subject, aren't You concerned with the kind of things that are coming out of Southern California? It seems that the single focus of this rather influential ministry is to call into question Your credentials." The man sat down, pen and pad at the ready.

"Two large groups are obviously involved with Me. One wishes to support Me and the other wishes to crucify Me. Again. It's clear now that it hasn't mattered who prevailed in the violence. Neither side has anything to do with Me. All their shooting and fighting serves their spiritual needs not one bit. Considering Who I am, how could I need support from anyone more than I have already? Thinking of the other side, why would I fear a hateful man on the radio selling flame proof Bibles?" Jesus spoke kindly to the reporter, but with solid conviction. "Can you name a man in ancient Jerusalem who criticized Me? There were several, but just now they are unknown. They are lost in history. I'm not. Buck Stratton has a problem. I'm important. He's not."

"That will be all the questions for today. Thank you all for coming." Jesus had mastered this phrase. "General Tower, will you arrange for us to return home?"