Tatsu - The Threat

Chapter 11 - Illuminati

Carmen was the daughter of an eloquent minister in a strict, conservative Christian church. Her father helped many families during harsh trials, but his own home was dysfunctional. A typical case. The sniping nature of sin, held him a clear target even at ten thousand feet.  People like him have always been valuable targets since the beginning, like Adam and Eve.    

Growing up in the Christian life was a challenge, but Carmen managed to stay faithful and devoted, while some of her siblings did not, and justifiably so. Carmen passed on her devotion to her children. They grew up Christian, memorized bible verses, learned beautiful songs. But something went wrong. It all felt like a way of life, customs and traditions. It didn't feel like a faith. But Carmen would never see it that way because she did have faith, so Brian and his two siblings were forced to go to church two times a week. Many parents do that. They have to force their kids to be "good". Brian, like most church youth, believed firmly in God, he just didn't have a relationship with Him. He didn't believe in the power of prayer, otherwise he would have prayed fervently since the days of El Pozo,

One Sunday morning, Carmen's unyielding devotion created a very intense moment.

"Get up Brian!" she said while Bryan responded tossing and turning in bed.

"You have three seconds to get up!" Brian foolishly continued tossing and turning.

Suddenly, a cold splash from a pail of water came crashing through the covers. Brian jumped out of bed screaming breathlessly, "Ah! Ok, ok, I'm going!" A very convincing method used by his mother every-now-and-then for not getting out of bed promptly on the Lord's Day.

After taking his mother's cold splash quite seriously, he was very attentive during the sermon. One he would never forget.

With an intense traditionalistic style, the preacher was raising his voice explaining that the serpent was able to walk before it was cursed by God. "The serpent was the dragon. The beast prior to the curse" yelled the preacher citing the passage in Revelation chapter 12.

"The dragon, known as the ancient serpent and Satan, was cast down from heaven with his angels because he was trying to devour the child who would rule all nations with an iron scepter, but the child was snatched up to God and to his throne", read the preacher with a loud conviction.

Brian sat there breathing faster than normal. Scratching his shoulder, not understanding what he was hearing. The preacher's words were spoken in a choking slow motion.

"Yes, the serpent was clever and powerful, and was able to convince Eve to eat of the forbidden tree. The dragon tempted her to know good and evil. It tempted her to be like God...so don't fall a victim to the enchanting ability of the dragon who can make you think you can be like God! Don't become a cast down angel of the dragon. An angel of Satan!"

This couldn't be right. Brian was no angel of Satan. Tatsu was a friend, a mentor, a kami. Brian got up and walked quickly to get out of there. He wanted to run out, but he kept his composure enough to keep walking. It was so damn hot in there, he needed fresh air.

As he was almost out the door he heard the preacher concluding. "Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He defeated the dragon crushing its head and He defeated death rising on the third day."

A gloom took over Brian. The fantastical essence that appeased him and allowed him to reach a unity within himself should in no way be compared to the devil. Christian youth come face to face with the dilemmas of their lives and decide to run away. Things that feel good and normal to them turn to shit in the church - sexuality, sexual passion and different forms of debauchery have no place in the house of God. Homosexuality is an abomination, sex is fornication that sends you to hell and drugs and alcohol destroy the temple of God built into the bodies of those who believe in Him. It's all so hard to understand. No wonder young people have left the church by the thousands, by the millions.