Challenges from The Condo #4

Challenges from The Condo #4

Chapter 1: The Party

The Condo: or...Life, a Sequel by Dalma Takács is available from

Amazon.com. (Pap. $17.99; E.book / Kindle ed. $9.99)

 

The hero, Jasper Wergild and his wife Marguerite are hosting a party of old and new friends.  Join the conversation as different topics change the mood from bland to turbulent.

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The guests are shocked witnesses when Pete suffers a PTSD attack and tackles his brother Joe,  punching him and forcing him to the ground.

 

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After Joe and Pete left, it was hard to pretend it was a party any more. But people did not want to leave. Each person felt compelled to stay and prove something.

“You were saying we are not natural killers? You could have fooled me,” Jim challenged Nancy.

“We are not,” she shot back. “You saw how he was. He worked like a robot. That poor sucker has been trained to kill. And who trained him? The army. And who trained the army? The leaders of our country, that’s who. I tell you, we’d all get along fine without the politicians.”

“Yes, but who trains the politicians?” Jasper said.

“We do,” Jim said. “We train them every November. Let’s face it. Human beings are all flawed.”

“For once I agree with you,” Bob Smith said. “We are all in need of salvation before we can be welcomed in heaven.”

Jim turned to Sr. Estrella. “Sister, you’ve just come from the experts in Rome. What’s the view of the Vatican? What’s wrong with human beings?”

Sr. Estrella was perfectly poised in her faith. “What’s wrong? Nothing that a few hundred years in purgatory can’t fix. Of course, some of us will need more work than others.”

“I bet.” Jim said. “How long would you say our president will need to make him fit for heaven?”

“How long in our years, or in God’s years?” Sr. Estrella asked.

“I didn’t know there was a difference. This puts a whole new light on the Bible versus evolution controversy.” Jasper remarked.

Jim refused to be sidetracked. He found Sr. Estrella to be a competent sparring partner. “But what exactly is supposed to happen in purgatory?”. . . .

. . . . “What I would like to know is how the concept of purgatory would change the individual. Some of my sins make me what I am. If God takes away my sins, will he make me into a uniformly flawless creature, a member of the heavenly choir, singing his praises? In other words, to get into heaven, would I have to give up my individuality?”

Sr. Estrella listened carefully, and then stayed quiet for a while. “Let me ask you this. Is there only one way to be good?”

“Of course not, but I still can’t help feeling that life in heaven would be rather bland for most of us. Take me, for instance. I get things done by losing my temper. When I am working on an important project, I slam doors and yell at people who hinder me. The conflict makes victory sweet for me. If I had to give up anger and fighting, I would no longer be the same person. I don’t think I would be very happy in your heaven. I don’t think I would sign up for purgatory either.”

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What do you think? What is wrong with human beings? What solution does religion offer?  What is your solution?