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My Ancestor Was an Ancient Astronaut

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Toba Beta

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“There is something about human beings that makes our 'love for the world' often look like hatred for it. Jesus said 'Do not think I have come to bring peace on earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword.' (Matthew 10:34) He said a number of things. 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you' (Matthew 5:44), for example. And "Put your sword back in it's place, for all who live by the sword will perish by the sword.' (Matthew 26:52) But for whatever reason - as a Calvinist I might propose our fallen state - human beings have found the obedience to the commandment to love one another modified by the statement I quoted first (which does not have the form of a commandment although it is taken to have the force of one). And it has inspired the response: 'Send me, Lord!' with far more passion and consistency than the commandment which tradition says is the last Jesus gave us: that we 'love one another' (John 15:17). As a consequence, Christians have often loved their enemies to death. Their enemies often being other Christians.”

“The hand that rested on my shoulder rubbed it a bit, comfortingly. Then it gave my shoulder a little squeeze. I leaned into him. Maybe it was that I was broken. Maybe it was just that I was out of my mind. But it occurred to me that I was going to kiss him. The thought just arrived, certain knowledge, delivered from some greater, more knowledgeable place. I was going to kiss him. Stephen would not want to kiss me. He would back up in horror. And yet, I was still going to do it. I reached over, and put my hand against his chest, then I moved closer. I could feel just the very tips of the gentle stubble on his cheek brushing against my skin. "Rory," he said. But it was a quiet protest, and it went nowhere. For the first few seconds, he didn't move-he accepted the kiss like you might accept a spoonful of medicine. Then I heard it, a sigh, like he had finally set down a heavy weight. I was pretty sure we were both kind of terrified, but I was completely sure that we were both doing this. We kissed slowly, very deliberately, coming together and then pulling apart and looking at each other. Then each kiss got longer, and then it didn't stop. Stephen put his hand just under the edge of my shirt, holding it on the spot where the scar was. Sometimes the skin around the scar got cold-now it was warm. Now it was alive. "So Thorpe says that-Seriously?" Callum was in the doorway. Stephen mumbled what I think was a very obscene word right against my mouth. "You realize I now owe Boo five pounds?" Callum said. "Boo! I owe you five pounds!”

“Something in the room had changed. My hand was on the floor, next to Stephen, but he wasn't as close to my hand as he had been. He had moved several inches over, toward the table. Just as I realized this, his arm shot out for the knife. In the next moment, he had rolled up on his knees and had Sadie caught in the crook of his arm. His face was pale, and he looked a bit shaken by the sudden movement. He was alive.”