And again the boy gasped, stepping on a sharp stone. And he looked unhappy.
The Viscountess remarked:
- Of course, faith must be based on reasonable arguments! For example, Jesus claims to be the Most High God. However, he teaches: if they hit you on your right cheek, turn your left! And in the Old Testament, on the contrary, he gives orders to exterminate both women and children, and even domestic animals!
Gulliver replied:
- You seem to know the Bible well!
The Viscountess nodded.
- Yes, I read it. And there is a lot of cruelty and absurdity! Like a command to marry harlots, or an order to kill the innocent. And Elisha set the bears on the children, who only teased him for his baldness!
The boy Gulliver remarked:
- And people sometimes do this, creating cruelty!
The girl confirmed:
- Yes, they do! But it doesn't do them any credit!
The boy captain remarked:
- Unfortunately, sometimes it happens that you have to use cruelty. Well, if there is no other way of education! And in general, what confuses you?
The Viscountess remarked:
- On the one hand, the extreme cruelty of the Old Testament, and at the same time the gentleness of Jesus Christ, who prayed even crucified, for his executioners!
Gulliver spread his hands and answered:
- I don't know! While it is difficult to say why and what ... We must collect our thoughts. But anyway. Here the question is, but life does not end with the Earth. And maybe, having killed the child with the help of the bear Elisha, he delivered him from eternal suffering in fiery hell, immediately transferring him to paradise?
The Viscountess giggled and remarked:
- So any murderer can say - I did not let him sin! And moved to paradise!
The boy Gulliver wanted to object, but somehow thoughts did not enter his head. And what is there to talk about? Here you need to be an experienced theologian. Even theologians and theologians are not able to give a satisfactory answer to all questions. For example, why does evil exist in the presence of an Almighty and loving God? Does God want evil to exist or is he unable to end it?
And here it is very difficult to answer specifically. Or so it turns out, or otherwise. But there is a paradox that any answer will not suit everyone.
The boy captain said with a sad smile:
- Here you, for example, live a thousand years without aging. So rejoice in it. Because God has given you grace and eternal youth. But he did not give it to ordinary people. And that is his business!
The Viscountess nodded.
- Amen! This is cool!
Gulliver sang:
God is the greatest mercy of the bottomless,
You created the earth, the height of the heavens...
For the sake of the people, Your only begotten Son,
He went to the cross, and then rose again!
The girl nodded and chirped:
At the heavenly roll call
All my friends will gather
At the heavenly roll call
There, by the grace of the Lord,
I will!
Gulliver winked at her and sang in response:
My God, it's You, it's You
I see you everywhere...
When I tear flowers in passing,
And with love I worship You!
Jehovah is the crown of beauty,
In the light of day and midnight radiance ...
These are my thoughts and dreams
This youth is a bright desire!
The girl nodded with a beaming smile.
- Yes, you have a good song, however, I want you to sing more!
Gulliver sang with a smile:
How beautiful is all that is Yours,
I hear your voice everywhere...
In the heart of God's right hand sings,
And whispers into the soul like a ripening colossus!
These are mountains covered with moss,
These are waves with raging foam ...
It's a hot sand beach
This is the sun from the endless universe!
Then the girl angrily stamped her bare foot and interrupted Gulliver, asking:
- And the ugly old women, the creation of the Lord God, which are also beautiful?
Gulliver shrugged his shoulders and remarked:
- If there are inhabitants of other worlds and planets, and they are not like us, then they, too, probably, may think that we are a freak. Moreover, even in relation to the most beautiful girls!
The Viscountess agreed:
- From the point of view of dialectics - it sounds logical!
Gulliver sang with a smile:
Enlightened the Lord Almighty,
Finding Peace in Christ...
I felt that I am a sinner,
That the Lord is my savior!
The girl nodded and sang, baring her teeth: