Luke

Dec. 5, 2014 Wake-up pages.

LUKE: I'm Luke. I want to go to the place where my father is. 
ME: Where is he?
L: I think he is in Japan. He died in Japan.
M: Is he Japanese?
L: He is American. He died in WWII.
M: Soldier?
L: He was a missionary.
M: During the war?! 
L: He didn't leave. 
M: Okay.
L: I meant to visit his grave but I never did . I feel bad that I never visited his place. 
M: I'll call Ben.
B: HI Luke. I'm Ben.
L: Hello Ben. I feel like I can't leave and go to heaven because I never paid respects to my father. 
B: Your father is in the TSP. You can talk to him there. 
L: But his body is in Japan. 
B: He isn't using it. He left it there a long time ago.
L: So I can never say the things I should have said to him.
B: Just go to the TSP and say it. He's there. 
L: What is the TSP?
B: The Timeless, Spaceless place. It's where we go when we leave our three-dimensional bodies.
L: I thought we go to Heaven. Or Hell if we're bad. I think I'm going to Hell.
B: Because you didn't visit your father's grave?
L: That, and because I'm gay.
B: Oh then, you really don't want to go to Heaven.
L: What? Of course I do.
B: Have you seen what they wear there?  Those long white robes are all off the same rack. Not a Gucci or Armani or couture in the lot.
L: You're making fun of me.
B: And, oh dem golden slippers! Fine for the ladies maybe, with the right outfit, but, seriously, would you be caught dead...?
L: Stop that. I'm very sad and you are making me laugh. It isn't right to laugh when you are facing eternal damnation. 
B: Luke, people tell stories to explain things they don't understand. And they make up rules about the stories to control people so they don't get too out of hand. 
L But my father sacrificed his life to take the gospel to people who were in despair.
B: That's good. The Christian Gospel teaches the sacred worth of every human being and that we must do unto others the way we want them to treat us.
L: Yes. 
B: That is very important in societies where people don't recognize the worth of other people.
L: Yes, women and children live horrible lives when they are bought and sold like commodities.
B: Right. And missionaries have made a big difference in places where weaker people are at the mercy of predators.
L: That's right. I'm proud of my father's work.
B: And how is the Christian Gospel working out for you?
(pause)
L: I thought if I prayed enough and tried hard enough I'd be delivered from temptation.
B: Not happening?
L: I was so sad. I sinned and I couldn't stop. 
B: So? 
L: I didn't kill myself. Not on purpose. But I couldn't sleep and I guess I forgot how many pills I took. And I shouldn't have been drinking. But it was wine. Jesus drank wine. He drank real wine. They didn't have any way of refrigerating grape juice. 
B: Luke, tell me what you want.
L: What I want?
B: Like if you could start over -- a new life. 
L: I would want to be straight. Normal. Like my dad. A regular guy.
B: Really?
L: No. I really liked who I was. But I want it to be okay to be me. I want to be someplace where it isn't a sin to feel the way I do.
B: You know, in the TSP you create your own reality.
L: Things are the way they are.
B: Actually you create your own reality here too. But it takes longer. And what you want gets scrambled up with what other people want you to want.
L: I want what I want to want.
B: What's your favorite ride?
L: When I was in Italy -- foreign exchange student -- I had a neat little Vespa. So cute. I had more fun; met more guys. 
B: Oh look! Is this a Vespa?
L: Ha! It looks just like Hal.
B: And I have Hal's little brother. Want to take a ride?
L: Where will we go?
B: It's kind of dark here. Do you see any light?
L: I do. Yes. Up there. I thought it was a star but it's getting bigger.
B: Let's go there.
L: Okay. I'm tired of sitting in the dark. 
B: Here we go! Wheeeeeee!
L: Hey, look up there. That's my dad. 
B: Where? 
L: Straight ahead. He's waving!
B: Sure enough. Hi, Luke's Dad!
L: Omigosh, check it out! 
B: What ? 
L: His suit. It's Armani!

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