The Tree of Knowledge
Chapter 38: Cassie

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately.

I’ve been thinking about Cassie Bernall.

I found a book about her at a yard sale once for a buck. She was one of the victims of the Columbine High School massacre back in the 90’s. She was hiding in the library, praying, when one of the shooters approached her. He asked her if she believed in God. She said “yes” and he shot her. Cassie had a choice. She knew if she said yes she would die, and she did it anyway. She was only seventeen. Surely she wasn’t ready to die. But she understood that there are things more important than living. That certain principals are not to be compromised, even when faced with dire consequences. Cassie believed that it would be better to die then to abandon her faith. That some threats were not worth caving to.

Let’s say it wasn’t a messed up teenager with a shotgun.

Let’s say it was God.

God says, “Obey my every command, or go to Hell.”

You can endure suffering and pain for all eternity, or you can watch people be sold into slavery.

You can help stone a man to death for being gay.

You can let a woman die because her husband wills it.

You can burn books.

You can take the rape and abuse until it breaks you inside and call it “marriage”.

And you can thank Jesus every day for “loving” you.

You have a choice.

People try to pretend that they don’t, but they do.

You can choose to go to Hell.

Some threats are not worth caving to.

And maybe some gods are not worthy of the praise they demand.