"Invited for a Potluck" cartoon by nakedpastor David Hayward
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THE CRUCIFICTION:
I wasn't sure what to think of him at first. He wasn't one of us, even though he tried to be.
To be honest, we were sheep and he was a wolf.
There. I said it.
You might ask why we were so stupid to let a wolf into our fold. Well, because it's mostly wolves who apply. And, as we sadly discovered, it's hard to find a gentle caregiver and teacher. Almost impossible.
This guy seemed tolerable. It seemed like he wouldn't harm us at least.
But sometimes things would happen. When things didn't go his way, his eyes would flare, as well as his nostrils, and something sinister¬†would appear over his demeanor. He would often say things that on the surface sounded pious but actually were sharp and penetrating claws of shame. At times I wasn't sure if he was controlling us with fear or with kindness. You know‚ fear of repercussions if we disobeyed him and anxiety over hurting his feelings if we disappointed him. Either way‚ control.
It was always lie down stand up sit down measure up go here go there do this do that stop this stop that. Always. And we did it because we so wanted things to go well. We wanted this to work. We didn't want to anger him or hurt him.
Such a delicate dance. For our own survival though.
Every once in a while one of us would disappear. He suggested that since they left us we should leave them be. But we hear rumors as to why they leave. Always their fault. But we never hear from them again. It's as if they were devoured. Eaten up and spit out.
Do I trust him? I don't know. From a distance maybe. I don't want to get too close. I've seen what happens. You become a kind of servant, sacrificing your desires¬†for the sake of his‚ I mean the community's... needs.
Don't judge me. Don't we all do it‚ food for the machine, we¬†surrender ourselves for the sake of the group and for the pleasure of our leaders?
I mean, it's what sheep do best.
