THE ACCEPTABLE LAND: AN ALLEGORY
Every train begins its journey in the same way. Trains run continually. Their fuel is purely natural, mined from the belly of the earth. They all are heading to the Acceptable Land; some know it, some don’t. Many get lost and never get near the destination. Many, that no man can number, arrive at a life changing stopover point called the Xristi Refurbishment House. Every train that stops there endures a full overhaul. A new navigation system is installed which prepares the train for the difficult road ahead. A new crew is also brought on board who know the landscape, who will help bring the train to its destination. New menus are printed for passengers that offer food and delicacies that will prepare their taste buds for the food in the Acceptable Land. Not all trains stay for the overhaul. Some feel they have been tricked into something and turn around and go back. They prefer their own navigation system and refuse to give up their old crew. This option is easier and cheaper and avoids the inconvenience of change. These trains speed off in an opposite direction and are never heard from again. Over the years this option of foregoing the Xristi Refurbishment House has increased in popularity. Because no bad reports ever come in about the trains that choose this option, train experts naturally assume that it really doesn’t make much difference if you go through the Xristi Refurbishment House or not. Many people in the lowlands believe it really doesn’t make much difference which route you travel because everybody ends up in a good place.
In many lowland towns people debate the advantages and disadvantages of these overhauls. The advantages have much to do with future, unseen benefits. Most people seem disinterested in these things and are attracted to anything that delivers immediate satisfaction. Those who run the Xristi Refurbishment House say that overhauled trains guarantee safe passage to the Acceptable Land, but again, many seem to care little for this news. Most of them prefer to spend time in the metropolis of Gusto where sensual delights are available day and night. The skeptics of the Xristi Refurbishment House have good arguments on their side. After all no one has actually seen one of these trains reach the land where the Prince lives and where eternal joy allegedly dwells. Their arguments carry a lot of weight with the people.
The Refurbishment House itself is managed by three men, Mr. Logos, Mr. Goodshepherd and Mr. Trustworthy. They are great spokesmen for that house and speak convincingly about all the benefits of a complete overhaul, even though it can be very painful. The Refurbishment House is not primarily interested in the minor details concerning the comfort and atmosphere of the train. These will issues will be dealt with later at the Lawgos Divide. These men are most interested in getting people to board these trains with the prospect of seeing the Prince of the Acceptable Land. They spend their time convincing passengers that the Prince is everything they would want and that the Land is beautiful beyond imagination. They promote the land by reading many messages sent by the Prince which speak not only of His love for the passengers but of the wonderful things that are in store for them when they arrive. Prospective passengers are encouraged to believe and nothing more.
After the overhaul at the Xristi Refurbishment House these trains travel upward for several days and are whisked into clear, crisp, breathtaking scenery. The sun is bright, the hills are grand, the streams bubble with life, and animals frolic in the many lush valleys. Their joy is at its peak. The passengers are warned that things won’t always be this light and airy and that they must enjoy this part of the ride when they can. The train then reaches a rather colorless plateau and soon the passengers feel the train halting. They come to a place that is bustling and sober. In the middle stands a V as the track veers off in two directions. On the V stands a bold and prominent sign that says ‘Entering the Lawgos Divide.’ The word ‘Divide’ sounds ominous. Passengers get worried over what this could mean and their once happy spirits are dampened. On either side of the V stand two large terminals. Each terminal sits on one of the two diverging tracks. One track heads to the northeast, the other to the northwest. Each track boasts a sign that says, “The Best Way to the Acceptable Land.” This is the Great Divide.
Seeing two divergent tracks boast of the same destination causes the passengers further anxiety. As the train rolls up to the V, passengers ask their neighbor, “Which way are you taking?” The conductors, old men who shall be described later, encourage them to simply stay on the train, but give no reason. A big decision lies before them and this unnerves them.
The terminal on the right heading to the northeast is called Conflation Central. Going through that terminal does not require a change of trains and allows the passengers to keep the same old conductors. Stopping at this terminal is by far the easier option of the two. At this terminal trains received only a partial overhaul. The crew and the basic travel regulations remain the same. These old conductors are affectionately called the Oldtimers. As the name suggests, they are very attached to the tried and true ways of doing things. They love the orderliness provided by ancient laws and have no desire to put the passengers through any radical adjustments. The few changes instituted are adopted only because the journey up to the Acceptable Land offers some unique challenges, a new terrain, new landmarks, thinner air and perilous rough spots. However these Oldtimers stick with the traditional ways of running trains and so the changes are minimal. But there are several changes to be noted. Because the Oldtimers believe the trip to the Acceptable Land is more difficult than the trip from the Xristi Refurbishment House, there have to be more enforced regulations to keep the train orderly. Joy must be sacrificed for caution and freedom for strict discipline. These changes are not difficult for the Oldtimers, for it is their nature to love order and obedience. Passengers frequently note that as the trains leave Conflation Central these Oldtimers become more rigid and distant as the trip continues. They are wont to indoctrinate the passengers with certain phrases such as, “The old way is the tried and true way.” They tell the passengers that sacrificing joy and freedom for the privilege of getting to the Acceptable Land safely is worth it. And naturally the passengers have no choice but to obey.
The Oldtimers have many good reasons for running this tight ship. One reason is that they believe that orderliness is the key to survival in times of distress. “When there is trauma, rules become king,” they often say. In addition, the Oldtimers sincerely believe that with all their training they have been endowed with a superior wisdom that enables them to navigate trains through perilous situations.
Another change that must be mentioned is that on Conflation Trains a new set of engineers and conductors are brought on board called Freedomfighters. Now the Oldtimers believe these new men are too young and naïve to know how to handle such delicate train business. They look down upon the Freedomfighters as a bunch of young whipper snappers who don’t know much of anything. Thus there is always a palpable tension between the two groups. This makes the overall mood on the trains very heavy. Their methods are very different. The Oldtimers operate as drill sergeants and are always intent on keeping the passengers in a state of high alert. Discipline is the order of the day. This leads to the practice of a daily instruction in which every passenger is asked to read and memorize a section of the ancient train manual called Acceptable Train Manners, or ATM. The word ‘acceptable’ reminds passengers of the Acceptable Land so they figure this manual must be a good thing. The passengers are expected to obey these regulations and there is no room for question. In addition, the Oldtimers are bent on enforcing other rules not found in the manual. These are called ‘House Rules’ which have been developed by the Oldtimers who over the years have found them beneficial. These House Rules consist of things like seating arrangements, meal times, frequency of conversation, and entertainment options. Hearing these rules for the first time surprises many of the passengers since they have always heard that trains traveling to the Acceptable Land boast a freedom not found in other trains. In reality the trains running from Conflation Central advertise many freedoms that actually don’t actually exist.
So that the passengers buy into their methodology, the Oldtimers publicly obey all the regulations in their personal lives. However it has been long suspected that when these Oldtimers are not watched they take many shortcuts. What surprises many of the passengers is that no one, including the Oldtimers, talks much about the Acceptable Land or the Prince who governs it. Most of the conversation revolves around keeping the passengers orderly, quiet and safe. Acting freely and innovatively and enjoying many of the nice features of the train or even exhibiting emotion is considered a threat to the train’s safety and is uniformly discouraged. This highlights an incongruity about the trains leaving from Conflation Central. Although they are headed to a land of beauty, joy and promise, the atmosphere on the trains is stilted, joyless and pessimistic. If any random man were to board one of these trains not knowing its destination he would never guess it was headed to the Acceptable Land.
The Freedomfighters are a whole different lot. These young, energetic, men have been specifically trained to navigate the journey to the Acceptable Land. They are trained in what is known as the Geist School. They are on the trains to help the Oldtimers in the navigation but they know full well that the Oldtimers are actually in charge and refuse to share any authority. Yet, because of their training in the new school, the Freedomfighters have become specialists in the ways of the Acceptable Land and are better suited to conduct trains to that land. This creates much jealousy among the Oldtimers who clamp down ever harder on the discipline on the trains. The differences between the two groups are deep and these differences often bubble to the surface causing an atmosphere of tension.
The chief characteristic of these Freedomfighters, as their name suggests, is that they have a high regard for personal freedom. They downplay the strict enforcement of law and order and are not so concerned about the individual discipline of each passenger. They are by no means chaotic in their methods but their leadership style does not major on what the passengers ‘should do’ or ‘ought to do’ but on allowing passengers to make choices that will brighten the overall mood of the train. They are great believers in doing things from the heart and not the rule book. The great goal of the Freedomfighters is that of arriving safely at the Acceptable Land and meeting the Prince. These goals help to promote a relaxed and happy atmosphere in the cabin; when the Freedomfighters are in charge, passengers feel free to be themselves. The Freedomfighters put these convictions into practice as they spend a good amount of their time getting to know the passengers and encouraging the ones who are weak and fragile.
Trains traveling from Conflation Central make one additional change as they depart for the Acceptable Land. This concerns the type of fuel used. The Oldtimers of course are used to the old earthly fuel that has serviced the train well to that point and stubbornly refuse to use any other. The Freedomfighters, on the other hand, use a newly discovered fuel mined from the highlands which is called the Geistfuel. Of course the Oldtimers think that changing fuel is a sinful waste. “Why,” these men ask, “do we need a new fuel when the old still works?” The problem with this reasoning is that the Oldtimers don’t seem to understand that they are entering a heavenly world that has never before been traversed and presents a whole new set of atmospheric challenges. Because the old fuel was a natural fuel, mined from the belly of the earth, it has always had trouble operating at the high altitudes. But the Oldtimers hold to it because it has been used from time immemorial. What has worked before will still work now. And besides, they reason, there is no solid proof that the new fuel works any better in the rarified air of the Acceptable Land. Of course this attitude surprises no one as Oldtimers are always resistant to change. They live by the old maxim of ‘seeing is believing.’ And because the new fuel has never been scientifically proven to work they reject any suggestion that it is better able to power trains to the Acceptable Land. And of course their suspicions are backed by the science department in the Lowlands Regional Terminal which has never been able to explain how this Geistfuel works at all. Yet testimony after testimony has filtered down from the Acceptable Land stating that this fuel really does outperform all others. Many of the younger train men believe in it, but few scientists and none of the Oldtimers do.
Of course the Conflation trains only run on this Geistfuel when the Freedomfighters are on duty. But since they are in a subordinate position, these times are brief and the new fuel is used only sparingly. It is only when the Oldtimers are off duty and sleeping in their quarters that the Freedomfighters are able to covertly fill the engines with the new fuel. Reports by the passengers testify that trains run so much better during these periods.
Having two groups of leaders with such opposite methodologies on the same train has provoked many intense arguments. The Oldtimers are committed to running trains ‘by the book’ and they are not afraid to enforce the many regulations. They keep to themselves, are detached and never listen to any of the passengers, least of all the Freedomfighters. Their method of leadership is ‘our way or the railway,’ to quote an old adage they learned in the School of Moriah. When Freedomfighters try to voice their concerns the Oldtimers shrug it off as just so much noise. They truly believe these young upstarts have no idea what they’re doing. Often they are heard to say during one of these arguments, “We’ve done it this way for hundreds of years and we ain’t changing it now.” During those times when the Oldtimers are in charge (which is most of the time), the cabs are joyless, stiff and regimented. And when the Freedomfighters are in charge things lightened up significantly. They allow as much freedom on the trains as it feasible and allow passengers to sit wherever they desire and to converse with whomever they want. They don’t demand a strict diet and the passengers can eat foods they enjoy. They even encourage people to laugh and show emotion, something the Oldtimers hate. When the Freedomfighters are in charge, the cabins are full of singing. Even giggling and joking are known to exist on their trains. All of these liberties only serve to enrage the Oldtimers more.
There is another train option to those who arrive at the Lawgos Divide. Instead of heading northeast via Conflation Central, passengers can cross the tracks and head for the other terminal called the Geistlife. This terminal sits on a track heading to the northwest and like the other track it boasts a sign stating, “The ‘Best Way to the Acceptable Land.” This terminal is far less busy than the Conflation Central. The reason is that passengers who opt to go in this direction face a huge inconvenience; they must completely disembark from the train they were on and board a completely new one.
The trains that run from Geistlife are much different from all other trains in existence. They are manned solely by the Freedomfighters, who, as we mentioned before, have been trained in the heavenly Geist School. It has been long reported that this institute was started by the Prince Himself and sits on a high plateau east of the Heavenly Mountains. Its curriculum is totally geared toward the successful transporting of passengers to the Acceptable Land in the safest, most joyful atmosphere possible. The instructors at this famed school are retired leaders from the Acceptable Land and are the greatest experts on all the new theories of how to run trains in heavenly atmospheres. Not surprisingly the curriculum pays high esteem to the older codes of former years but follows none of them. They do not subscribe to the older theories regarding the eating of various foods, keeping ancient holidays, and the laws of personal discipline. At the same time this curriculum focuses on the character of the Prince and the relationships between passengers. Overall this school aims to prepare passengers for life in the Acceptable Land and is not overly concerned with laws governing the trip itself. The instructors have long discarded the ATM Manual and have adopted as their new textbook the The Book of Charity, which is studied with great relish. This book is said to have been be written by the Prince himself though there remains some debate about that. Because of this fine training, the Freedomfighters are highly equipped to conduct trains to the Acceptable Land. Not only do they have skills to guide such trains but they are encouraged to increase in their knowledge of the Acceptable Land and the Prince. Their total aim is to bring all passengers safely to that beautiful land, even though the journey is reported to be very difficult. As previously stated, what they are taught more than anything else is the virtue of freedom and that is manifested in their desire to encourage passengers to choose things for themselves which are to be measured against the desires of the Prince. Self-restraint is always to be guided by the Prince’s desires and not by the rulebook.
As a result they are often accused of being an Anti-legality group, a charge they accept rather joyfully. They know what few others know: that freedom does not mean chaos and free choice does not mean rebellion. Rather they have learned from those who know best that the more the passengers are directed to the Prince and the Acceptable Land, the more they will desire to love and serve one another from the heart. And they have learned that people who are happy and free are most teachable. They constantly are taught to trust in the Prince and their favorite motto is ‘leaning leads to learning.’ Many have testified that riding their trains is the most enjoyable experience a person can have short of the Acceptable Land itself.
Trains leaving the Geistlife terminal run, of course, on the new fuel mined in the heavenly mountains. This is the only fuel that works for if one of these trains uses natural fuel it will sputter and stall. Despite all the evidence many people, especially the Oldtimers, mock this fuel saying it is not backed by science and should be rejected. ‘If it can’t be proved, it can’t be used’ is the common saying. The fact that the Oldtimers are opposed to this fuel isn’t surprising. Almost everything the Freedomfighters do, they are against. They publicly denounce their training, their methods, their age, their fuel, and even their emphasis on the Acceptable Land. The Oldtimers have actually inaugurated a smear campaign to try to convince passengers not to take the Geistlife trains. Yet despite all the slander the Freedomfighters are proud of what they do and invite anyone to investigate their entire Geistlife operation.
These two different ways to the Acceptable Land have become a major issue of discussion in the train community. At the Moriah Institute, the school supported by the Oldtimers, many sharp critiques have been leveled at the Freedomfighters and the Geistlife Terminal. They claim it is impossible that any train could ever arrive safely at the Acceptable Land without strict rules. Rules are what keeps order, restrains chaos and fosters obedience. Rules, they say, frame every other facet of life so why not have them guiding trains traveling to the Acceptable Land? The Moriah School has developed an entire curriculum that scientifically attacks the tenets of the Geist School. Many of the teachers have gone as low as to demean the Freedomfighters by challenging their knowledge of Trainology calling them fakes and charlatans. They tell the train community that Freedomfighters are not even qualified to guide a kiddie train in an amusement park. Worse yet they constantly slander the Freedomfighters by saying they engage in loose, unprincipled habits. To date they have failed to prove their case yet suspicion of the Freedomfighters is quite common in the public’s mind because their opponent owns all the media outlets. One can only guess the reasons for this vitriol and many have ascribed it to jealousy. Not bothered, the Freedomfighters try to keep their focus on looking for better ways to make trips to the Acceptable Land more pleasant.
Many arguments have continued over the years about the best trains to take to the Acceptable Land. But no one has ever returned from that land so nothing can be proved. That is until one evening when a strange figure stumbled into the Lawgos Divide.
DECADES LATER:
For many years trains have departed from the Lawgos Divide, some have gone to the northeast on Conflation Central, a smaller number northwest on the Geist trains. Every so often debates flare up between the two terminals as to which method is superior. The marketing strategy of the Conflation people is a well- oiled machine, a juggernaut actually, and it controls most of the media outlets so that most of the people living in the lowlands simply assume that Conflation trains are the surest way to get to the Acceptable Land. Their marketing motto is a powerful, “It worked then and it will work now.” In comparison, the Geistlife people have no focused marketing strategy. They promote their trains by word of mouth only. To no one’s surprise their trains are often half empty while Conflation trains are full. This disparity has nothing to do with any verifiable data that Conflation trains are better, but because the philosophy that governs Conflation seems more reasonable in people’s minds and, of course, because they market themselves better. In actuality, what little evidence there is, demonstrates that Geist trains outperform their rivals in almost every category. They boast a smoother ride, a happier trip, a faster pace and a more satisfied clientele. Yet because no one has ever come back from the Acceptable Land to give personal testimony this superiority, the Geist trains remain a secret....until, that is, Lazarus came to town.
As we said, Lazarus stumbled into the Lawgos Divide one sultry evening. He was truly a walking museum piece, a curiosity from a different age. He wore a white gown from which a strip of tattered cloth hung and flapped in the breeze. He spoke in what some of the locals called a heavenly dialect. The words he spoke were understandable but largely misunderstood. His name, Lazarus, proved he was from another land for that was not a common name in those parts. When he arrived Lazarus asked for an audience with the train authorities. He had something important to say. When the citizens heard he wanted to speak, and that he had come from the Acceptable Land, they immediately rented the large hall in the middle of town and invited him. The people didn’t know what to make of him but if he was legit they were anxious to know everything he had to say, especially things concerning the Acceptable Land and the trains that headed up there. The reason was simple: many of the residents had seen their loved ones depart to that land and they wanted some assurance they had arrived safely.
Lazarus stated that he was a friend of the Prince. He had once taken a train to the Acceptable Land but a committee deemed him not ready for that land so the Prince sent him back to the lowlands… on a mission. He began his talk with a brief bio and then opened up the meeting for questions. The questions came rapid fire, one after the other….
“How is it you’re the only person ever to come back from that land?” Asked a man in a yellow “Lawgos” T-shirt.
“And if you were really there, then tell us what was it like,” shouted a lady boasting a huge coiffure.
A diminutive girl piped in, “Is that land really as wonderful as was hinted in the ancient myths?”
Another gray-haired man asked the question heard several times over…. “and what of the trains? Did all of the trains from Conflation Central and Geistlife reach the destination?”
The man in the yellow Lawgos shirt chimed in again, “And how were the passengers who arrived at the Acceptable Land? Were they in good shape… awed, happy, disappointed, apathetic, frightened, ecstatic?”
“Whoa, whoa…” Lazarus held up his hands to stop the assault. He stroked his long beard and said firmly, “One at a time, please! I’ll try to answer as many questions as possible. But just so you know, I am a mere witness of things I have seen in the Acceptable Land. I can only tell what I have seen. But I do have things to share with you. One thing you should know before I start: my senses were overwhelmed the entire time I was up there and I find it difficult to describe heavenly things in the lowlands dialect.”
His speech halted for a moment. “As to my overall impression of the Acceptable Land, I can only say it was a place beyond description. It gave me a never-ending buzz of joy. Though I had not always loved the Prince who ruled the land, once I got to know Him I can safely say that I have never before encountered a man so kind and gracious, yes, more tender than any Shepherd who loves his flock. I never felt unwanted in His presence, though He was far above me. But I cannot speak any more of those things because words can’t do them justice. As the old proverb says, things in the Acceptable Land are better “felt than tellt.”
“But what about the trains,” interjected the man wearing the yellow shirt? “That’s what we all really want to know.”
“Yes, that is one thing I can share with you all.” Lazarus paused for a minute to collect his thoughts. “First you must understand that as passengers disembark and enter the Reception Station of the Acceptable Land, the first thing they encounter is a rather frightening judicial screening process. It’s hard to explain what every individual must endure when they arrive. They stand all alone in a judicial-like hall and are reminded of the many ways they had offended the Prince during their life. If that were not bad enough, these ‘ways’ are broadcast on large screens strategically placed throughout the land.”
He paused, displaying a look of shame or regret. “Going through this is the most shameful experience I have ever endured, a complete undressing, if you will.” He paused. “I know it’s hard but try to think of being made aware of every infraction you have committed against the Prince and His kingdom, not only things you know about but all those secret things that were hidden from view, from others, and even from yourself. Frightening experience.”
He looked around and began again. “It is hard to explain how humiliating this is. Time, if one can call it time, dragged on during this process. As we faced this humiliation most of us wondered if we might be sent back to the lowlands given all our infractions. But I’m happy to report no one was returned.”
The crowd was drawn in. Lazarus continued. He was now smiling. “After this embarrassment a most wonderful thing happened. The Prince came up to me with arms open and showed me His scarred hands. He then turned to the monitor and without agreeing to any conditions He announced a total amnesty for me and all my infractions; it was as if all my sins had been dumped into a bottomless casket of forgetfulness. I was in total shock… and very joyful.”
Lazarus halted. “I found out later that this same pronouncement had been made to all those entering the Acceptable Land.”
He paused and lifted up his countenance. “That was a great moment for us all. But there is one thing I will never forget-- and that is how the Prince smiled at me, yes at me personally. He even called me by name, and told me He was proud of me. That was the happiest day of my life.”
“All this was later explained to me. I was told how the Prince could declare this total remission for all my infractions because He had actually put Himself under all the laws I had violated and had voluntarily allowed Himself to be punished for them by His Father. When I heard this explained I was deeply moved. I had heard rumors that the Prince was gracious but never in my wildest dreams did I understand His grace as I did on that day. It was like….” He paused. “It was like my eyes were being opened up in a way they had never been opened before. And all of this gave me an even greater admiration for my loving Prince, an admiration which grows even to this day.”
That same man with the yellow shirt again rose up and shouted, “What about the trains? Did all the trains deliver their passengers safely? My son boarded Conflation Central months ago. His name was Samson. He struggled all his life with many infractions. Please tell me, did he arrive at the Acceptable Land? Did the Conflation Trains and the Geist Trains all make it equally?”
To this Lazarus stroked his beard, looked upward and fell into deep contemplation. “Well,” Lazarus said hesitantly, “it’s strange that you should ask this question for this is exactly the reason I came. Allow me to answer the second question first. To my recollection all the trains eventually reached the reception area of the Acceptable Land. Yet I noticed a huge difference between the Conflation trains and the Geist trains.”
“Pray tell,” the lady with the large coiffure spoke up. “What difference?”
Lazarus continued on. “Well, people on the Conflation trains were in the main somewhat agitated when they disembarked. Come to think of it, I was working in the reception area one day and I asked one young man why he looked sad and what had happened on the trip. His answer was a little startling and I remember it quite well.”
“What did he say?” queried another lady short and stout.
Lazarus paused again. “He said that during the trip there were a series of disturbances on the train, I think he called them disruptions.”
He continued, “If I recall rightly he said there were many things that continually happened on the trip that made the ride very bumpy. There was a constant tension between the passengers who were trying to enjoy the trip and the many regulations imposed on them by the Oldtimers who operated the train. Any time one of the passengers tried to enjoy something a staff member would come by and remind him of some regulation prohibiting it. Some of these prohibitions were pointed out in the manual; other regulations were arbitrary, things I had never heard of before. I can tell you sir, the passengers were really on edge when we reached our final destination.”
Lazarus now spoke for himself. “After this conversation, I began to watch more closely for the demeanor of the passengers who disembarked the Conflation trains. Strange, but the passengers who got off these trains were bossy, irritable, and judgmental, just like the Oldtimers themselves. I found it interesting that the leaders’ traits so easily rubbed off on the passengers. Almost every time a Conflation passenger disembarked he or she was ready to argue about anything and to anybody. As an example, several times I heard some Conflation passengers arguing with Geist passengers about rules prohibiting children laughing. I also heard them get vehement about the harm of certain drinks, and how many hours of sleep should be allowed per night. One Conflation lady was literally dismayed to learn that one Geist passenger had actually danced in the aisle during her train trip. ‘Shameful’ was her only response as she walked away.”
He paused trying to remember another point. “Oh and I remember another thing that the young man told me. He shared with me that many of the passengers on his Conflation train had been told to sit up erect with long faces for the entire trip for this was the proper way to travel on such a serious trip. And by the sober look etched on most of the passengers’ faces he believed they had taken the command seriously. We both got a belly laugh on that one!” Lazarus then stopped to survey the audience to see their reaction. He resumed.
“The young man also said another thing quite surprising. ‘I heard many of these passengers claiming that they could only get to the Acceptable Land by keeping all the rules outlined in the Acceptable Train Manners manual. Personally I didn’t buy it, but most of them were convinced that if they broke too many laws they would not make it to the destination.’ We both shook our heads in sadness.”
“After the young man departed I continued to ponder all I had heard. Actually I was quite confused by much of it. Why the emphasis on so many rules? Did they really improve anything? And knowing the Prince as I did, I failed to see why He would care one whit about strict obedience to those very old laws outlined in the ATM. He had long ago declared that He had rescinded those old rules and they were considered irrelevant.”
The man in yellow spoke up. “Why would they be irrelevant? Aren’t laws binding for life?”
“Well,” said Lazarus, “a very complex issue here. They were totally relevant to all those living in the lowlands, but because people traveling to the Acceptable Land were in another world, those old laws were non-binding, even obsolete. And remember, all those laws were written many hundreds of years before the Prince arrived on the scene. They were given so as to keep a specific bunch of rowdy people in line. But since the Prince took command of the Acceptable Land He gave His people as a gift an inner impulse to obey rather than to heed external and ancient commands.”
Lazarus paused. “Despite what many have told us, the Prince is more pleased with smiling passengers than miserable people who travel according to an ancient, outdated manual. He loves it when passengers freely serve Him rather when they have to serve Him.”
Again Lazarus stopped to pull himself together for he was clearly getting fatigued. “One more thing about the laws in the ATM. Even those passengers who wanted to keep them and even those who believed they DID keep them could not. There simply were too many things to obey. And besides, because people naturally love to go a little crazy, obeying those regulations was always beyond their ability. So the passengers faced a double impossibility, they could not remember to keep all the rules and deep inside they didn’t want to keep them anyway.” Lazarus paused. “You know, passengers are by nature rule haters. I’m sure you all know what I’m talking about.” He stopped as if to say something… “I could say more but I won’t.”
Lazarus then changed direction. “Oh yes, I remember one other thing that the very insightful young man told me. He said that he felt that living under these laws did not make his trip easier but much harder. Burdened people do not handle traveling well. ‘One would think that the leaders would have lightened our load,’ he said, ‘but no, they made our burdens heavier. When we challenged the Oldtimers about this they would defend themselves and boast that their methods would be vindicated upon their arrival at the Acceptable Land.’ He saw this stubborn attitude in the Oldtimers time and time again.”
Lazarus paused as if wondering if he should share one last thing. “This young man told me another startling thing. ‘Come to think of it, I remember on my trip to the Acceptable Land that a passenger on my train told me that when he arrived at the reception hall of the Acceptable Land the Prince would favor him for keeping all six hundred of the regulations found in the ATM manual. He even boasted that he had kept some rules not found in the manual. And I remember that when we arrived how downcast and humiliated this man was as he entered the judgment hall and saw in full color all the infractions he had committed in the course of his life. It stripped him of his self-worth, but that’s exactly what he needed in my opinion.’”
Lazarus paused again looking out at the audience. “I share with you this young man’s experience not to discourage you who have relatives who may be on these Conflation trains but to let you know that as difficult as the journey is, they do eventually arrive. And as far as I know, all the trains that leave the Lawgos Divide make it to the end, some prosperously, some so as by fire.”
“But” he quickly added, “we should be careful in choosing what train to take. I have been sent here to help you make that decision.”
He paused. “One last suggestion. Don’t raise your children on the ATM manual. When you have their ear, tell them as much as you can about the Prince, about His gracious demeanor and about the beauty of that land that lies beyond the mountains which He gives as a gift. Raise them on the Prince’s Book Happy News by a Happy Prince and you shall do your children a great service. If you teach them these things when you arrive in the Acceptable Land the citizens shall praise your name in the gates.”
A man stood up and shouted, “Was that the only problem on the Conflation Trains?”
“I’m afraid not,” said Lazarus, obviously hesitant to move on... but choosing to continue…. “There was another issue that I saw with my own eyes as I traveled to the Acceptable Land. There was always a lot of friction between the Oldtimers and the Freedomfighters.”
The lady with a large coiffure raised her hand and said she had heard some things and wanted to know more about the differences between the Oldtimers and Freedomfighters.
“Well,” said Lazarus looking around, “this is something I have thought a lot about, but mind you, it is only my opinion.” He hesitated and sipped some water. “My feeling is that the atmosphere on Conflation Trains was unsettled because there was an unhealthy atmosphere on them and it all had to do with the two groups.”
“What do you mean?” pursued the lady with the large coiffure.
Lazarus continued, “Have you ever seen the confusion of a child that grows up in a home where there is a disciplinary father and a doting mother? He is always on edge, unsure of anything.”
“I have heard tell of such things,” she said.
Lazarus continued. “Well that is exactly what you have on these trains. You see, the Oldtimers are old line traditionalists when it comes to the science of Trainology. They believe trains are to run like a military transport van and their job is to whip the passengers into shape before arriving at the Acceptable Land. They constantly remind the passengers of their duties both to the Prince, to the engineers and to the other passengers. It’s all about duty. Duty, duty, duty. Their leadership style is extremely ‘hands on’ and passengers get emotionally worn down by their overbearing ways. And because they live religiously by the ATM book there is no give and take, no freedom. Whatever they say is beyond debate. In addition, they are resistant to new ways of doing things so passengers have no hope for change. They believe the new ways of the Freedomfighters are sloppy and fuel chaos. They never budge from their convictions. I personally saw them almost kick someone off the train who questioned their leadership. The bottom line is this: these Oldtimers believe that they can amend behavior by rules and threats. And, this may sound contradictory: they even resort at times to flattery. They will employ whatever means possible to move passengers to obedience. Sometimes they say ‘do this or else,’ at other times they kill you with a mock kindness in order to get you to do what they want. I have seen both tactics. Their ace in the hole is fear. They often tell people, ‘If you do not obey us you may get excluded from the Acceptable Land.’ This really scares the passengers.”
The man in yellow raised his hand. “Do they ever talk about where they are headed?”
“Ah,” said Lazarus. “That is one thing missing. They never talk about the Prince or the Acceptable Land. Their focus is always on the trains. And perhaps I should not say this, but some have speculated that the Oldtimers may not like the Prince and secretly wish they could run the Acceptable Land themselves. I think they fear the Prince is too much like the Freedomfighters. All in all, these men are a gruff lot. I personally believe their time is short.”
“Why do say that?” said the man short and stout.
“Because if you live by law you will eventually die by law. Your own standard will eventually come back to kill you.” Lazarus stopped himself and considered what he might say next. “I am not certain that these men don’t care for the Prince, but I can safely say they don’t like the Freedomfighters. And this gets back to our original question about the differences between the two groups.”
Lazarus continued. “The Oldtimers believe these young leaders with all their freedoms are a threat to the orderly progress of trains. And you can see this attitude during the trips. Many passengers have reported hearing loud arguments in the control cab between the groups. The issues always seem to have something to do with the rules and freedom and other such topics.”
“So now tell us more about the Freedomfighters,” asked the lady with the large Coiffure.
“Well,” said Lazrarus, “I’ve said about as much as I can. They are a whole different bunch for sure. They are the new guys, and they come with many new ideas and they do things in different ways.”
“What are some of these new ways?” a man from the back row shouted out.
Lazarus smiled. “I love talking about them. They are a happy, friendly, engaging bunch -- and they truly care for the needs of the passengers. If folks have questions, they answer them. If the passengers want to get up and walk about, they encourage it. If they want to sing they sing with them. If the passengers dance, or joke around, or decide to entertain one another, the Freedomfighters jump right in. It’s not that the Freedomfighters have no regard for order. Rather their emphasis is on keeping the atmosphere free and light so that the passengers enjoy the journey. They have learned that strict obedience can get results but the way to true obedience is through love and freedom. Where there is love and freedom, obedience will necessarily follow. The irony is that the Geist trains are generally more orderly and happy than the Conflation trains. It belies reason, but from all reports, it is true.”
Lazarus paused, “So I would say their philosophy is one of joy through freedom. This puts them in direct opposition to the philosophy of the Oldtimers. I hope I am making myself clear.”
The man in the yellow shirt spoke up again. “You mentioned the Geist Trains. Tell us more about them.”
Lazarus answered quickly, “Oh yes, it’s like these trains travel to the Acceptable Land with air in their wings. I have been told that traveling on these trains is a hoot. Sometimes they get so joyful that I am surprised that they don’t derail… but that will never happen thanks to the care of the Prince. But know this, that everything I said about the Conflation trains is opposite from the Geist trains. There’s really no need to go through all the differences.”
“So they never use the ATM?” the lady with the Coiffure asked quizzically.
“Yes, they make reference to it,” said Lazarus. “But the Freedomfighters do that in order to make the passengers realize that they cannot keep them. It also causes them to be thankful that their Prince is so gracious. So in a strange way, a reminder of the ancient rules crushes the passengers and then drives them to experience a greater joy.”
“What a strange phenomenon!” said the man in the back. “The ATM is not used to give people a false view of themselves but to unnerve them so that they consider the beauty of the Prince.”
“That is exactly right,” said Lazarus. “All of this is to say that the overall atmosphere of the Geist trains has a strange mixture of joy and sorrow, but joy always comes out on top.”
“I assume that all these differences don’t change the way the trains run,” noted a skinny fellow who seemed to grow impatient.
“Well yes,” said Lazarus, “there is a great difference there too. It concerns the fuel.”
“The fuel?” said the skinny man. “What do you mean by that?”
Lazarus continued, “Well, you see the Conflation trains run both on the natural fuel which is mined from the lowlands and has been used for decades and the Geist trains run on fuel mined in the Heavenly Mountains which was discovered when the Prince came to power in the Acceptable Land.”
“Why do they use two different fuels?” the same skinny man asked. “Sounds like a hassle.”
“Because the Freedomfighters will only use the heavenly fuel and the Oldtimers won’t use that fuel at all. So both fuels are used on Conflation trains…. and yes, it is a big hassle.”
“So what’s the big difference and why don’t the Oldtimers like the new fuel?” the same man continued.
“Well they have a reason,” Lazarus said, “and the reason is because it’s not scientific and no one in the labs can prove it actually works. To the Oldtimers everything is about science. They want nothing that comes outside of nature.”
He continued, “So you get the picture. On Conflation trains when the Freedomfighters are on duty the new fuel is used and when the Oldtimers are on duty the old fuel is used. It makes for a confusing scene in the engine room. But neither side will budge.”
“Why don’t they all use the Old Fuel then?” the coiffured lady asked. “Is there a difference?”
“A big difference,” said Lazarus. “The new fuel was especially designed to be used in the rarified atmosphere of the Acceptable Land. When one uses the old fuel in those high places, the engines sputter and the ride is jerky. This makes the passengers uneasy and irritable. Oh, and I must add; there have been many reports of Conflation trains being brought to a complete halt when using the older fuel.”
Lazarus continued, “All this frustrates the Freedomfighters of course. They can only stand by and watch the Oldtimers using an antiquated fuel that is horribly inefficient. Of course the old men will not listen to reason for they think using the old fuel is a virtuous work. They believe old is always better than new, that old is holy and new is unholy. It’s all very sad to watch.”
The lady with the coiffure stood up again. “So what you’re telling us, Mr. Lazarus, is that the trains leaving Conflation Central have all kinds of traveling issues, both with the equipment, the morale of the passengers and with the fuel usage. But the big question is, “Do these trains ever arrive at the Acceptable Land?”
Lazarus answered. “I tried to answer that before. As far as I know all trains arrive at their destination. And all the thanks can be given to the Prince. For even when trains bump and squeal and squeak their way to the Acceptable Land, the Prince graciously receives them.”
He stroked his beard again. I want to be clear here. “I have never heard of a Conflation train not arriving at the Acceptable Land, though there have been rumors that passengers that ride these trains have to go through a bit of a detox when they arrive at the Acceptable Land.”
He continued. “What is most puzzling is that despite the few reports that come back to the Lawgos Divide, the majority of passengers still choose to take the Conflation Trains. Old habits die hard, I guess.”
“What is this detox you talk about?” said the skinny fellow.
“Yes, as I mentioned, passengers on Conflation trains must go through a detox when they arrive at the Acceptable Land. They are so accustomed to living under law that they are unnerved when they arrive at the land of grace. The detox happens quickly when the passengers first meet the Prince. It seems that His presence is so winsome that He expels all their skepticism and misery and when they see Him face to face they are filled with true joy. Funny how a little show of love and grace can change things. So if your loved ones came through on Conflation trains, know that their misery did not last for long.”
After Lazarus was finished there was a hushed silence in the crowd. They were stunned by all this new information. For many long years it had been assumed that the Conflation trains were the best way to travel to the Acceptable Land. Now they were hearing differently. What seemed true according to the traditional wisdom of the lowlands was actually no wisdom at all.
After a long silence, the lady with the large Coiffure finally broke the silence. “What are we to make of all this?” she asked with a note of sincerity.
The man wearing the yellow shirt stood up. He was a well-respected resident of the Lawgos region and seemed to be a man who had thought these issues through.
“I think it proves what many of us have suspected all along but refused to believe. What seems like the right way to get to the Acceptable Land via old regulations old leaders and old fuel is in reality a very difficult way to get to that beloved destination. But it’s hard to make the switch. We are all used to what always was.”
Another man cried out, “This is nonsense, we need the rules! These Geist trains will soon meet their doom! How can you have freedom and order simultaneously?”
Before Lazarus could speak the man with the yellow shirt interjected. “I know that traditional thinking says that rules are the only way to experience a safe and prosperous journey. This idea is ingrained in all of us since we were children.” He spoke calmly, and turning to the others added, “and the Oldtimers live by these old ways of doing things which have long been espoused by the School of Moriah. But when the Prince came many years ago, I believe there was a total shift in thinking. And that is when He began the Geist School to teach us that even though regulations are good they can never make people happy and obedient.”
“Yes, that’s true.” said the coiffured lady, “We have always been told that without rules there is no real progress to the Acceptable Land. But now Lazarus is opening our eyes.”
“Yes,” said the man in yellow. “The rules are still good for they can measure our success or our efficiency. But at the end of the day they can only show us how unsuccessful and inefficient we really are.”
Lazarus nodded in agreement. “Yes, the old regulations cause us to doubt ourselves and to find our confidence in the Prince and His ways of grace. This is why when the passengers enter the Acceptable Land they never talk about the regulations but only about the Prince. And in thinking about the Prince, they actually do more giving, more serving, and more loving. And shall I say it, they even begin to live in a more disciplined way.”
The man in yellow continued on, “What our friend has taught us,” pointing to Lazarus, “is that when there is love for the Acceptable Land and especially for the Prince, and when passengers are loved by their leaders in a sacrificial way, what comes with it is a new kind of order, one that comes from the heart and rests on gratitude and thanksgiving. What I am hearing is that the Geist trains run by grace which always leads to obedience from the heart. Conflation trains run on a mixture of rules and, at times, on freedom, and this makes the trip very bumpy. For the most part what motivates passengers on Conflation trains to obey is their disciplined will motivated by regulations. But isn’t it far superior to act freely because of one’s internal desires?”
A low murmur and then hand clapping was heard throughout the crowd.
“How come we’ve never been told this before?” shouted another man, obviously irritated. He continued. “I have instructed all my loved ones to take the Conflation trains for many years because everyone always taught us it was the only way to keep the passengers calm and in line.”
“Yes,” Lazarus added. “This has always been the narrative down here, but when you get to the Acceptable Land you find exactly the opposite to be true. It seems that focusing on the beauty of the Prince instills in the residents of that land a calm, happy, and gracious spirit.”
“So how can we change how people think about Conflation trains and Geist trains?” asked the woman with the coiffure.
Lazarus stopped and thought for a minute. “Until today it seems like nobody down here has ever wrestled with this issue. In fact, everywhere I go there is an infatuation with the ATM manual and all of its regulations. This is puzzling to me. Perhaps I know why the Prince sent me back to speak with you all. Perhaps our talk today will go a long way today to remedy this misunderstanding.”
“Can we change it now?” a woman pursued.
Lazarus gazed up reflectively. “Old ways die hard. Freedom always presents a threat and operating by love and not law scares many. But I do see a strategy brewing in my mind. What if we all begin speaking about the beauty of the Prince, His gracious ways, and the wonder and majesty of the Acceptable Land? In other words, what if we set as our goal to help people fall in love with the person of the Prince rather than the orderliness of the trip?”
He paused. “And come to think of it, to give this message was why I came down here in the first place. I wanted you all to know that there is a preferred way of getting to the Acceptable Land. Yes, to many it is a risky way. But isn’t freedom risky? Isn’t it true that when we raise children, or run governments, or interact with others in freedom that we risk chaos and failure? Yes. But the potential rewards are worth it for when people love one another through freedom it is a true and lasting love. And come to think of it, isn’t that how the Prince loves us? He does not stand over us and demand strict obedience, but He allows us to stumble about in the freedom of His grace until one day we wake up and we actually desire Him for who He is rather than what He demands. Then and only then will we use our freedom to serve, exactly as we find it in Acceptable Land. And isn’t that what we all want?”
All nodded together with big smiles on their faces.
And Lazarus also smiled. “And now it is time for me to leave. So with that I bid you all adieu. By the way when does the next Geist train leave?”
And he walked toward the terminal while the people cheered the Prince.
rgh