Spiritual/Political/Philosophical Blog on the Nature of Truth and Falsehood and Heaven
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| Sunny Days in Heaven Spiritual/Political/Philosophical Blog on the Nature of Truth and Falsehood and Heaven |
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Sunday, March 31, 2002 Once more in the same vein and then that will be it. 19 The Parable of the Cruel Father A man had four sons. Everyday he went to the first son, struck him hard and said, "try harder to do better." When his first son grew large enough, he struck back and then fled in fear and rage. Thereafter, each time he saw his father, he wished to kill him. He lived an angry life and died in his sins. With the second son, everyday the father struck him but less hard and said, "try harder to do better." Soon, when the boy was big enough, he ran away. He lived sensuously and died in his sins. With his third son, he struck him too, each day, and said the same, but did not strike as hard as the two sons before him. When this son grew up, he worked for his father and did everything he was told but lived a life of tears and shame and died in his sins never knowing saving grace. He'd been a slave. With the fourth son, the man merely tapped his cheek each day and gently said, "try harder to do better." This son prospered in believing his father loved him best of all. He thought himself blessed because he was not beaten like his brothers. Instead, he was only lightly cursed by his father and he took such escape from worse as a joy. This son proclaimed his father's goodness far and wide, and many agreed the father was gentle to the fourth son: a good father. The fourth son grew old boasting how loved he'd been and how fortunate a son was he, but he too, died in all of his sins because he never knew he was a fool. Let the people understand: Wisdom is vindicated by her children. posted by Mark Butterworth | 3:24 PM | |
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