What Survives of Us (Colorado Chapters Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

He used all the subterfuge he possessed to hide that fact from her.  “Your disappointment is irrelevant to me.  The fact of the matter is, your ‘religious practices’ are an offense to God and to Christians.”
    “Really.  That’s strange – I’ve got it on good authority you don’t feel that way about Jews, or Muslims, or Buddhists.  What makes my spirituality any different?”  She didn’t give him a chance to answer.  Her face was fierce in its animation – he felt a moment of pity for any students that had to face down Ms. Karela when her temper awoke.  “And you’re pretty selective with your Bible verses there, aren’t you?  What about, ‘Thou shall not kill?’  Or, ‘Judge not lest ye be judged?’”
    Jack’s eyes narrowed.  “Even the Devil uses scripture for his own purposes.”
    “The Devil!”  He would swear, later, that her hair lifted around her head, writhing and crackling.  “For your information, pal, the word ‘witch’ was not used in the original Hebrew or Greek versions of that verse – King James added it to his translation to support his persecution of wise women and female herbalists, and scholars aren’t even sure what the term meant when it was originally used in Exodus.  So applying an Old Testament law – which was meant for an ancient Jewish tribe, by the way – to a modern spiritual practice is dangerous and backward thinking!”
    Now she was on his turf.  Here, at least, his footing felt sure.  “The Bible is the inspired word of God, and as such, is as relevant to us today as it was to the ancients.  And your information is skewed; the original Hebrew uses the word ‘m’khashepah’ to describe the person who should be killed, which is defined as ‘a woman who uses spoken spells to harm others.’  The original Greek word, ‘venefica,’ can be translated as ‘female poisoner,’ which is, in my opinion, an even more appropriate description of what you people do.”
    “Oh, really.  Really.”  Flushed face, accelerated breathing, repetition of meaningless phrases.  Yeah, he had her now.  “Why don’t you illuminate me?  What exactly is it you think ‘my people’ do?”
    “You seduce young, vulnerable minds.  You steal them away from Truth with sparkles and glitter and empty promises of something other-worldly, something mysterious.  You make your service to Satan look glamorous, which is unforgiveable.”  He pointed a finger at her nose, filled with righteous, protective wrath.  “Unforgiveable.”
    “Satan again!  Jack!”  She shook her head, her expression a mixture of anger and bemusement.  “I don’t even believe in the Satan you Christians are so afraid of!  Look, I can’t speak for all neo-Pagans, Wiccans, Witches or otherwise, but there’s no Devil in the Craft I practice.”
    “Your lack of belief doesn’t make Satan less real.  It just makes you more susceptible to his influence, an easier tool to wield.”  He overrode her gasp of outrage and forged on.  He had her on the run, and he was not about to give up the advantage.  “You were right about one thing.  I don’t disparage other religions.  I’ve studied them, and I believe they are seeking the Divine, even if I don’t always agree with their practices.  But I won’t recognize or validate what you do – what you seek is profane.”
    For an eternity of seconds, she just stared at him.  Her stunned silence was a triumph he savored, basking in the afterglow of righteousness well spent.  Then, she laughed.
    “So let me get this straight – you think I’m a mindless tool of Satan, that my spiritual practices are an abomination, and that my only purpose is to recruit more evil minions to serve the Great Pretender.  Does that about cover it?”
    There was a trap here, he could feel it.  But he wasn’t about to start back-tracking now.  In for a penny, in for a pound.  “That’s a fair summation.”
    “Huh.  That’s interesting,