"02 - Birth of an Age" - читать интересную книгу автора (BeauSeigneur James)

"What do you mean?"

"You may remember that Alice Bernley had a 'spirit guide' whom she called Master Djwlij Kajm or sometimes 'the Tibetan.'" Decker nodded. "Well, when Alice died, Master Djwlij Kajm came to me. During the sixteen months I was in Israel, before you and Christopher arrived, I went through a period of preparation under Djwlij Kajm's guidance. At the conclusion of that period, in a process that's a bit difficult to explain, I received into myself the spirit of Elijah. We are both here." Decker could not help but stare wide-eyed at Milner.

"Jewish prophecy says that the prophet Elijah, who was perhaps the greatest of all of the Jewish prophets, and who, according to his successor, Elisha, did not die, but was taken up alive into heaven,5 will return. That is why Saul Cohen claims that he comes in the spirit and power of Elijah. He intends to counterfeit the return of Elijah to the Jewish people. But, in fact, that is impossible because the spirit of Elijah dwells here within me. We are one. I am his mouth and he is my eyes."

"So, do you know everything that is going to happen?" Decker asked.

"The knowledge is within us," Milner said, referring in the plural to himself and the one who possessed him. "But there is a

'II Kings 2:11.

Birth Pains 25

veil beyond which I have been forbidden to look. I suspect that beyond it is something which will prove personally very painful for me and from which Elijah seeks to protect me for as long as possible. When the time is right the veil will be lifted."

"So where do we go from here?" Decker asked. "Do we just sit and wait while John and Cohen wreak havoc with the earth?"

"Not at all," Milner answered.

"Well then, what? Do we reveal who Christopher is and put the religion of the New Age on the 'fast track/ or what?"

"No!" Christopher answered abruptly, as if scolding Decker. "I'm sorry," he said after a moment. "I didn't mean to bark at you. It's just that, despite Secretary Milner's magnificent explanation, there's still so much that remains unclear. It's one thing to talk about what may lie ahead, it's another altogether to bear the responsibility for making it happen. My time with my father was so brief. There is much I still don't know. But of one thing there can be no doubt: the New Age is not about replacing one religion with another. In fact, it's just the opposite. This is about humankind coming to rely upon itself; upon the god that is within all of us.

"Karl Marx said that religion is the opiate of the people, but he was wrong. Religion is not the opiate, it is the incendiary of the people! Never is evil done so well as when it is done in the name of religion! Never is cruelly so absolute as when it is empowered by self-righteous anger! Never has so convenient an excuse as religion been found for one man to rob or murder another! Religion has been the cause of more wars, more damnable crusades, more pious inquisitions, more discrimination, more inequity, more prejudice, more injury, more intolerance, more fanaticism, more narrow-mindedness, more injustice than any other cause known throughout history! Hindus murder Muslims, Muslims murder Jews, Catholics murder Protestants, Buddhists murder Hin . . . there's just no end."

For a moment there was profound silence as Decker pondered, amazed that he had never realized these things himself. Now it all seemed so obvious. It was, after all, religious differences that had served as the line of demarcation in the war between India and Pakistan, and as a key factor in China's support of Pakistan.

"In answer to your question, Decker," Milner interjected, "what must be done is not religious but political Ч though I hesitate

26 Birth of an Age

to use that word because of its negative connotations. The first step is Christopher's election as the Primary from Europe. Much has been done toward that goal already. We require the votes of eight of the fifteen countries in the European Region. I believe that he has that many votes already."

"That's great!" Decker said. "But how can you be sure?" "Over the past three days, since our return from Israel, I've met with several European members. They're quite impressed, as are most of the members, with Christopher's handling of the situation with Moore. Their logic constrains them to believe Moore's confession was simply the result of his unbearable guilt and that Christopher merely exposed that guilt. No one seriously thinks Christopher had any direct involvement in Moore's death. But even more important," Milner continued, "has been the magnificent way Christopher has stepped into the position of acting Primary. The eyes of the world have been on the televised meetings of the Security Council and Ч as the man of the hour Ч on Christopher. At a critical time such as this, following such a senseless war, the world needs a hero, and Christopher neatly fits that role." Decker was well aware of that sentiment, but he enjoyed hearing Milner say it. "In fact, I would not be surprised if he were elected unanimously.

"At the proper time," Milner continued, "the second step will be Christopher's election as Secretary General. Much of the foundation has already been laid through years of work by myself and by the Lucius Trust. I believe we can already count on the support of over a third of the general membership and at least four of the members of the Security Council."

"You mean that all those people know about Christopher?" "No. Of course not. Only a very small group outside of this room knows about him Ч only those in whom I have the utmost trust. The rest have only nebulous imaginations of the New Age, and a vague knowledge that a mighty leader of that age is coming; one whose right and destiny it is to rule the earth as a benevolent and compassionate sovereign."

Chapter 2

Closed Circles

March 30, 2021 - New York City

The waiter at the Wan Fu Chinese restaurant on Second and 43rd near the U.N. brought the check and four fortune cookies. As was his long-time habit, Decker waited to take the last one, as though that might increase the odds that the fortune he got was actually his and not just the result of hastily grabbing the wrong cookie.

"Mine says, 'You will soon be embarking on a long journey,'" Jackie Hansen said.