IntoTheMouthOfRavness

O Ezra, hear the prayers of this humble sinner.

Lord, there is a conflict in my heart. My companion Petru, while claiming to walk in the light, has been pushing for us to employ tactics that are anything but righteous. Not all the time, but with increasing frequency. Tonight he decided it would be a good idea to set fire to the establishment of Lord Brass, to act as a diversion while he escaped. I think I managed to convince him of the wrongness of such action — in any case he did not go through with it.

Petru’s reluctance to adhere to the path of light is troubling. I have never tried to put pressure on him to abandon his faith in favour of mine; that would be unconscionable. I have, however, pushed him to act as anyone with a moral heart would. It is a little surprising that his spiritual guide, Siméon, has not done more to steer Petru straight, but I do not presume to dictate what Siméon’s faith does or should entail.

If I managed to convince Petru to abandon his plan of arson, it was at least partially by threatening to leave his cause unless he behaved in a way I could condone. And of course if he does descend into the lures of wrongdoing I shall have to stop supporting his actions. But here is the dilemma: if I abandon his cause, I abandon the rescue of thousands of souls from damnation at the hands of the foul lords of G’Henna. I must find a better way to advance this noble cause, but if it comes to a choice between saving the thousands ond upholding my own beliefs…

No, for these are not simply my own beliefs. By colluding with arsonists, murderers, thieves and other wrongdoers I would not only be allowing myself to be corrupted, but I would be aiding in the corruption of others. By condoning evil, we actively spread it, as it is written in the books of Ezra:

Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou shouldst bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou shouldst cover him; and that thou shouldst not hide thyself from thy own flesh?
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rear-ward.

The scriptures are quite clear when it comes to doing evil for the sake of good. “Why not … ‘Let us do evil, that good may come?’ Those who say so are justly condemned.” I must not fall into that trap. Nor can I allow my friend Petru to fall into it. As was written: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye who are spiritual, restore such one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Ezra.” It is my duty to steer Petru onto the path of light, lest we both be lost. I pray that You grant me the wisdom to do this without infringing on the tenets of his own faith.

In the name of Our Guardian in the Mists, protect us as we walk the pathways of this world and guide us to those of the next. Forgive our sins and grant us the wisdom to forgive ourselves.

Amen.