Celestial Kingdom Read online

  Title Page

  CELESTIAL KINGDOM

  By

  Stan Mason

  Publisher Information

  Celestial Kingdom

  Published in 2013 by Andrews UK Limited

  www.andrewsuk.com

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  Copyright © 2013 Stan Mason

  The right of Stan Mason to be identified as author of this book has been asserted in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyrights Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  Chapter One

  Warrior lay flat on his back in a very uncomfortable bed... his body resting perfectly still. To the uninitiated, it appeared that he was fast asleep but his brain was overflowing with action. In his mind, he believed that he was laying face downwards... flying. He was flying high up above, soaring like a bird free on the wing, experience a sense of exhilaration which surged through him as he hurtled aimlessly through the open sky. He could feel the clouds, caress the firmament, glide, float and move up and down at will. Below him, the ground remained hazy but through the mist he could see the mountains majestically reaching up towards him, their proud craggy grassy slopes interrupted by forests of trees and wild-growing bushes.

  At first the traversed on cross-currents, progressing forwards steadily, then he yawed and swerved progressively across the mountainous terrain, enjoying every second of the wonderful flight. His body felt as light as air and he could manoeuvre slowly or swiftly in any direction at whim. This was an experience that he would never forget: it was the last area of opportunity denied to man... to fly by himself... on his own account. Since time immemorial, it had been possible for homo-sapiens to walk, run, climb and swim, but never to be able to fly without the use of machines or engines. Yet it could be achieved in dreams... it could happen beyond reality! In his present condition, there was no need for him to concern himself with controls, or fuel, or altitude or speed, or landing. Human flight in the mind easily overcame such tiresome, troublesome trivialities. He felt as light as a feather as he cruised above the clouds within the realm of utopia. He wished that the flight could continue for ever to enjoy the sensation indefinitely but, like all good and bad things, it had to come to an end. Suddenly, he started to wake to realise it was all a dream only to realise that he was in the middle of a nightmare. The reason was the visions which appeared in front of him... large, gloomy, terrifying, and intimidating. Five images in the form of thee imposing Gods and two serious-looking Goddesses appeared from nowhere. In austere fashion, the leader of the Gods stared at him with a stern expression on his face. Behind him was darkness eternal which was so profound that it would serve to haunt Warrior until his dying day.

  ‘Listen to my voice!’ commanded the vision in a dull tone. ‘I am Magester, ruler of the Gods in the celestial kingdom. Listen to me carefully... you are the chosen one... the one sought by us to promote our message to the people of your world. We are the Gods whom they should worship... to pray to us! We expect them to make sacrifices. We control the seasons, the weather, their actions, and all that happens to them in their lives, yet most of them are content to pray to one single God. Who is this God? Who is he? He doesn’t exist here in the celestial kingdom! By appointing you as our messenger, we believe we have chosen wisely. We have chosen well!’

  As the ruler of the Gods passed on his message, all the visions began to fade but they were replaced by two other Gods and another Goddess.

  ‘I am Entrancia, the Goddess of Dreams,’ claimed the Goddess, You have heard the message from Magester, It’s your role in life to pass it on to the people of your world. You need to convince them that we are real. We recognised that your task is very difficult and there will be many failures. You will need to be strong and overcome despair.’

  The other Gods uttered their agreement and then they all vanished into the blackness. Warrior awoke fully, saturated in his own perspiration. Had it really been a dream or a nightmare? The entire incident needed to be put to the back of his mind... if not forgotten entirely. However two nights later, he saw the same visions again which reinforced the idea that it was real. Their return was a phenomenon... it was uncanny. Nonetheless, he became convinced that he had been singled out to pass on the message of the Gods. In the real world, he was unemployed and therefore had time on his hand to carry out the task. He was certain in his mind that there were Gods and Goddesses in the celestial kingdom somewhere beyond the firmament, demanding that people on earth recognised them and prayed to them. Well if he acceded to their wishes and accepted the quest, they would surely take care that no harm would come to him. After all, they were Gods in the celestial kingdom seeking his help. What was in it for him? There were no advantages to him while he was on earth. Perhaps benefits would be accorded to him after his demise. Therefore, if he succeeded, it would be something to look forward to after his death.

  ***

  The subject of deism has always been as elusive as gripping loose mercury. No one in this world could ever hope to grasp the subject properly. Everyone alive today would have to wait until they passed away before they learned the truth... if indeed there is a truth to be learned because atheists consider that one’s life is a single visit on earth and nothing more. Most religions believed in an after-life of one kind or another and there is no doubt that the subject remains a matter of guesswork and belief. No one who has ever crossed the bridge between life and death has ever been able to communicate what it is like if there is anything to report. Yet religious people are constantly led to believe there is a Heaven... and a Hell! However practically every human soul has a strong desire for immortality in a great cycle of death and rebirth. It was quite clear to Warrior that even Gods had to compete for power and attention against the words and influence of prophets on many people in the world.

  The Egyptians place Ra as one of their major Gods, the Greeks chose Zeus, the Romans elected Jupiter, and the Babylonians appointed Marduk, but the unique deity concept of the Jews, the Muslims, and the Christians have always stood out to believe that there was only one single God. Yet the Egyptians, the Romans, the Scandinavians, and many others prayed to numerous Gods believing that each God controlled a different aspect of life, a variety of emotions, of the environment and other conditions. In fact the practice continues to this day with the Hindus who pray to a thousand Gods. It was an envious task to try to influence the public to start to believe that there were many Gods and not just one. Most people tended to cling on to religious beliefs passed down to them by their parents. It was imprinted on their minds from the day they were born and eventually they used it as a crutch for all their problems. But what of the religions there selves? The Christian related to the Holy Bible but mainly refer to the New Testament. The Jews discount the latter to pursue the writings of the first five books, the Pentateuch, which comprise their Torah. Those who follow Islam refer to a holy scripture passed down by Mahomet, known as the Koran. The Hindus holy texts are collectively called the Veda. The main writings of the Sikhs are known as the Adi Granth. Shintoism has no holy book to follow. The main sacred writings of Buddhism, whose followers do not believe in an all-powerful God, are contained in the Pali Canon, In Taoism, Lao Zi’s beliefs and sayings can be read in the Tao-Te Ching. Zoroastrianism, once the faith of the Persian Empire, is preserved in the Gathas of Zoroaster. The teachings of Confucius are contained in the Analects. From these examples, which make up ninety per cent
of the world’s religions, it can be seen that they move in entirely different directions from each other. Some follow a single God, one worships a Trinity, while others believe in no God or a thousand Gods. In particular, there was the influence of Karl Marx, Lenin and Trotsky, when creating Communism, to drive millions of Bolsheviks, the ordinary people, to follow the concept of atheism... believing in no God at all. However there is no way to prevent change from continuing its progress in the civilised world which leaves the way open for new ideas... even when they stem from old ones!

  ***

  Beneath the plethora of colourful banners which adorned the large room hired inside the Community Centre, some members of the congregation became extremely restless. Within the swollen crowd, many people had come with anger in their hearts, hiding small pebbles, rocks and stones which they intended to throw at the offensive speaker. In their minds they were there to harm him and for good reason too! How dare the young upstart resort to blasphemy against the Christian faith... their faith... as well as most other faiths in the world! What right had he to introduce such preposterous ideas in the minds of people in the community in an attempt to sway them with his heresy! Logic and reason demanded that he had to be brought to justice... to account for his actions! Christianity had continued for two thousand years yet the man on the stage in front of them intended to destroy it with a new kind of faith. And he did so arrogantly, unashamedly, with a quiet passion to get them to change all they had been taught by their fathers and grandfathers. His ranting depended on the influence he had on the people who listened to him.

  Stephen Warrior, the exalted messenger of the Gods, stood quite still on the rostrum in the room of the Community Centre. Above him extended a very wide banner on which had been written: ‘One Heaven, Many Gods!’ indicating the religious message he wanted to impart to the audience.

  He was extremely tall and thin with short-cropped black hair, a gaunt pale face with a small moustache, the wisp of a beard, and deep sunken eyes. A black robe covered the whole of his body from his neck downwards, emblazoned by a broad red band which reached across his chest to snake around his waist. Few could declare him not to be an imposing figure but his voice was relatively gentle and soft, hiding the toughness which lay within him. He hoped that there were some people in the audience who had an open mind but he felt that there was a great deal of antagonism among them. He knew they had come to correct, what they considered to be, an injustice. He had to be prevented from condemning their God and their Holy Bible. ... he had to be stopped there and then without fail!’

  Prior to the attack, Warrior stood on the rostrum accompanied by two disciples, Peter Maidley and Dan Guildenstern, two well-built men who stood on guard primarily to protect him. The three of them were all dressed alike, devout in their belief, honest in their intentions, and willing to spread the world of the ancient beliefs. It soon became patently clear that their view were not shared by all those attending the meeting. The argument presented, that there were many Gods and not just one, went very much against the grain. It was blasphemy and the preacher had to be stopped! Warrior had only just started to speak when the antagonists in the audience began to show their fury.

  ‘Good evening ladies and gentlemen,’ he began, raising his soft voice to its highest pitch. ‘Welcome! I’m delighted to see so many of you here. To begin with, I have to say that your one God is a very selfish God.’

  ‘Why’s that?’ challenged a pudding-faced man in the audience by the name of Gabby Saunders who had clearly come along for a fight. ‘What right have you to say that he’s selfish?’

  ‘You’ve forgotten Exodus 20, verses four and five, after your single God was alleged to have given Moses the ten commandments. I quote from your Bible.’ He thumbed through the pages of the Holy Bible resting on the lectern in front of him until he found the right page. ‘You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is in the Heavens above or in the earth underneath or that is in the waters under the earth. You must not bow down to them or be induced to serve them because I. Jehovah your God, am a God exacting exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the error of the fathers upon sons, upon the third generation, the fourth generation, in the case of those who hate me.’ He paused for a moment to allow the words to sink in. ‘If you believe those words, you will realise that your God is selfish! That he wants you to devote yourself to him regardless that there are other Gods in the celestial kingdom... other Gods who seek your allegiance!’

  He had only just finished the sentence when a large pebble was thrown by someone in the audience. It came flying through the air to strike the preacher on the side of his cheek. He stared at them lightly shocked at the onslaught and then rubbed his face gently with his hand.

  ‘Is that your answer?’ he retorted without remorse. ‘Violence! Is that the only way you can react to the fact that there are many Gods in creation whereas you worship only one of them? Open your minds to the truth!’

  ‘That’s our answer to your filthy lies!’ shouted Gabby Saunders raising his arm to throw another stone which flew through the air to strike one of the disciples in the chest.

  Encouraged by the initial onslaught, other members in the crowd began to give vent to their anger. They started to throw pebbles and rocks at the three men on the rostrum as though to stone them to death for their blasphemy. Very shortly, other people who had simply come to listen to the lecture resented the interruption and a fight ensued. Fists began to fly, chairs were used as weapons being tossed across the room, and chaos reigned. Warrior raised his arms in a vain attempt to stop them but he might as well have been spitting in the wind. The orchestration of a fight had been well and truly orchestrated well beforehand and was truly premeditated. As the violence continued, chairs were dashed to pieces against the walls, decorations were savaged and destroyed, lights were attacked and smashed, and blood could be seen issuing from noses, lips and mouths as the conflict resumed. Then, by accident, as the fighting became intense, a paraffin lamp was knocked over, the spirit from it spilling across the wooden floor, In the darkness that prevailed, someone in their wisdom lit a match to a paper torch to throw some light on to the scene. Within a minute, the whole Community Centre was on fire with flames rapidly climbing to the dry wooden supports near the roof of the building. As the conflagration intensified, the fighting, by necessity, finished. Someone stole away to telephone the authorities and as police vehicles and fire engines appeared on the scene, the stone throwers melted away silently into the night to retain their anonymity. No doubt, Warrior would continue to hold meetings to relay his message to the public. If so, they would be ready to confront him again, perhaps with more venom next time, to prevent him from spreading the word.

  As the fire took hold of the building, Warrior accompanied by Maidley and Guildenstern surveyed the scene from a short distance away.

  ‘Foolish people,’ he rendered quietly, as he watched the flames flare brightly against the darkness of the sky. He touched the cheek where the pebble had struck him tenderly. ‘A change of concept will always ruffle feathers. It’ll take time and patience to get through to them’

  ‘You did say that when you saw the vision of the Gods, they told you it would be a long haul with many failings,’ cut in Maidley.

  ‘These people believe I’m trying to destroy the fabric of their religion,’ continued Warrior. ‘I’m just pointing them the way to truth and reality. If they wish to follow one selfish God it’s their affair. My role is to awaken them to the fact that there are many Gods in Heaven. How do they think that wars, the sun, the flora, the fauna, wind, fire, jealousy, hate, love and so many other features flourish or fail without individual Gods to control them?’ He sighed deeply at his failure to convince anyone that evening, seeking to push the event to the back of his mind.

  ‘I don’t understand how you can keep your cool all the time,’ commented Guildenstern.

&
nbsp; ‘There’s no other way to handle it,’ returned the preacher earnestly. ‘The Gods did warn me it would take time. We’ve only just started.’

  They remained there for a short while watching the firemen at work and then Warrior turned on his heel. ‘Come on,’ he said. ‘Let’s see if we can find a hall for our next venue.’

  The two disciples nodded their agreement and with a final glance at the burning embers they headed for the property that Warrior rented in a downtown area. It had been a disappointing evening but, in view of the nature of his message, such events were undeniable inevitable. When they arrived at his lodgings, they were met by Rebecca, a willow young slim woman with short blonde hair, blue eyes and high cheekbones which gave her a slightly oriental appearance. Rebecca had been Warrior’s partner and lover, as well as his adoring follower. They had met at a meeting in the town and had been highly attracted to each other. A country vicar’s daughter, she had been brought up quite strictly yet had turned her mind against the Christian religion on the grounds that the priests had taken control of the church and were using their power to change the rules at their whim.

  She stared in surprise as the three men entered the room. ‘I was just coming to the Community Centre to join you.’ she told them. ‘Why are you back here?’

  Warrior kissed her lightly on the lips. ‘They came to destroy me... tried to stone me in the same way they did in biblical times. When that failed, they burned the place down.’

  ‘It’s true,’ confirmed Maidley. ‘They burned it down The whole place.’

  ‘Well,’ she added. ‘You were told that it would be a difficult task but to carry on.’

  Warrior’s eyes glazed and he turned away to face a multitude of images set against the walls of the room, each one identifying a separate God.