Mesopotamia - The Redeemer

by Yehuda Israely

  “Fear of death is rooted in ignorance.” Sophia began to focus her argument. “Someone who does not know that his soul is eternal will suffer from fear of death his entire life. It pains me that your mother did not educate you about the eternity of the soul. She could have freed you from your childhood fear of death in a much simpler manner. She could have told you the truth: that we are all part of the universal family, and therefore there is nothing to fear about changing phases. Whatever happens, we are all still part of the universe.”

  She tapped her finger on one of the balls in the planetary model and sent the whole system spinning. “The soul exists and is eternal. I know this by virtue of my education as well as through personal experience. During my meditation exercises, I have seen my own soul, which has worn other incarnations before me.” Sophia looked into his eyes imploringly, explaining and calming. Her words offered a solution to the fear of death. The melody of the spheres played in his ears, mellifluous and infinite, cyclical and eternal like the smooth pearlescent hues of the curved walls in the station.

  “So what did you do following your studies?”

  “Planet Dust had many wealthy urban centers replete with technological and materialistic degeneration, as well as many young colonies that were established after the separation from Earth. Each colony was founded on a different Atheist ideology. I wandered between the colonies in search of a path that spoke to me.”

  “And what did you discover?”

  “I learned from the Cynics to doubt any pretense of perfection, but I did not like their bitterness. They were not completely reconciled with the absence of God. They felt as if they were promised a reality that was never fulfilled. They complain that they were deprived of divine limitations on human responsibility. They are basically closet religious believers. They would have preferred their mothers to have lied to them and to have told them that they were going to live forever, and instead complain that she is silent.”

  “What else?”

  “I learned from the Humanists that compassion is a precondition for any type of relationship and that pleasure is derived from doing good for others. But the centrality of man in their worldview did not sit well with me. It was clear to me that it was a slippery slope from Humanism to Anthropotheism.”

  “Then where did you go after Humanism?”

  “I learned from the Existentialists about free will and the tragic position of man versus his destiny. The existential view emerged as a response to the World Wars at the close of the second millennium. Devotees of existentialism had great influence following the destruction of Earth in the beginning of the third millennium. They offered wonderful suggestions in favor of their approach as a way of life, but they lacked the knowledge that I sought. They did not offer the answers to the way that human consciousness operates in practice.”

  “So then where did you find your own personal God?”

  “Actually, I found His absence, or, more precisely, I found the ideal of absence.”

  “You worship absence?”

  “On the contrary. The absence serves me. I am driven by what I lack and not by what someone or something else lacks. I do not worship it like the Gnostics, rather I recognize it. I give it its place.”

  “What is the connection between absence and the human consciousness that you sought?”

  “Consciousness is a representation, but since it is candid, there is a gap between the representation and the object. This gap is absence. The gap between the object and its name, between life and death, reality and symbolism. Narrowing this gap could result in loss of movement, loss of will and loss of consciousness. I say this with sorrow...” Enosh waited a second for a reaction. He divided that second into fragments and waited, ready, for the right moment; when he saw that the sorrow had touched her, he continued. “Sorrow and compassion, acceptance of loss, such as your loss, being orphaned from your father.”

  Her eyes flashed.

  “But without any recognition of absence, of loss, one cannot feel desire. After all, it is the basis of life, of the sense of vitality inside of you, the desire that exists in the gap between the observer and the object of beauty.”

  “You did not finish your search there, did you? Where did you get to?”

  “Just when I was ready to join the ranks of the Existentialists, I discovered the Socratics. The capitalistic position held by the Existentialists regarding the responsibility of free will is a good substitute for an authoritative legal stance, but it is not sufficient and could be used as an excuse for materialistic addiction. In my Existential training dialogues, they repeatedly challenged me: 'Formulate an equation of costs and returns, delineate the risks and dangers, and now, choose!' But I did not choose to be born, to fall in love or to be mortal. Some things are not elective. Existentialism fails to properly address such issues. I went to Diotima.”

  “Diotima? The Atheist minister of defense?”

  “Yes. Before she became a politician, she was the chairwoman of the Socratic Academy. She is an expert on ancient civilizations, languages, religions and the shaping of cultural consciousness. I requested that she accept me as a student,” he said as he sat back and recalled the chain of events. “She only took in a limited number of students. They said that it was impossible to know what motivates her to respond to students. She asked me why I chose her specifically. I stated the reason that I saw fit at the time. I heard that the Socratics understood the meaning of life better than the others. She repeatedly asked me what I wanted and pointed out the discrepancies in my claims. Thus, she made it clear that according to my stated reasons, I had not come to the right address. I had asked to learn how to live and she, in the manner of the Socratics, testified that she herself did not know anything. Truthfully, I don't know what made me want to study under her, but I had no doubt that that was what I wanted. She pitied my plight but did not relent. Finally, I said—and I do not know how this idea came into my head—that I could tell by the way she ate the grapes in front of her that she knew something that I would like to learn but I could not pinpoint what that thing is.”

  “Did she accept you?”

  “On the spot.”

  “And what was it that you saw in the grapes?” she asked curiously.

  'How can I condense into one sentence what I understood about the grapes,' he wondered. “I understood something about Diotima's attitude toward her hunger, her appetite, her desire, her pleasure or rather to the absence that bubbled inside her. We referenced that point many times in the course of our studies. She said that if I recognized something within her that means that I already possess the knowledge that I seek and I must try to articulate it. I said that something mesmerized me in the way she enjoyed the grape as if it were simultaneously the last grape in the world as well as the eternal, infinite grape. She sent me to seek the infinite elsewhere but agreed to teach me about temporality and consciousness.”

  “And what did you learn about the meaning of life?”

  “I found that, as far as I can see, the meaning of life can be found in two concepts: love and consciousness.”

  Sophia squirmed uncomfortably and finally asked, “What did you learn about love?” The conversation had piqued her interest.

  “Love is a valuable relationship, a relationship with someone dear to you, from whom you derive pleasure, provide pleasure, fear his loss or suffer his absence.”

  “And consciousness?”

  “I learned about myself, and by extension about others as well, how the consciousness works and how to shape it. I learned that people seek the impossible so that they will always have a reason to search and so that they won't ruin their searching experience. I learned that people sabotage themselves by manufacturing absences in their lives so that they will not have to face the reality that the absence still exists even if they hadn't manufactured it themselves. People go away so that their absence will be noted, as if others miss them, and not that they miss others. People maintain holy and exacting protocols
of action according to specific codes in order to avoid personal will. Diotima taught me to see all of these situations in myself and in others,” he explained. “I cannot understand how you, the Pythagoreans, manage to deny love.”

  “To the Pythagoreans, there is no connection between partnership and love. Love is an uncontrollable emotion that leads to jealousy, competition and heartbreak as well as damages the community's harmony.”

  “But I saw many couples in Samos.”

  “The couples that you saw were chosen and matched by experts based on their genetic compatibility and according to the needs of the community.”

  “For the needs of the community? What about love? In my view, the emotion of love fulfills society's needs in a much more complex and subconscious way than one could ever consciously engineer.”

  “Subconscious?” she asked.

  “I learned that the subconscious world is always there, beneath the surface, like the double bottom of a suitcase. Sometimes you can understand what occurs within it, but even when you cannot understand it, it is always active. Desires, identifications, passions. This is how people interact. Like words in a sentence or men in society.”

  “I used to think that one could not attain perfection if he allowed such subconscious processes to dictate his destiny.”

  “I learned,” replied Enosh, “that the meaning of life does not lie in attaining perfection or even striving toward perfection, but rather one's ability to bear absence, which is the basis of the yearning for beauty. I learned that the meaning of life lies in devotion, but it is up to us to choose the object of our devotion; this responsibility is our own.”

  “And to maintain this faith, you must believe in the nonexistence of God?”

  “Yes.”

  “That is to say, the temptation to relinquish personal responsibility is great.”

  “It appears to be so.”

  “And that is the motivation behind your version of divinity?” she asked defiantly.

  “What are you getting at?” he countered.

  “The Pythagorean version of God is perfection. I do not disagree with you there. But does your version of God exempt you from personal responsibility?”

  “Yes. According to my view, God is a refuge from responsibility of desire, from the responsibility of free will and the cost it entails. My position, which I am trying to convey to you by means of my life story, is that there is a price for love and belonging, and sometimes this price is war.”

  “First you invented God as an entity that exempts one from responsibility, and then you rebelled against him in order to restore that very responsibility?” she smiled.

  “Err... Yes,” he stammered.

  “You were the one who invented God as the entity that exempts one from responsibility, and so now you must rebel against him in order to restore it. But that is not my God, and therefore I have no need to rebel against Him.” She chuckled again.

  He had no answer. He was confused; that point had never occurred to him. But his curiosity was aroused, just as it was when his students would surprise him with their insights.

  “Urgent call for Sophia. Broadcast from Octavia.” The audio-visual system rescued him from the philosophical conundrum.

  “I'll be right back.” She stood up hurriedly.

  When she finished deciphering the coded message from Octavia, she sat opposite the display and read it again.

  To Sophia, master of the station, and all loyal Pythagoreans of Samos: Greetings!

  As per your request, we checked the data that you provided regarding the aircraft. We discovered that the single-man ship had been stolen, apparently by the intelligence services of the Atheist heretics. The directive of the Chief Council is not to grant anyone entry into Samos' docks, but since the error has already been committed, your instructions are now as follows:

  One of the Atheists' missions is to spread their faith throughout all the human communities. Their belief is in the nonexistence of God in all forms, including the mathematical Pythagorean God. You must be aware of these intentions and avoid exposure to their influence, which are aimed at swaying your faith.

  The Atheists are known for their ability to challenge the weaker links, the ones who are more susceptible to emotionalism and sentimentality. You must prevent the guest from coming into contact with your people, for their faith is not as steadfast as your own.

  With blessings of harmony,

  Nicomachus, Octavia

  Sophia's battle against her impulses had failed. The dam broke the previous night. They discovered each other the entire night. Thales made her body aware of pleasures that she did not even know existed. She experienced the height of pleasure in surrendering to her body and soul, without reservation or regret. Thales also discovered the unknown intensity of love.

  She glanced at Thales as he slept, careful not to wake him. 'Thales, I would never have imagined that my best friend would become the object of my desire.' She paused and decided not to switch on her personal communication unit. Her day would be busy: back-to-back activities as well as the continuation of her training, but everything could wait just a few more minutes.

  The scout on duty could not reach Thales, so he tried to contact the station master instead. There was no response by her either. Having no choice, he called them through Samos' audio-visual intercom.

  “Scout on duty here. The station master and chief scout are asked to report to the surface sphere.” They looked at each other awkwardly.

  “I'll go out first so that we won't be seen coming out together.”

  “Do you think anyone knows yet?” he asked nervously.

  “I hope not. I don't know what's going on. Why are they calling us though the intercom?” She dressed in a hurry, understanding that they would only call them on the intercom in the event of an emergency. Worry began to gnaw at her.

  “I'll be there in five minutes,” he said, kissing her on her way out.

  First, they dismissed the scout on duty. They calibrated the computer over and over and tried to analyze the data on other computers. They checked the numbers with each other in order to verify that there were no calculation errors, but the results remained the same. The numbers, as well as their graphic renditions, were very clear. Over one hundred tiny flying objects were traveling with precision directly toward Samos. These were not meteors, which had curved paths. Judging by the orderly formation and precise direction of the objects, it could only mean one thing: this was a fleet of aircraft on its way to Samos. They hoped that it was a commercial fleet but knew that this was an unlikely prospect. Samos did not appear on any trade route maps.

  The speed of the aircraft was typical of a military formation, and their number far exceeded the amount of aircraft sent on any commercial, research or diplomatic expedition. They wanted to believe that this was the Atheist fleet that Enosh had told them about, but it was too early. Enosh said that the Atheists would arrive only in many months' time—in anticipation of the Gnostics, who were expected to arrive in a year's time at earliest. Octavia had not confirmed any visits, plus they would have received prior notice from Octavia. The conclusion was inevitable.

  Thales sat as his throat constricted and choked. His dream had finally come true; he had enjoyed a few moments of bliss, but then awoke to a nightmare. In a short while, the Gnostics would arrive and pluck Samos like a ripe fruit. His jaws clenched in rage. His fists clenched as if to break the ring of asphyxiation. When he tried to think rationally, he only saw one solution: Enosh.

  For the first time in his life, he was not ashamed of the wave of violence that passed over his body. He decided that he would not give in to the Gnostics without a fight. He was prepared to kill in order to protect Sophia and Samos. He would kill, rather than being like the manatee that grazes on seaweed while he is exposed to the predatory shark.

  Sophia felt her body petrify in terror. Panic crept up her back, encircled her neck, clutched her head and clouded her consciousness. Only when she
filled her lungs did she realize that she had been holding her breath. The sensation of Thales hand on her shoulder jolted her from the thick darkness that enveloped her to the sharp pain of despair. When she thought about the fate of the galaxy, she was slightly embarrassed that it had not been the first thing on her mind. Her first thought had been about Thales. She looked at him sadly.

  There is no way out, she reflected. Octavia's forces will not arrive in time and in any case would be unable to veer from their sacred ideal of pacifism. Needless to say, the Atheists would not arrive in time either.

  Enosh burst into the command center. “Oh hell,” he blurted, breaking the silence. He scanned the screens. "My fears have come true."

  Thales alerted him while he was in the midst of preparing for the rest of Sophia's training.

  'This is the end. We are too late,' he thought. 'The Atheists will not arrive in time and there is no way that I can finish training Sophia.' He imagined the Gnostic war machine careening toward Samos and crushing it. He began to think about the annihilation of the galaxy. Fear seeped through his limbs. He inadvertently bit his lips.

  The pain lurched him back to his task. He donned the armor of Socratic knowledge, with the awareness that the Socratic Method would shield him from despair and fear. 'The Gnostics are on their way. I must act. Death will come sooner or later.' He repeated: 'Death is the only certain truth.' The Gnostic threat became slightly less intimidating. The aim was not to avoid death but rather to delay it.

  All of the Gnostic warriors in the father ship, those in their aircraft on their way to Samos, those in the Uruk compound as well as those in their strongholds in the conquered cities from the Arabian Peninsula up to the Mediterranean Sea, sang the battle hymn throughout the audio-visual system in unison.