“I think you have selected your contacts well, and I don’t believe these men would have come so far and be saying what they are saying—and asking for more money—if they didn’t think they could deliver. I’ve watched their eyes. Most of them have already spent their fees.”
“Then let’s hope we wind up with twelve to twenty leaders in the American House and Senate, all of whom start talking about a more balanced policy in the Middle East and who are then surprised to find they have strong support from their colleagues! They will need one another when our special surprise arrives.”
“They will make a good nucleus, Wafik. You have done well.”
“Thank you, Sadim. May Allah continue to bless our work.”
“I am sure he will. Send a message after these men have had a few weeks to make their proposals to their politician friends. The meetings with the politicians themselves will be more difficult to arrange, but necessary. I will try to attend at least a few of them. But feel free to begin on your own. Just be sure every meeting is recorded.”
And with the conclusion to this phase of their business, Sadim left the restaurant before the next American was due to arrive. He had a long and circuitous trip ahead returning to the Bright Star, and he was impatient to get started.
CAMP DAVID—Back in Maryland on Easter Monday the president and his sister Mary strolled along the perimeter path around Camp David, walking off their breakfast. William was tired. He had not slept much that night despite the quiet surroundings. He took several hours to read the briefing book brought by Vince Harley on the nuclear bomb and its possible consequences in an American city, and then he found he couldn’t sleep. Despite his headache he was genuinely glad to be with Mary, and he asked, “How’s the real estate business in Raleigh?”
“Very, very busy right now. If it stays like this for another few months, Pam Wynn and I are thinking about opening our own firm.”
“Really? That would be great.”
“Yes. But, my dear brother,” she chided good naturedly, “all the experts say you’ll have to borrow so much to finance your programs that interest rates will skyrocket, killing the private housing industry again.”
“Are you an official lobbyist now?”
“No. Just a bearer of common sense.”
He held his hands in front of his chest in surrender. “Okay, Okay. I’ll record that under ‘common sense’—it’s one of our smallest and least used files in Washington.”
She laughed, and they walked on in silence for a few moments.
“I’m glad to have some time with you,” William said. “You’re really the only one in the family I haven’t had a chance to talk privately with, though I feel like I’ve been bombarded with an ‘Agenda Made by Mary’ since we got here.” He smiled.
“Oh, come on.”
“No, really. Hugh disagrees with the new policies involving gays and women in the navy, Rebecca thinks the morning-after pill is causing all sorts of problems, and then there’s Carrie’s reaction to Michael Tate’s sermon yesterday. To be perfectly honest, I’m just a little tired of all these conservative ideas, topped off by all this spiritual stuff.”
“Well, I hope you know I didn’t plan any of it, other than inviting Michael. But we have been praying. And so has a group at our church we call our prayer warriors. Sometimes the best and most powerful things happen when we don’t try to plan or to control, but instead just let the Spirit lead.”
“You’re beyond me there. But I’m not really complaining. I have to admit that it’s been a great weekend.” Except for Vince Harley’s news, he silently added. “In fact, just what we needed.”
“It has been good. The Easter egg hunt after lunch yesterday was perfect for the little ones, and I truly can’t remember the last time we played bridge. That was a great idea Carrie had last night.”
“Yes, it’s been very special. I even had a long talk one-on-one with Katherine after tennis—something we’ve both really needed. This hasn’t been so easy for her,” the president said. There was a long silence as they walked along together in the quiet morning. Then William asked, “Mary, what really happened to Carrie yesterday? And to you, all those years ago? I talked with her last night, and she said she felt a little bit like she was a child again, like she had discovered a Father she never knew. How could that be?”
“William, yesterday Carrie asked God to forgive her for a lifetime of sins. She committed her life to following Jesus’ will, not her own. In short, she has been saved by God’s grace and born again as a citizen of his kingdom. You’ll see changes in her, and hopefully you’ll like them. A process has been started in her that can build a personal relationship between Carrie and God if she reads her Bible, studies with other believers, prays regularly, and worships.”
“Mary, is it really possible for someone to change like that? So quickly? You know nothing was really wrong with Carrie, anyway.”
Mary smiled. “Perhaps only one thing, but that was the most important. She was trying to run her own life without God. And when she dies, as Michael said, even all of her good deeds would not measure up to God’s perfection. Now she has Jesus to intercede for her. You watch. She’ll begin experiencing a joy and a freedom in her spirit you’ll find exciting to be around. I’ve seen it happen many, many times, when the Holy Spirit enters someone’s life and begins to take over. His power can do anything.”
William was silent again, thinking. “What about me, Mary? Can the president of the United States be ‘saved,’ as you call it?”
“Of course, William. And there are hundreds of thousands of people praying every day that you will be.”
“Mary, it’s just so personal,” he said, obviously irritated. “I don’t need those prayers. I feel like I’ve been doing what God wants me to do all of my adult life. I’m not ashamed of what I’ve done. I’ve been trying very hard to help people. I may not be a saint, but I’m not a bad guy, either. I don’t need to be saved. I’m okay. I’m no worse than most people.”
“You know, if I had designed the plan for salvation, I probably would have written it the way you just said it. The problem is that God wrote it, not me. And he says, as Michael reminded us yesterday, that all of us have fallen short of his perfection, and therefore we’re not fit to inherit eternity with him. ‘No worse than most people’ apparently won’t carry much weight in heaven. So if you want to follow God’s plan, and not some Plan B, you do need to be saved, to be washed by the blood of the Savior, in order to spend eternity with him.
“And you know what else? Besides where you will spend eternity, which is clearly the most important thing, you’ll also begin experiencing the life Jesus provides us on earth. It’s like a preview of what heaven will be like. Not materially. But an inner peace and focus and love that help you know what’s really important, and his power to accomplish it. It’s a personal relationship with the Creator, the Source of all wisdom and understanding. I’ve seen it happen to so many of us ‘mere mortals.’ Frankly I get goose bumps just thinking what it would be like to have a president in the White House who really knows the Lord and has a relationship with him. What could that president accomplish, if he let the Lord do the work?”
Another silence as they walked. “Well, don’t count on this president. We’ve already embarked on a course that will help our nation. I’m excited about what our programs will mean for our people.”
“How is it all going?”
“Fine,” William said.
“Hey, this is your big sister, not the Washington press corps. And we’re alone. How is it really all going?”
“I...it’s...there are a few bumps in the road, but all new administrations begin this way. We’ll be fine,” he said and gave her a smile.
“Well, if you ever need help, remember that God is there, and his Son, Jesus, is knocking. More than your policies or your good deeds, he simply wants you. He wants you in his kingdom. Then he can use you. First you’ve got to surrender to him, and I know that’
s tough enough for most people. Particularly for the man they say has the most power in the world. But you haven’t experienced anything until you’ve felt his power! Call on him when you need him, William. He’s amazing. If you let him in, he’ll never let you down.”
“All right, big sister, I’ll remember that. Maybe I’ll call you to call him.” He looked up and saw they were almost back at the lodge. “Unfortunately, our long weekend is about over. It has been great, in so many ways. Whatever might happen to me, apparently God does have you and Carrie. Let’s go say good-bye to Mom and Dad. I think their car is about to leave.”
“Sure. But first let me give you a hug.”
The elder Harrisons were walking down the steps of Laurel Lodge on the way to their cabin when they saw Mary and William hug.
Tom Harrison said to his wife, “Can we really have seen a half a century of Mary hugging William? Who would have imagined all those years ago that we would wind up here, with Mary hugging the president of the United States?”
Elizabeth smiled, “You’re right Tom. It’s sort of incredible. Sometimes I find myself wondering, ‘Why us?’”
Hugh and Jennifer were placing suitcases on their porch. Jennifer stopped and said to Hugh, “I sure hope our children grow up to be as close and as open with each other as your family is. It’s really remarkable.”
“You’re right,” Hugh replied. “Several times this weekend, as I’ve looked around, I’ve thought to myself, ‘Why us?’”
Graham Prescott had just finished packing and noticed his wife and brother-in-law through the living room window of their cabin. He had no way of knowing exactly what they had talked about, but he was glad to see them hugging.
Carrie was walking by herself toward the lodge, still trying to sort out what had happened to her on Sunday. She reflected that she had prayed Jesus Christ into her life that weekend, after realizing, sitting in the pew, that she could never solve all of their problems herself.
She wondered what would happen next. For the first time in her life she had prayed to God the night before in real paragraphs, not just in phrases. She felt amazingly at peace, seeing her husband and her sister-in-law hug. She said a silent prayer of thanks to God for all of these completely unexpected events.
Rebecca Harrison and Bruce Tinsley were returning from a final tennis game. “Isn’t it great that Mary and William are so close after all these years?” Rebecca asked, watching Mary hug her brother.
“Frankly, I’ll be glad when she leaves. I hate to see her with him. It’s scary. She’s nice enough, I know, but she’s such a religious fanatic. If someone with her ideas ever tried to force them on the nation, we’d have a civil war on our hands.”
4
This is a religious people. This is historically true. From the discovery of this continent to the present hour, there is a single voice making this affirmation.... These are not individual sayings, declarations of private persons: they are organic utterances; they speak the voice of the entire people.... These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation.
U.S. SUPREME COURT
CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY V. U.S., 1892
Thursday, May 3
Three Weeks Later
RALEIGH—The Northside High School auditorium was almost full that Thursday night three weeks later as parents gathered at the regular monthly PTA meeting to hear, among other things, about the new Titan Computer and its projected use in senior health class. Graham and Mary Prescott along with a few of their friends were seated in the third row.
“Thank you for coming tonight,” opened Norman Templeton, the president of the PTA, from behind the long table at the front of the stage. “Let’s get down to business so we’ll have plenty of time for the presentation by Titan Computers.”
Twenty-five minutes later President Templeton introduced Ms. Jean Bowers, the teacher for the junior and senior health classes.
“We’re privileged tonight to have with us,” Ms. Bowers began, “two experts in their fields, Ms. Debbie Vick and Mr. Ed Cheatham, who work for the Titan Computer Company and the BioTeam Company, respectively, here in the Research Triangle. Both have advanced degrees. As you know, the BioTeam Company has graciously donated to the school one of its Mark VII Titan computers, which will make a remarkable difference in almost every subject we teach. We are here tonight to learn from our guests about an exciting new way this computer can advance and revolutionize sex education in high school if we accept the offer these two fine companies have made to us. Ms. Vick, do you want to begin?”
“Yes, thank you.” Debbie Vick took a few minutes to give the history of the computer company and of the Mark VII in particular. “One of its planned capabilities right from the start was enhanced virtual reality, which was developed for fighter pilot training but is applicable to almost any field. The BioTeam Company, for which Mr. Cheatham works, was doing research with us to enhance the emotional capabilities of the computer displays and stimuli when this particular computer became redundant for them. So, along with their gift of the hardware to the school, they are also offering several modules of their virtual reality software, one of which harmlessly simulates sexual responses. Your school administration agrees with us that this program will be ideal for teaching no-risk sex education, so they have asked us to come tonight to show you the equipment and to answer any questions you may have.”
Mr. Cheatham rose from the central table and walked over to the left corner of the stage. A computer terminal and laser disc reader were sitting on a portable stand next to a small table filled with unusual looking equipment, all connected to the computer terminal by long, thin wires.
“Thank you, Debbie. This is the equipment itself. The laser disc reader provides millions of color images, computer generated from real-life videos to be exceptionally lifelike, which are coordinated and directed by the computer, depending on the response of the student. Each session with the system is therefore completely unique. The visual images and sounds are fed into the helmet, and corresponding tactical sensations are created, if appropriate, in the other sensors.
“The student can study a natural sexual response and then with this equipment simulate it, enabling the student to compare and contrast normal types of sexual experiences on his or her own, in a low-key, nonthreatening manner with complete safety.
“This system will allow students to study lifelike sexual responses, which will arm them and prepare them for the real world, without risk of pregnancy, venereal disease, or AIDS. You parents shouldn’t worry. What they’ll experience is no big deal, in that most of the students will have seen or heard about all of these subjects in other, less well controlled settings. We believe this system is absolutely the state of the art, and we are pleased to make it available to Northside High School at no cost.”
There was general applause, and Mary felt that a majority of the parents appeared to be in favor of the proposed gift.
“Now our guests and our own Ms. Bowers will be happy to answer any questions,” Mr. Templeton announced. “Please use one of the microphones set up in front so that everyone can hear.”
Several parents walked down to speak. Mary recognized Claudia Farris at the microphone.
“I’d just like to thank you and congratulate you for your gift,” she began. “We so much want our daughter to understand the power of the sexual experience, so she will learn to stay away from real sex for as long as possible. This system looks like it’s a godsend, and we thank you for it.” More applause.
“Graham,” Mary whispered to her husband, “this is awful.”
“Besides the protection from pregnancy and disease,” Ms. Bowers volunteered from a microphone on stage, “I’m really excited about how this equipment will allow our students, particularly our girls, to have these experiences without significantly altering their relationships with their boyfriends. Those relationships should be strengthene
d and deepened without the need and the pressure for sex.”
Another mother came to the front. “That all sounds great. But are you talking about a one-time experience, or an ongoing way to have singular sex all during the school year?”
“Well, we’ll of course expect them to experience different responses as we move through the curriculum,” Ms. Bowers answered. Mary stood up and moved toward the aisle while the health teacher continued. “So, yes, there will be several opportunities for each student to use the equipment during the school year.”
“About how many?” the mother asked.
There was a pause. Ms. Bowers looked over at their guests on the stage and then flipped through what was apparently a course curriculum in a binder in front of her. “Over the entire three months that a student takes the sex education section, he or she should have between fifteen and twenty completely safe experiences on the system.”
There was a stir in the auditorium among the parents. One man in the back said loud enough for all to hear, “That’s more than I get!” to which there was general laughter.
Mary approached the microphone on the left. “When you say ‘experience different responses,’ exactly what do you mean? Blonds and redheads?”
Mr. Cheatham responded, smiling. “Of course. But Ms. Bowers is also talking about the full spectrum of experiences the equipment can provide.”
“Like what?” Mary asked. “Group sex?”
Mr. Cheatham paused. “Well, of course. From one to six partners at a time, male or female.” There was another stir among the parents as that revelation sank in.
“You mean you can teach group sex and homosexual experiences with this equipment?” Mary asked, her voice rising.
Ms. Bowers answered. “I would have thought that would be obvious. We don’t intend to limit valid experiences and lifestyles when we have a machine that can simulate almost anything you can imagine. It’s not really different from todays movies or television. But it’s totally scientific, it’s controlled, and it’s safe. The student simply enters the type of experience the curriculum calls for at the beginning, and then interacts as the equipment leads him or her in that scenario. That’s the whole point. To give the students the broadest possible experiences with absolutely no risk.”
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