The Slaughter of the Innocents
by Dietrich Knickenbocker
Herod
In about the year 4 BC, love was born into the world.
King Herod was incensed and terrified. He feard that
a new ruler would rise up among the people and threaten his own authority.
Having sent out three visiting holy men from the east to verify the existence
of love, now two years had gone by wthout any word from them. He feared he
had been deceived by them and their promise to return with the news.
Much more he feared the power of love and it's ability
to transform the humblest things into nobility. And with nobility came a
power that was dangerous. A power that could move the world. A power that
could overcome him.
So Herod did the only thing his mind would allow him
to think of. He would kill all the children under the age of two years old.
He would burn the entire haystack to find the one needle. He would sacrifice
the innocents.
He would kill them all in search of love.
Airport
The road sign said "Airport : 5 miles."
"It's tempting, you know."
"What, love?"
"To not take that exit. To just keep on this higway
and keep driving south until we get to someplace they can never find us and
we could be together."
"We could ... we can't."
"I know."
"Look ... you know how much I love you and how much
I need you. But there are two kids back home who need their mommy back."
"I know" she said as the tears began to swell.
Aiport : 4 miles.
"I can't help it. I just can't bring myself to leave
you right now. It just gets worse every time I have to."
"We've been through this before, love. You'll see me
again, you know that. But right now, you have to go back to your family and
I have to go back to mine. I know we're both miserable there, but it's where
we are. And I just don't see any way of getting out without hurting the kids."
"I know." The words were a constant mantra reminding
her of what she didn't really want to know.
Aiport : 3 miles
"I just want to stay here. I just want to stay on this
road, right here. While we're still on this road and haven't gotten to the
airport exit, we still have an option. We still have hope. I know we can't,
but ...
"Dammit, I just want to stay with you. I just want to
run from everything. I've never been happier as I have been with you. It's
not fair. It's not fair that I should have to sacrifice my own happiness
like this."
"No, maybe it's not. But the option of sacrificing your
kids' happiness isn't very appealing either."
Silence.
Airport : 2 miles
"You know I'll always love you. You know I'll never
leave you and although we're miles apart, you know that you're in no danger
of losing me."
Silence
"We can either sacrifice our own happiness or we can
sacrifice our kids."
Silence, in emptying hearts.
Through the windshield, the airport exit came into view.
Abraham
Abraham was called before God.
"Do you love me?"
"Yes, I do."
"You need to prove it."
"How?"
"You will go for a walk with your only son. You will
take him to the top of Mount Horeb. There, you will kill him."
And there was the power of choice. To obey him would
mean happiness; God would bless him. But he would also have to live with
the memory of having driven the knife into his own trusting sons chest and
watch as his son, unbelieveing of what his own father had done to him, felt
his own life fading into darkness. But he knew that to deny God would mean
that God would turn his back on him. Darkness and despair.
There was no choice. It was going to be darkness and
despair either direction he took.
Abraham and his son started up the mountain.
Although the God of the Bible has a terrifying history
of slaughtering the innocents, it is reported that in this one case he stayed
his hand.