Chapter 10

The Golden Rule

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

I still didn't know where this was going, but a picture of a plaque with the Golden Rule emblazoned on it flashed before me.

"Jim, whether you realize it or not, you have been adhering to the golden rule. This rule is embedded in the hearts of man. God could have said it more succinctly if he had only five commandments. The first four commandments would pertain to him, and then replace numbers five through ten with the Golden Rule. We, who sit near Him, have asked to try and save mankind from His wrath before He unleashes His fury.

"He has allowed us (those who have asked) some leeway in implementing this effort. We are influencing people in all countries and cultures. These cells are populated by men and women who have demonstrated their belief in the Golden Rule such as you have. This is revealed to you so you can see how effective it is by those you have touched.

Some have been looked on as sinners in the past but now follow the Rule. Will Greene, Jr. did sin mightily in his youth. Now he follows the Rule in those he manages and with his friends. The Preacher sinned and now teaches the Rule which he has come to believe deeply in.

"The list goes on, Miss Katie in her singing and charitable works. Miss Daisy follows the rule in her diner by treating with respect those that she serves and those that serve with her. Tom, who is gaining the gratitude of the whole town in his fair and honest management of his employees. Yes, and Joe's wife in England, working with the wives and families of the servicemen. Billy Bob realizes the difference between the Old and New Testaments. The credo of the Old Testament was (an eye for an eye). The New Testament is to follow the ten commandments and to (forgive).

"The family Gruber and those connected with you are just one little cell. It is radiating its good works and deeds outward. I have another cell that is doing the same work in a different context. It is pay it forward, a concept established by a 12-year-old boy with the name of Ben Vail. As these created circles expand, eventually they will converge and merge and move on stronger than ever. When they do they will become more effective in saving the world. People will be doing more than paying lip service to God, as they will actually be living under the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule.

"One day in a few years Juan James will come to your door and ask, 'Are you my father?' You will then know the answer as I have revealed it to you. A leader is ready to begin his life's work."

I remembered the dream that Maria and I had shared the previous Christmas while sitting at the table in my home in Virginia.

Father Juan continued with his projecting of my future. "Juan James will be researching my life in the New World and my lengthy sojourn there. He will author a book starting with my early years in the church. You have all the clay tablets that I made and wrote on. Also you have the verbal record passed down by the Chosen Ones before you became chosen yourself. You will recite to this son, by Maria, just as you learned it. You will lead him to all of the written documents and the substantiating records in the office of the town. He will publish all of these facts in the book of my life.

"This first book he writes will establish him as a credible author. When he is finished with this book he will immediately start another one. His writings here will concentrate on cross-referencing the Golden Rule in all religions. The laws of all of the governments, past and present, that uphold the Golden Rule, will also be cross-referenced.

"Democracy, Communism, Fascism, Islam and Nationalism all have some good points. Juan James will be studying these forms of governments. Democracy with its majority ruling over the minority can leave 49% of its people without recourse to a fair life. The majority mean the haves, so all the poor and have-nots are left with the leavings of the rich and those in power. Those governments that are ruled by religion are just as bad or worse. Man interprets God's will influenced by each of the interpreter's own thoughts--not God's. Can you understand how mankind has lost the true meaning of God's plans?"

Father Juan was giving me an awful lot of words and thoughts to dwell on. Why me? All I wanted was to enjoy my family and be happy in my life's endeavors. But then again, I thought of the rush I received from helping others in straightening out their problems. This rush was compounded when the gift of insight had been bestowed on me and I was able to use it. I didn't want to give that up, infrequent as it had come to me.

My mental thought was answered without me asking it out loud. "Why me, Jim, you ask? You should know. You are one of the Chosen Ones, remember? In the coming years your life will not change that drastically. However, the ones that you help will turn out to be the persons that will have the most influence in saving the world. I have cast you in the role of teacher. It would be beneficial to you if you were able to have many discussions with the one you know as The Preacher--beneficial to both of you."

Did I want this? When I first convinced Gram to sell off the Ryan Energy holdings, my thought was to have a laid-back lifestyle and raise a small happy family. Momentarily I thought over my life of the past year. I had retrieved my wife from the brink of going wrong. I forgave her a minor indiscretion. From that point on, it didn't seem as though I was in control. I always had a choice or decision before me about something. Apparently I was being influenced by some other force and dealt with it to their (or its) satisfaction.

What would happen to me if I turned down the role that Father Juan had just set before me? Would I be struck dead? I knew that answer immediately. No, of course not! Would I see disappointment and sadness if I raised my head and looked into the eyes of the apparition speaking to me? I knew the answer to that, also.

"What will I have to do? Will I have guidance? Where will I get the knowledge to teach these people that I have not met yet? Where will these persons come from? Will I have to go out looking for them?" Questions like these and others were skipping through my mind.

Again I felt Father Juan's hand on my head. "Jim, you just have to be yourself. The persons you meet will come from me setting them before you. Now that I am home I have almost limitless power to move people into place to meet you. You will not have to go looking for anyone to teach.

"Some of the text you will use, you have been using all of your life. The Golden Rule is everywhere. You just have to bring it to the forefront of people's attention.

"Points to emphasize:

"Honor thy father and mother. No person wants to stand in shame before their father and mother, for it brings shame on them as well.

"Thou shalt not kill. Do not set out to kill in either anger or revenge for it will doom you for all time.

"Thou shalt not commit adultery. Lust is one of the strongest emotions that beset man. If God had a sister and she was married and fairest of form and dressed provocatively and you lusted after her and fornicated with her, what would God with all his power do? Ponder this!

"Thou shalt not steal. Do not take from others that which is theirs. Do not steal their good name or their monies or their possessions. Do not deny them a fair wage for work performed or cheat them out of what is due them.

"Thou shalt not lie. Gossip, sometimes meant well, but the truth is usually added to and then becomes a lie. A lie that is told as truth and sworn to diminishes man even in his own eyes.

"Thou shalt not covet. Envy of those that have and the will to possess, lead in a downward spiral to let man commit the sins highlighted in the previous five points."

Father Juan paused so that I could assimilate what he had just finished saying. He continued with, "You realize, of course, that the points I just gave you are the last six commandments of the ten that Moses received from God. These, together with the Golden Rule, are all that mankind needs to live by. There is one other point that I need to give you. It is a difficult point to explain.

Forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those that trespass against us.

"You recognize that this is an excerpt from the Lord's Prayer. To make this effective, man must look deep into his heart when he asks for forgiveness. He has to want to repent his wrongdoings. He is actually submitting his soul in the expectation that if he receives forgiveness, he will be whole again.

"If a man has been wronged and is asked to give his forgiveness and is generous and forgives, he will be whole as long as he truly forgives."

I awoke and looked around me. There was no Father Juan with me. Maria was not on the stone bench near me either. I looked down the hill through the stones and monuments and realized that Kate and Terri were also missing. From the position of the sun, I surmised that it must be past noon. The women must have left to feed my sons. Father Juan had not mentioned James Gruber Ryan, but I instinctively knew that he was going to be as important as my second son, Juan James. I was energized! I felt that a new way had been opened for me. I also wanted to go home. I wanted to start my new life. I had never been a very religious person, but God was always there in the background. Even now after my time with Father Juan I knew that I was going to follow God's way. How was I going to do that? I had to give some thought to this. Before I reached the villa, I came to the conclusion that I not only would have to be aware of what I did, but be aware of my thoughts as well.

The ladies, including Senora Beatrice, were just finishing lunch as I came in. They all peered at me, expecting that I would be different somehow. Maria spoke first, although Kate was watching me intently. "Jim, I wasn't there at the stone very long. I did see and hear Father Juan. I guess I was in a trance for awhile. I finally realized that I didn't need to stay longer when I couldn't see or hear him anymore. I looked down the hill and saw Kate and Terri sitting and waiting for us, so I went down to them.

"Your attention seemed to be focused on something and you appeared to be listening. I heard you mumble something, but I couldn't decipher what it was. When I reached Kate she said that it was time to feed our babies so we left you there."

Kate got up and came around behind me as I sat waiting for lunch. A habit of hers she always had of standing behind me and running her hands down my chest while kissing the top of my head, made me feel normal again. "What did it feel like talking to a spirit? What did he say?" Then she whispered so the others couldn't hear, "He doesn't want you to make another baby again by anyone but me does he?"

I whispered back, "No, just by you." Then I spoke for all to hear. "First, you wouldn't know that he was a spirit. He seemed a total, normal, physically solid being. What was it like to listen to him? Well, it is like what I imagine the disciples must have felt like when taught by The Master. He did give some indication of what our future will be."

I paused trying to decide how much of what Father Juan had said could or should be revealed. "I guess there will not be any momentous changes in my life. Kate and I will have a larger family than we have now. He did say that I will be a teacher of some sort. It wasn't revealed what he meant by this, so I expect that eventually I will find out.

"Maria, I assume that he spoke to you too? Was there anything that involves me?"

Maria answered with some sadness, "He just said that you and I would not be involved in any way but by the common interest we have in JJ. He also said that I would meet someone and find love. I hope whoever this is, he will be understanding, because I don't know how I am going to explain my association with you. I can't even understand it myself. It just felt so right and I don't regret a minute of it. Life is complicated, isn't it?"

Theresa was quietly translating to Senora Beatrice as we conversed. I had another of those moments when I guess you could say the future was revealed in a flash. When I was aware again of those around me, Terri was looking at me with a question just forming on her lips. "Jim, the Senora wants to know if Father Juan had any plans for her?" She was smiling as she asked and I figured she was half joking.