By Richard Mather
I
God was walking in the heavens when a snake in the graSS emerged from his cave to seduce the world. “I have something to say and it needs to be said. The world has forgiven the Germans,” he declared in a newspaper, “so you no longer have to atone for the Jews.” And speaking from the side of his mouth he let loose Sin and Death against God’s chosen nation. Sin and Death uttered harsh words against the Jews and the world was engrossed. Thus spoke Sin and Death: “We are the guardians of truth and what we say cannot be contradicted.” And Sin and Death washed away the world’s blood-guilt and dressed her in a robe of white. And she received the gospel and spread the good news to the gentiles. No more guilt! It was their law that found us guilty. In fact, we were never guilty to begin with. It was a fabrication. A myth. Now we are free to libel and slander and boycott because we have truth on our side. And we shall rain down rockets and resolutions upon the heads of the Jews (who had it coming anyway). And so she rained down rockets and resolutions. And she slandered and boycotted until her heart was full of pity for the Palestinians who danced and handed out sweets.
II
One day, God decided to take a walk in the cool of the day. He anointed himself and came to Mount Zion. He called out: “Israel, where are you, my beloved son?” But Israel was gone, blown to bits by a bomb and buried beneath a pile of newsprint and placards and crates of unsold oranges. And God tore his clothes and made for himself a garment of lamentations. Realising he was beaten, he handed over the world to Sin and Death. (Besides, the world had come off its axis and was twisting in the grasp of the snake.) So Sin and Death devoured her greedily until there was nothing left. And the snake was curled up in the belly of Sin and the bones of Israel were crushed to dust in the belly of death. Almost sated, Sin and Death sought out God, who was trembling beneath a tree in heaven. And they scoffed and gobbled him before turning on the sun and moon, and then each other. And the universe was void, except for the leftovers of a rotting creation, which stank like a left-wing editorial.
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