CHRISTMASTIME AT WAS. It is now Christmas Eve here at the WAS Headquarters in the Ozarks Mountains of the central U.S.A. We want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. The Christ Spirit lives on "I will be with thee alway." So, it is really Merry Christmas every day. The message of Jesus was (is) God/Love...for "God is Love" (John). Love is the name of the game. Love takes care of everything. If one just learns one word out of the Scriptures, that's the word...Love. We now have two Departments here at the WAS devoted to biblical matters...our Biblical Archaeology Department and the newer Department of Spiritual Healing Research, WAS. These two departments are the most exciting departments of all, because they can help the human condition better than anything "Spiritual Anthropology." This is all Practical "Applied" Scholarship...our main mission here at the WAS. And, fortunately, we have all the tools of anthropology to study all of these things. Again, Merry Christmas all year 'round...and lots of Love! RM, Dec. 24th, 2007. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The following Christmas story: "The Return of Saul of Tarsus," was first run in the W.A.S. Newsletter. I revised the story and re-ran in my column as a series on the Opinion Page of the Branson (MO) Daily News (Nov. 30th, 1999). This is now Nov. 20th, 2004. Merry Christmas!! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Return of Saul of Tarsus Part I. Before forgetting any of the details of my strange adventure, I am making recordings whenever I am able - inbetween injections of pain-killers and operations - here in my room at Saint Paul's Regional Hospital (a very fitting name as you will soon see). Miss Allen, my student co-worker at the Antweiller Museum, Clevenger College, has kindly volunteered to transcribe the recordings and this is what you are reading now. I want to thank not only Miss Allen but also my other co-workers at the museum and especially professor DeWitt Blackstone, Director of the museum, who said he wanted to see the publication of the transcript. He felt that it might have some scholarly merit. First, I should introduce myself. My name is Dillard Q. Nordyke III. My father was the celebrated Harvard cultural anthropologist Dillard Q. Nordyke II, and his father, my grandfather, was a noted world traveler and lecturer on native cultures and ancient history. This is my sophomore year at Clevenger, and I should mention that I was very active in the campus A&H Club. The initials stand for Atheist Humanist. Our club was extremely militant. We aggressively attacked Christians, Jews and other religions. We made life especially miserable for the campus Christian Club. We burned Bibles, tore down Christmas yard displays, vandalized church marquees and enjoyed painting church walls with pagan symbols and other graffiti. We also handed out much secular humanist literature and worked diligently to get knowledge of God out of schools and government and replaced with our own pseudo-religion. In general, we delighted in tormenting religious people. We were fired up with our material, devilish, secular humanist beliefs. Essentially, we believed that there is no God, and that man is quite able to do everything for himself. Man and science (not guided by God but by Man) is the answer to world problems. We practiced our beliefs with religious fervor. Unfortunately, in our stupid, arrogant zeal we hurt many gentle, loving lambs of God and lowered the quality of society greatly. My hurtful life though all began to fall apart at the seams with literally a dramatic series of events. My downfall began when Miss Allen, our beauty contest winner and museum student secretary, was appointed by Professor Blackstone to organize the annual museum Christmas party. She tackled the job as a general at the front, phoning, delegating, operating, having a ball. She called all of the museum staff together in the museum auditorium. The professional, full-time staff was present including the curators of various departments, staff docents, volunteer docents and other volunteers. Also present were the student curators - the apprentices. I was student curator of cleaning - the lowest curatorship. My boss, the head custodian, Jr. Barnes, was there. Jr. had a third grade education, yet, Professor Blackstone and the other staff felt he was one of the wisest practical students of humanity on campus. We didn't get along. He would say things like: "Man, why do you and that strange pack of yours go around hurting good folks? That's the stupidist thing I ever heard of. If you don't shape up, I'm going to whop you in the head with a wet mop!" I wouldn't pay any attention and went off and sought the "enlightened" company of my club members. We would discourse on various high and mighty subjects of our pseudo-religion and think we were brilliant and the wave of the future. Actually, we were just a ripple of the past. But back to the meeting. "Attention staff members, may I have your attention, please?" she said. "I want to tell you about our Christmas party this year. I realize that we are planning very early, but more time will be needed to get ready this year." "We will be doing biblical characterizations," she explained. "I have put the names of some of the major biblical characters in these two hats -- the women's names are in the pioneer bonnet and the one for men in the John Paul Jones hat. We will now draw the names." "How asinine!" I thought to myself. But I had to go along with it. Even though the student worker's wage was pitiful, I needed it greatly. Also, Antweiller Museum and Professor Blackstone had much prestige in the world of scholarship, and I knew it would probably be helpful to my career. So, I grudgingly went along with Miss Allen's incredibly dumb idea. I withdrew from the hat a small, folded piece of paper. Slowly unfolding the paper I read the name. "Saul of Tarsus, or Paul the Apostle, as he was later known." (to be continued). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Part II I was becoming quite the fair-haired boy in the secular humanist movement. I studied the various humanist manifestos - including the new Humanist Manifesto 2000 - and other atheist literature. The leaders loved it when I aggravated Christians and helped in any way to get God thinking out of schools, government, media and the population in general and replace it with our own religion. Then, Miss Allen, student secretary at Antweiller Museum where I was employed, came up with the nit-wit idea of the staff doing characterizations of biblical characters at the Museum Christmas get-to-gether. And, of all the stupid things, I drew the name of some old Biblical character, Saul of Tarsus or Paul the Apostle as he was later called. How dumb! After the drawing, Miss Allen said: "Now, everybody, get into your character." I could have wrung her neck I was so furious. I was stuck in this situation. "You will be asked to say a few words - as the character you portray would say it," she added. "And listen to this. Great news! There will be a great prize given to the best character. Professor Blackstone wants to tell you about the prize." "Yes, staff, I am very excited about this," the professor said. "Mrs. J. Griffen Brown, museum benefactor, is giving $1,000 to the student winner, and also $1,000 to the pro staff member...a total of $2,000 dollars. A big hand for Mrs. Brown." Dr. Blackstone ended by saying. "Lots of incentive. I wish everyone luck." For relief from this ridiculous religious stuff, I rushed to meet with my A&H Club. It was reported that a homeowner had put up a particularly impressive Christmas yard display, and we agreed enthusiastically to go over that evening and tear it down. We assembled, and as a pack of ravenous wolves rambled across campus. The college had a beautiful campus with grassy areas and many trees. As we vandals ran across an open area, there occurred a supernatural event that would change my life forever. Suddenly, a blinding white light appeared, and I was knocked flat on the ground! A strong but kindly voice spoke from out of nowhere: "Dillard, Dillard, why do you persecute me?" "I am Jesus whom you persecute: How hard it is on you to go against the grain!" I was trembling and replied feebly: "Lord, what is it you want me to do?" "Get up and go back to your dorm room, and you will be told what to do." My companions also heard a voice, but they saw no one I got up slowly, staggering, and when I opened my eyes, I found that I could not see. One of my fellow club members led me back to my dorm room. There I waited for three days. During that time, I could not see, and I did not eat or drink. An amazing spiritual transformation had come over me -- probably one of the most dramatic, sudden conversions ever. I even felt compelled to pray to the Lord. Coincidentally, at that time, a student by the name of Andy, who was President of the Student Christian Club received a vision of Jesus. "Get up Andy and go to the men's dorm. There you will find a student called "Dillard Q. Nordyke , III. "He is praying. He just saw a vision of you coming in and putting your hand on him to bring back his sight." Then, Andy answered: "Lord, I have heard many say how evil this student is, persecuting many Christians around town." "Go on your way. Dillard is a chosen vessel of mine. "He is going to take my name to everyone." Andy did as he was told. He visited me, and put his hands on me, and I could immediately see!" Shortly thereafter, I was baptized. I then spent some time with Andy and other members of the Christian Club, learning all about the ministry of Jesus, and also about Saul of Tarsus "Paul the Apostle" my character for the museum party. I had a vague memory of this name Saul or Paul, but I really knew nothing much about him. "You don't know about Saul of Tarsus! exclaimed Andy. "He did more than anyone to get the good news out to the world. "What is really eerie about this situation now is that like you, Paul persecuted Christians and had a dramatic conversion. "You obviously haven't read the New Testament that tells this story and much more. You must read "Acts" and Paul's letters. "Those are the best sources right there," he added, "but there are shelves full of Pauline studies, as well as commentaries, expositions, biblical dictionaries, handbooks and encyclopedias - not to mention journals of biblical archaeology and various books that elucidate that period. You have available libraries full of biblical literature -- real treasures of theology. "Strangely, few students know about this. But here's where to start," said Andy, tossing a Bible on the table beside Dillard. "You don't have much time; your Christmas program is not far away." (to be continued). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Part III I, Dillard Q. Nordyke III, recently the scourge of Christians on campus and around town, but, then, converted dramatically, tried to explain some things to Andy, head of the campus Christian Club. I know that I pulled Saul of Tarsus, or Paul as he was later called, out of the hat to characterize at the upcoming museum Christmas party, but I'm not really a William Jennings Bryant at speaking, and I have never been in any plays. I'm not very impressive physically, although I have been an exceptional student." "Sounds much like Saul," said Andy. "He was smart as a whip - actually a genius in God - as you will soon find from your reading. He was a student of none other than Gamaliel, one of the greatest biblical scholars and a highly respected member of the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem in the time of Jesus. Saul himself was the fair-haired boy of the Sanhedrin and persecuted the early Christians unmercifully. "Saul also had physical inadequacies to overcome with God's help. He was plagued with an eye ailment; he was slight of build and had an inferiority about speaking, although this was dramatically overcome. God definitely wanted him to go forth and preach the Good News." "I commenced my reading about Saul of Tarsus. I started with the New Testament and read far into the night. When I finished the Acts and letters I practically camped out at various libraries. I would gather stacks of Pauline studies and read much of the day, and when the libraries closed I would take stacks of books home to study. I also commenced the study of the Old Testament, since Saul was a great student of this wonderful collection of works. This was the crash study of all crash studies. I became so involved in the life, mind and works of this great follower of Jesus that I began to feel that I knew him very well. "He was totally dedicated to his mission. He had learned a great deal about Jesus first hand from people who had actually known Him. They told him about the numerous healings. He quickly grasped the significance of the cross -- the saving grace of the blood of Jesus. As Paul pointed out: "...that through his name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins." "Paul learned that the life of Christ was a natural outgrowth of events and predictions in the Old Testament. It was all one story. And with his tremendous knowledge of the Old Testament, Saul, as Paul could point out these connections to everyone. Some would believe and some would not, although he wouldn't waste much time with those who didn't believe. He was a driven man; he had to be on his way to try and help others." The time of the museum party was the next day. I put together a costume of a rough, grey, woolen tunic, sandals and a robe of wool. A friend in the art department loaned me a small loom. The loom prop would fit in with Saul's weaving vocation. I experimented with red cosmetic coloring around my eyes. Some modern scholars believe that Saul may have had opthalmia. I also experimented with a little red coloring on my knees. According to tradition, Saul was called: "Old Camel Knees," because he prayed so much. I had gained much confidence through my studies, but I was still very anxious. I couldn't sleep. I was not only apprehensive about my performance the next day but worried about what my former A&H Club members might do to me. I knew them better than anyone. They were very aggressive. But then I heard a voice. I am sure that it was the voice of Jesus again. These were the same words as found in Acts when Jesus spoke to Saul: "Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace." The museum auditorium was packed with staff, relations, some faculty from around campus and even some local residents. Miss Allen was in her take-charge element, running around back stage, organizing and giving orders. "Adam and Eve will come first, then Cain and Abel, Abraham, Moses, Joshua and Ruth will follow. O.K., David, next...where's Solomon and Isaiah? There you are Isaiah...whoops...you better get more clothes on! Now, we've got Mary and Joseph, John the Baptist, Jesus, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Saul and Timothy. Is everyone ready? The curtain is about to go up!" (to be continued) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Part IV The student portraying Jesus at our musem Christmas party received a standing ovation. What an impossible act for anyone to follow! In fact, Ralph Morgan from the Conservation Department of the museum, who was to portray the apostle Matthew, the character following Jesus on stage, simply gave up and came out juggling some Russian Christmas eggs and singing "Jingle Bells." The audience booed and hissed in a friendly sort of way and shouted: "Sacrilegious! Get him out of here!" Then, Ralph dropped one of the fabulous looking eggs...crack! The audience really carried on now. "It's only a repro! I can fix it like new in the Conservation Department." Miss Allen rushed on stage to regain some sort of order. "Ralph, I'm surprised at you. How stupid!" "I would like to now present to you the character of Mark from the New Testament as portrayed by Harold Denton, student docent." Then, my turn finally came. Miss Allen announced: "Ladies and gentlemen I now give you Dillard Q. Nordyke III doing his characterization of Saul of Tarsus or if you will "Paul" as he was later called." To be in character, I decided to commence with a friendly greeting and then get right down to business. Paul was a man in a hurry with a great mission; he didn't have time to fool around. "Greetings! I am Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God. "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance and in all knowledge." I then sat on a stool behind my loom and continued on with my story (that, of course, I borrowed from the King James Bible): "The above was part of my greeting to the Corinthians. "A few words later in my letter I wrote on the subject of wisdom. I should note that this is a pertinent subject today before this gathering of scholars in search of wisdom...who mostly seek wisdom in the tradition of Greek philosophical wisdom. "However, I speak in terms of a higher, more powerful type of wisdom...spiritual wisdom. As Paul said: "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel; not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. "For it is written. I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? "Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men. "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. "...But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: "Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of Love and peace shall be with you. "Greet one another with a holy kiss. "All the saints salute you. "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. "Amen. "Now friends, I must leave you. I am going to speak in the local forum." Thus, ending my characterization, I left the stage. There was erratic applause. True, my performance was not very polished, however, there was probably another reason for the less than enthusiastic response. This particular academic gathering could go along with the Christmas theme and festivities, but the words of Paul concerning true wisdom may have hit right to the heart of their particular academic being, steeped in the long tradition of Greek philosophy and Aristotillian  material science. Probably most of them thought they were religious, but not quite realizing that there was a still higher, greater, harder-to-attain spiritual plateau. The student who portrayed Jesus won the big prize. Moses won the pro-staff award. After the performance I asked Professor Blackstone for an indefinite leave of absence. I had an idea. (to be continued) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Part V I had an idea. As some actors portray various important characters of history such as Lincoln, Mark Twain, Benjamin Franklin and others, I, too, would put together a one-man act and portray Saul or Paul (his Greek name). I first practiced telling people about "the Word" in parks and wherever and whenever I could get a group together. Often the results were disappointing with much verbal and physical harassing. Finally, though, I decided to try and get a booking in Washington D.C., key center of government and rife with problems both in government and the city itself. It seemed to be the kind of objective for which Paul himself would have aimed. He traveled to Athens and Rome. He plunged right in to many a maelstrom. I would get an excellent idea of what Saul went through neary 2,000 years ago. Culture has changed, but human nature hasn't changed. Fortunately, Professor Blackstone was with me, "I'm all for it," he said. "I know that you are excavating the life of Saul in a good scholarly way. It is a great cause. I wish you the best! You have always got a job waiting here at the museum." It wasn't easy getting booked in Washington. At first I could only do performances at churches, but then I got an audition at one of the better theatres. I was happy to hear. "We'll sign you for two weeks -- a test. If you are successful, we'll add on another six months...and then, go from there," said the manager. I was on! The management gave my show lots of opening night publicity. I had thought my first show at the college museum was nerve-racking, but it was nothing compared to this. The word was out that some powerful senators and representatives would attend. I thought back to those words of Jesus: "Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace." The curtain went up. I wore my usual garb of the rough, gray, wool tunic and robe. I squinted out at the audience through irritated, ophthalmic eyes. "Greeting, friends. I bring you well wishes in Christ from the faithful brethren at Jerusalem and all the faithful around the globe. "I would like to relate to you an address that I gave on Mars Hill to the authorities of ancient Athens. "Ye men of Athens I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. "For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription. 'To the Unknown God.' Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temple made with hands. "Neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he gives to all life, and breath, and all things. "And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. "That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him and find Him, though He be not far from everyone of us. "For in Him, we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring. "Forasmuch then we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's devices." After I finished Saul's (Paul's) speech (found in the King James Version, recorded by Luke the Beloved Physician in Acts) there was some murmuring from the audience, many of whom were obviously uncomfortable. However, there were a few who applauded vigorously. Unfortunately, attendance dwindled steadily, and I barely made it to the end of the two-week trial period, at which time I was dismissed. "Ticket sales don't even cover the overhead," said the manager. I, Saul of Tarsus was back out on the streets. (to be continued) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Part 6 The Conclusion of Saul's Return I was back to performing as Saul in parks, on street corners and in churches. This was OK, though, Saul or Paul the Apostle, if you will, spoke in many different places. He wanted to reach everyone with the message of Christ. With my inside knowledge of the secular humanist movement, I was able to expose their weaknesses using words of Saul Saul ran into the very same human "superiority" in the forum of Corinth and at Athens. He said: "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." Also, from his letters to the Romans: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. "To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen." These words sometimes infuriated people, especially the less they knew of God and clung to man idols. I had a number of close calls with my life, the same as Paul. I came to respect him and his great faith and mission more and more. He knew he was walking right into the fiery furnace many times, yet, he plunged right in wearing the "Armor of God" as he put it. Finally, I got booked on a TV talk show. It was a pretty low scale production, but the only thing I could get.I was to debate with some anti-religionists. I thought it might be a good opportunity to present some Spiritual/God Truth as expressed by Paul There were three other guests, all outspoken atheists. I'm sure the producers carefully planned this to generate as much conflict as possible and high ratings. One panelist immediately attacked me, the Bible and Paul with a withering barrage of foul language and cursing. I responded with the words of Paul in Romans 12: "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love..." and: Bless them which persecute you; bless, and curse not." I thought he was going to have apoplexy. Another attacker, a professor from a large university came at me in a more erudite and invalidating manner: "Any religion, and especially yours, Christianity, is so silly, really nothing more than a primitive belief - something for jungle and cave people but not for man who doesn't need some nonexistent god to get along. Man is perfectly able to think for himself." I replied with the Apostle's words from Romans 13: "Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation." "He rolled his eyes as if to say: "how ridiculous." I followed up with words from 1 Corinthians: "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. "And again, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. "Therefore let no man glory in men for all things are yours." To another attack I again replied with the words of Paul right out of the New Testament (Corinthians 1:2): "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." These words and more from the dean of all spiritual apostolic fencers cut to the very hearts of my opponents who suddenly realized how little they knew of God. They short circuited, lost control and physically attacked me. A wild melee ensued with some of their associates from the audience rushing on stage and joining in. The police finally arrived and restored order, but by the time the mob was under control I was a battered heap on the floor. I was taken to St. Paul's Regional Hospital where I am now recuperating. I just spoke with Professor Blackstone by phone. He felt with such experience under my belt that I should take a major in Biblical archaeology or theology. There were some Holy Land artifacts in the museum collection that needed to be recorded in the archaeological catalog. He said that I could be student curator of these artifacts and work up a display. He also thought that the transcriptions about my adventures as "Saul of Tarsus" might serve as the beginning of a thesis and as mentioned, he would see to the publication. Even though banged up physically (as Paul had been several times) I ended up in pretty good shape - a school to go to, oriented on a career...and oriented in life as well. Saul of Tarsus had been a big help. I'm glad he returned! - End -