concentrated on the land’s remoteness and the problems of its main city. What the article failed to acknowledge in any way was that most of the people of that city had a standard of living as good as the average in the United States. No credit was given for this.
“Of course, the United States has its better side, its world leading side, no doubt about it. But some other lands have their better side too; sometimes a leading side if ever so small. Some belittling Terraprima media people cannot acknowledge this in their articles. It is as if someone were with pen and camera, to tour one of the poorer areas of the United States, add a few pictures of the less desirable parts of some major city; then in another not very geographically knowledgeable country, publish the article saying this is the United States of America.
“Belittling media who try to promote their own country as superior by belittling other countries, succeed in doing so only in their own mind and in the eyes of some of their own people. In the eyes of the people they write about they diminish it. Belittlers in the media, and belittling tourists as well, are a disgrace to, and do disgrace their own country when they cannot, because of undisciplined pride, acknowledge the things about other countries that may be as good or better than their own. They bring on the ‘Yankee go home’ syndrome. The media needs to give credit where credit is due. People of other lands also need to have ‘a proper sense of personal dignity and worth.’ (Ibid).
“Belittlers in many walks of life are the dominant force and influence in some parts of the United States. The part I speak of as Terraprima is one of the parts in which they are a powerful and controlling factor.
“People who practice belittling behave as though they are quite justified in doing so. Occasionally, when their true colors are showing through, you may hear them mutter, ‘O well I have my pride to keep up.’ So they feel quite justified in putting others down. The trouble with that is that when carried out on a sufficiently large scale, as it often is, it robs other people of their right to feel properly proud of themselves, with ‘a proper’, not a false, but ‘a proper sense of personal dignity and worth.’
“There are some proud ones who do not belittle, but only pout when their pride is hurt by the attainments of others. These may readily admit that their pride has been pricked. These people may not be harmful, but nevertheless it goes to show the great need for people to learn to accept and co-exist in a friendly, peaceful manner with people they perceive to be a cut above themselves in one or more ways.
“I have often wished,” said Collin, “that linguists would take such a word as pride, trace it back to its origins in our own or some other language, and find two separate, usable words for the two different meanings; to invent or re-invent a new name for at least one of the meanings. In that manner, each of these two human characteristics could have its own distinct name.
“Christian scholars have almost accomplished a similar feat by dividing the English word ‘love’ into the Greek words ‘eras’, ‘philia’ and ‘agape,’ three very different aspects of love, with agape being the most noble of them all to Christians. However, the word agape is not adaptable enough to the English language, nor appealing enough to the average person to be commonly used.”
Collin added, “While we are focused on the dictionary, let us look very briefly at what the dictionary says about the word ‘envy.’ The meaning given for envy is:
‘1. A feeling of resentment or discontent over another’s superior attainments, endowments or possessions.’ (Funk & Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary, New York 1975, P.213).
“Once again then we are told it is a wayward characteristic, or as Barclay says, ‘the most warped and twisted of human emotions,’ aimed at superior people.
“To touch on Christian theology for a moment, one would think that Christians would be very conscious and wary of being envious, for it was out of envy that Jesus was crucified. As I have said before, Matthew in his Gospel (27:18 RSV) writes, ‘For he (Pilate) knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him (Jesus) up.’ “Some modern socialist would be theologians, and social activists warped by the bias commonly found in a segment of the church of these times, claim Jesus was crucified because he radically upset the established political and economic establishment of his time. Traditional theology of the centuries tells us, and I believe accurately, that Jesus put forward no political or economic systems. “Of course, most of the world, myself most certainly included, believes that democratic systems work better than other systems. Nevertheless, any democratic system can only be as good as the people running it and living in it. Jesus’ main goal was to make it possible for people to be better people. That, in turn, would make the system work better. He showed them how and gave them the spirit to be better people.
“Matthew writes in his Gospel (Matthew 27:18 RSV) that, Pilate ‘knew that it was out of envy’ that Jesus was delivered to be crucified. If Matthew didn’t agree with Pilate on that, he would not have written it the way he did. He might have said Pilate ‘thought’ that it was out of envy. But no, Matthew writes, Pilate ‘knew’ indicating that Matthew himself agreed with Pilate on that particular matter. Neither would Mark in his Gospel (15:10 RSV) have written likewise if he didn’t believe it to be so.”
“This explanation may seem oversimplified amid all the theological speculation there is about the matter. But it is still the basic reason for Jesus crucifixion, and the only reason that is explicit in the Bible. Furthermore, it wasn’t simply a matter of Jewish people being down on Jesus. It was the envious religious leaders of that time who were down on Him, just as some religious leaders of present time Terraprima, Christian though they claim, are down on fine, exceptional people of today.
After a pause, Collin then concluded that topic by adding, “Since this is not a Bible study or theology class, I don’t think I need to pursue this particular issue further. I hope I have made my point to this group.”
“You have for me,” responded Gilda, “Christians should indeed have an aversion to envy. No need for more detail as far as I am concerned.”
The others agreed. Dr. Eldren smiled and nodded approval.
Collin looked at his watch, then spoke again. “This session has been heavy going with quotations and definitions, as well as the behavior of belittlers. I think this would be a good time to end it for this evening if that is okay, Dr. Eldren?”
“About right for me,” replied Dr. Eldren, and he soon left for other work.
The group members agreed to proceed to the Corner Coffee Shop after connecting with Vita Seldon on the way.
Chapter Four
The following week the support group came together again, eager to hear more about the mind-game playing belittlers of Terraprima. Collin resumed the story immediately after the usual good evening courtesies.
“This evening” he began, “we will have more incidents pertaining to the life of the Lawtons in their congregation in Terraprima; the continued belittling of the ministry described as excellent and superior that Durwin was giving them regardless, and as he did, the attempts at belittling becoming more openly offensive, as opposed to that of a hitherto more passive belittling.
“I mentioned previously that the church landscaping hadn’t been well cared for, and that it was a part of Durwin’s general plan for the church to improve it. He asked for a Saturday morning work bee to do so. Several people turned up for it. Durwin and Canda were very much accustomed to such work. They brought along some tools among which was a full size bow or buck saw to use for cutting off the large lower limbs of big trees in the vacant
