Philosophy Life After Death Analysis Essays - Richard Dawkins

Philosophy: Life After Death Analysis To what extent does it make sense to talk about life after death? Nobody likes the idea that we are going to die. Its one of those things that pop into your head whenever you get comfortable, possibly as a subconscious motivational tool. Just in case you ever get really, truly at ease with your life it strikes you that it will all come to an end (possibly quite horribly) without your say-so or even prior notification. Many people find this not only rude but also decidedly inconvenient, and refuse to accept that their lovely lives could ever end. Others are content to allow existence is occasional bout of poor manners and go quietly. This essay is about the main ways people accept their demise, or rather (as it is in most cases) do not. Materialism With science fast becoming the newest rock and roll, you would think more people would be zealous advocates of materialism, but this is not the case. You would think that the belief that you are nothing more than a soulless (although organic) piece of machinery, rambling aimlessly with only the purpose of reproducing and a brain minutely to advanced to accept this would have most people jumping at the chance to support it. Perhaps this is because materialism falls under the umbrella of reductionism, and as Richard Dawkins says, in some circles, admitting to being a reductionist is comparable to admitting to eating babies. Conveniently for this paper however, there has been a long and steadfast tradition of Materialism, the primus inter pares of which is a Mr Gilbert Ryle. In 1949 when psychology was a young and nubile science, seen (as all new sciences are seen) to hold the Holy Grail to understanding the human mind, Ryle published The Concept Of The Mind. In this he dismissed the soul as a category mistake, or as the lay would say a misuse of language. He even went so far as to coin a scornful phrase for his nemesis the ghost in the machine a beautifully elegant term as it embodies both his belief of the body/mind (as for Ryle, the mind is physical organ and so part of the body) as a machine and the soul as the long jibed-by-science notion of ghosts. Ryle implored us to consider the poor foreigner who asks why the team spirit is late for the sports match, only to be mocked by those of us who understand that team spirit is merely a romantic term for the collective banter of many men not a separate e ntity of its own. Ryle saw talk of a soul in a similar fashion, as a way to describe the way a man behaves in the world and acts around others and that to say a soul is something separate is trying to justify something that simply isnt there. Unfortunately for Ryle he was speaking shortly after a very bloody war, to a nation who had just lost many friend and loved ones, who were not really all too willing to accept they had simply been thrust into oblivion by the Nazi war machine. However we live in an altogether different time, far from any front line where we can keep the idea of death at a hypothetical arm's reach. So enters Richard Dawkins. Dawkins appears to be the classic godless heathen atheist, holding totally to his beliefs in the science of genetics and conviction that they hold the complete explanation for what we are. Following from Charles Darwin who came up with the idea of natural selection as a mechanism for our existence the first credible one that didnt use one god, many gods or any other intangible divine apparatus. This didnt go down too well with theologians of the time, notably William Paley who wrote an entire text against it (including a metaphor which provided Dawkins with the title for a book of his own). Paleys metaphor was one comparing a rock to a watch, one being a purposeless lump of raw ore and the other a well-defined, precise piece of machinery capable of performing a function. He held that the distinction between these two is that one

Death in the Woods essays

Death in the Woods essays In his story Death in the Woods, Sherwood Anderson observes one womans life and thereby gains a greater appreciation for his own. After reading this story, the theme appears to be that life is a precious gift, which we are given, but too often take for granted. We are put on this earth for a reason, to make a difference in the world and to leave an everlasting impression of the fact that we were here on a mission. We grow from infancy, learning and nurturing, developing into adulthood and making choices. Then just when we think weve discovered the mysteries of life, death ends the cycle. In a cycle of being nurtured and nurturing others, we lose sight of the fact that our life depends on how we live it. As the story begins, the narrator introduces us to an old woman; one whom everyone sees, but nobody knows or understands. People drive right down a road and never notice an old woman like that (48). Although she is described as the old woman numerous times, she is revered as strong, not as frail as people would associate with those who are aged. Her tenacity is keenly demonstrated as she diligently labors to feed a farm. This is her job, and she does it without complaint. Somehow, she succeeds in making an impossible task happen. Her burden is physically exhausting and yet she never disappoints anyone in the process. As the story progresses, we learn more of the old womans life. We learn of the old womans neglectful and abusive husband and son, who seemingly embody the worst traits in all of us. They both treated the woman with complete disrespect, and yet expected her to continue serving their endless needs. Even after continuous verbal as well as physical abuse, she continued to feed them, as well as every other mouth on their dismal farm. If only they were more selfless and willing to aid her, she would have undoubtedly been able to provide much more fo...

A Report on the Relation between Ultraviolet Radiation and Skin Cancer, the UV Index, and Sunscreen Protection

A Report on the Relation between Ultraviolet Radiation and Skin Cancer, the UV Index, and Sunscreen Protection Ultraviolet Radiation and Skin Cancer Skin cancer is caused by exposure to the sun. Skin cancer can develop during long term exposure or during short periods of more intense sun exposure. Ultraviolet light in sunlight damages the DNA in our skin cells. Damage can happen years before cancer can develop so you may not even realize the harmful dangers your body is going through while you are exposed to the sun. In 2016 it is estimated that 13,283 new cases of melanoma skin cancer will be diagnosed in Australia. The estimate is roughly 7,847 males and 5,436 females. In 2012 the rate was forty-nine cases per 100,000 persons which is roughly sixty males and thirty-nine females. UVA rays and UVB rays both play a role in the development process of skin cancer. UVA rays penetrate into the dermis which is the skin’s thickest layer. Unprotected exposure can lead to things such as premature skin aging (wrinkling and sunspots) and suppression of the immune system. UVB rays will burn the superficial layers of your skin.This is the cause of sunburn. Unlike UVA, UVB rays have different strengths throughout the year. UVB is the most common cause of most skin cancers. UVC rays is the strongest and the deadliest of solar rays but the ozone layer prevents it from reaching earth. The UV Index is a forecast of the amount of skin damaging UV radiation expected to reach the earth’s surface at the time when the sun is highest in the sky. That is usually around midday. The amount of UV radiation reaching the surface is primarily related to the elevation of the sun in the sky, the amount of ozone in the stratosphere, and the amount of cloud coverage. Thick cloud coverage can reduce the UV radiation levels and certain types of thin cloud can magnify the UV radiation strength. The UV index is calculated based off of four factors: the thickness of the ozone layer which detected using satellites, the cloud cover which blocks the UV radiation up to an extent, the time of year because the seasons such as winter lowers the UV radiation, and the elevation because the higher the elevation the more radiation. Sunscreen is a combination of organic and inorganic active ingredients. Some inorganic ingredients such as zinc oxide reflect or scatter UV radiation. Organic ingredients such as oxybenzone dissipates as it heats. The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) measures how effective the sunscreen formula limits skin exposure to the UV rays that burn the skin. The higher the SPF is the more protection you will have from UV rays.

American History X Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American History X - Research Paper Example While in prison, Derek decides to take a new turn after a visit by his former Black English teacher Dr Sweeney. A brutal rape by Aryan Brotherhood prison gang fuels the transition after his defection. However, on leaving prison, Danny had stepped in his shoes and joined Neo Nazi movement. Derek has to fight to achieve a new life for himself and Danny. The film is full of flashbacks, employing the language of racism to capture sophisticated variations. On TV news, Derek narrates how his father had tutored him to racism through his dinner table conversations not forgetting his death in the hands of black narcotics. The film is full of scaring scenes and convincing scenes that reveal Neo Nazi skin heads bonding. In their meetings led by Derek, they take drugs, beer, engrave tattoos, and carry heavy metal with them. In the Neo Nazi’s world, slogans replace thought, fuelling a mindless hatred towards their black enemies and the film brings out the best of this movement. Neo Nazi mo vement comes out strongly from American History X film. Neo Nazi movement also called skinheads have their origin in England after World War II. According to Prejudice Institute, â€Å"the first wave of what we today recognize as skins polarized themselves in the 1970s. This happened against the various youth counterculture movements† (â€Å"Prejudice Institute† web). ... In 1980, a second wave of this movement was in action when Ian Stuart founded Neo Nazi movement. Apparently, he was a singer and the leader of the Screwdriver band that played an important role in the spread of the movement. The group identified themselves by Nazism and belief in white power and they portrayed it through their way of shaving heads, tattoos, t-shirts, and their confrontational style. Neo Nazi movement cemented its operations in the 1990s because it took advantage of independence war and other ethnic conflicts in of Croatia. To catch the attention of the media, Neo Nazi movement brutally attacked tourists and foreigners, gay people, and people from other cultures. According to Libcom, some of their memorable attacks came in 2003 when Neo-Nazi skinheads attacked six people including five old people and 11-year old boy from Egypt (Kontrrazvedka web). Neo Nazi has links with order supremacist groups like KKK and White Aryan resistance (WAR). Stuart published books by name blood and honour that he distributed to older white supremacies in the US to gather membership. Statistics reveals that skinheads age range from 13 to 27 years mostly teens from various social economic backgrounds. Most get to enrol in high school and continue through college and at work. Recruitment happens at the concerts that attract many young people to listen to Neo Nazi’s music and performances. For instance, Screwdriver songs like White Power and Nigger performed mainly on Hitler’s birthday or at Hate Festivals are tools of transformation. Skinheads also use publications and cyberspaces to promote their ideas and recruit members (â€Å"Prejudice Institute† web). According to Cooter, the group have adopted a new tactic for

American View of Slavery from 1790 to 1820s Essay

American View of Slavery from 1790 to 1820s - Essay Example Slave Trade: The Europeans justified the slave trade by proclaiming that they were providing an opportunity for Africans to become Christians. By the 17th century the removal of slaves from Africa became a holy cause that had the full support of the Christian church.(Walvin 1983). Also, race and racism provided the excuse slave owners needed to allow themselves to own slaves without feeling guilty. â€Å"Slavery was not a side show in American history†, says Dr. James Horton of George Washington University; â€Å"It was the main event†. In his book American Slavery – American Freedom, Edmund S. Morgan makes a searching study of the tragic contradiction which was at the core of America, as seen in Virginia. It was the first state to start the freedom struggle through the Revolution and was also the largest slave holder in the country. The labor of enslaved Africans proved crucial in the development of South Carolina, Georgia, and Maryland, and contributed indirect ly through commerce to the fortunes of New York, Massachussetts, and Pennsylvania. The Africans were made to work on fields to grow rice, cotton, indigo, sugarcane, tobacco, etc.They also worked in the commercial economy and as domestic servants . Slavery took deepest root in Louisiana and other territories in the South. Several revolts and uprisings took place, in protest against the inhuman conditions and treatment meted out to the Africans.

The Occult in A Tale of the Ragged Mountains Essay -- Ragged

The Occult in A Tale of the Ragged Mountains In his collection of criticism on Poe's stories, Thompson discusses the use of the occult in "A Tale of the Ragged Mountains." He begins the article by explaining that this story might be the product of Poe's "fascination with, but detached attitudes toward, the pseudoscientific occultism of his age." He gives us some technical terms for the techniques that Poe uses in this story: "metempsychosis" is the transmigration of souls, and is the word that surfaces frequently throughout this discussion of "Ragged Mountains." First Thompson discusses the idea that Poe set up the tale in a very specific way; as he puts it, "Poe himself wove a web for the purpose of unraveling." He believes that Poe set up a series of clues to guide the reader through the story. So, first the reader gets a "scientific" explanation of the events that seem supernatural, which is then followed by a "psychological" explanation (which is the opposite of the scientific facts). The final clue is the reader discoverin g that this tale is very similar ...

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 31

Tuesday We all slept that night in the upper room of Joseph's house. In the morning Joshua went downstairs. He was gone for a bit, then came back up the stairs. â€Å"They won't let me leave,† he said. â€Å"They?† â€Å"The apostles. My own apostles won't let me leave.† He went back to the stairway. â€Å"You're interfering with the will of God!† he shouted down. He turned back to me. â€Å"Did you tell them not to let me leave?† â€Å"Me? Yep.† â€Å"You can't do that.† â€Å"I sent Nathaniel to Simon's to fetch Maggie. He returned alone. Maggie wouldn't talk to him, but Martha did. Temple soldiers had been there, Josh.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"What do you mean, so? They were there to arrest you.† â€Å"Let them.† â€Å"Joshua, you don't have to sacrifice yourself to prove this point. I've been thinking about it all night. You can negotiate.† â€Å"With the Lord?† â€Å"Abraham did it. Remember? Over the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He starts out getting the Lord to agree to spare the cities if he can find fifty righteous men, but by the end, he talks God down to ten. You can try something like that.† â€Å"That's not completely the point, Biff.† Here he came over to me, but I found I couldn't look him in the eye, so I went to one of the large arched windows that looked down on the street. â€Å"I'm afraid of this – of what's going to happen. I can think of a dozen things I'd rather do this week than be sacrificed, but I know that it has to happen. When I told the priests that I would tear the Temple down in three days, I meant that all the corruption, all the pretense, all the ritual of the Temple that keeps men from knowing God would be destroyed. And on the third day, when I come back, everything will be new, and the kingdom of God will be everywhere. I'm coming back, Biff.† â€Å"Yeah, I know, you said that.† â€Å"Well, believe in me.† â€Å"You're not good at resurrections, Josh. Remember the old woman in Japhia? The soldier in Sepphoris, what did he last? Three minutes?† â€Å"But look at Maggie's brother Simon. He's been back from the dead for months now.† â€Å"Yeah, and he smells funny.† â€Å"He does not.† â€Å"No, really, when you get close to him he smells spoiled.† â€Å"How would you know? You won't get close to him because he used to be a leper.† â€Å"Thaddeus mentioned it the other day. He said, ‘Biff, I believe this Simon Lazarus fellow has spoiled.'† â€Å"Really? Then let's go ask Thaddeus.† â€Å"He might not remember.† Joshua went down the steps to a low-ceilinged room with a mosaic floor and small windows cut high in the walls. Joshua's mother and brother James had joined the apostles. They all sat there against the walls, their faces turned to Joshua like flowers to the sun, waiting for him to say something that would give them hope. â€Å"I'm going to wash your feet,† he said. To Joseph of Arimathea, he said, â€Å"I need a basin of water and a sponge.† The tall aristocrat bowed and went off to find a servant. â€Å"What a pleasant surprise,† Mary said. James the brother rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. â€Å"I'm going out,† I said. I looked at Peter, as if to say, Don't let him out of your sight. He understood perfectly and nodded. â€Å"Come back for the seder,† Joshua said. â€Å"I have some things I have to teach you in the little time I have left.† There was no one home at Simon's house. I knocked on the door for a long time, then finally let myself in. There was no evidence of a morning meal, but the mikveh had been used, so I guessed that they had each bathed and then gone to the Temple. I walked the streets of Jerusalem, trying to think of some solution, but everything I had learned seemed useless. As evening fell I made my way back to Joseph's house, taking the long route so I didn't have to pass the palace of the high priest. Joshua was waiting inside, sitting on the steps to the upper room, when I came in. Peter and Andrew sat on either side of him, obviously there to ensure that he didn't accidentally skip down to the high priest and turn himself in for blasphemy. â€Å"Where have you been?† Joshua said. â€Å"I need to wash your feet.† â€Å"Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a ham in Jerusalem during Passover week?† I said. â€Å"I thought it would be nice, you know, some ham on matzo with a little bitter herb.† â€Å"He washed us all,† Peter said. â€Å"Of course we had to hold Bart down, but even he's clean.† â€Å"And as I washed them, they will go out and wash others, by showing them forgiveness.† â€Å"Oh, I get it,† I said. â€Å"It's a parable. Cute. Let's go eat.† We all lay around the big table, with Joshua at the head. Joshua's mother had prepared a traditional Passover supper, with the exception of the lamb. To begin the seder, Nathaniel, who was the youngest, had to ask a question. â€Å"Why is this night different from every other night of the year?† â€Å"Bart's feet are clean?† said Thomas. â€Å"Joseph of Arimathea is picking up the tab?† said Philip. Nathaniel laughed and shook his head. â€Å"No. It's because other nights we eat bread and matzo, but tonight we only eat matzo. Jeez.† He grinned, probably feeling smart for the first time in his life. â€Å"And why do we only eat the matzo on this night?† asked Nathaniel. â€Å"Skip ahead, Nate,† I said. â€Å"We're all Jews here. Summarize. Unleavened bread because there was no time for it to rise with Pharaoh's soldiers on our tail, bitter herbs for the bitterness of slavery, God delivered us into the Promised Land, it was swell, let's eat.† â€Å"Amen,† said everyone. â€Å"That was pathetic,† said Peter. â€Å"Yeah, was it?† I said angrily. â€Å"Well, we sit here with the Son of God, waiting for someone to come and take him away and kill him, and none of us is going to do a damn thing about it, including God, so forgive me if I'm not peeing all over myself about having been delivered out of the hands of the Egyptians about a million years ago.† â€Å"You're forgiven,† said Joshua. Then he stood up. â€Å"What I am, is in you all. The Divine Spark, the Holy Ghost, it unites you all. It is the God that is in you all. Do you understand that?† â€Å"Of course God is part of you,† James the brother said, â€Å"he's your father.† â€Å"No, in all of you. Watch, take this bread.† He took a matzo and broke it into pieces. He gave a piece to everyone in the room and took a piece himself. Then he ate it. â€Å"Now, the bread is part of me, the bread is me. Now all of you eat it.† Everybody looked at him. â€Å"EAT IT!† He screamed. So we ate it. â€Å"Now it is part of you, I am part of you. You all share the same part of God. Let's try again. Hand me that wine.† And so it went like that, for a couple of hours, and I think that by the time the wine was gone, the apostles actually grasped what Joshua was saying to them. Then the begging started, as each of us pleaded for Joshua to give up the notion that he had to die to save the rest of us. â€Å"Before this is finished,† he said, â€Å"you will all have to deny me.† â€Å"No we won't,† said Peter. â€Å"You will deny me three times, Peter. I not only expect this, I command it. If they take you when they take me, then there is no one to take the good news to the people. Now, Judas, my friend, come here.† Judas went to Joshua, who whispered in his ear, then sent him back to his place at the table. â€Å"One of you will betray me this very night,† said Joshua. â€Å"Won't you, Judas?† â€Å"What?† Judas looked around at us, but when he saw no one coming to his defense, he bolted down the steps. Peter started after him, but Joshua caught the fisherman by the hair and yanked him back off of his feet. â€Å"Let him go.† â€Å"But the high priest's palace isn't a furlong away,† said Joseph of Arimathea. â€Å"If he goes there directly.† Joshua held his hand up for silence. â€Å"Biff, go directly to Simon's house and wait. Alone you can sneak by the palace without being seen. Tell Maggie and the others to wait for us. The rest of us will go through the city and through the Ben Hinnon valley so we don't have to pass the priest's palace. We'll meet you in Bethany.† I looked at Peter and Andrew. â€Å"You won't let him turn himself in?† â€Å"Of course not.† I was off into the night, wondering even as I ran whether Joshua had changed his mind and was going to escape from Bethany into the Judean desert. I should have known right then that I'd been had. You think you can trust a guy, then he turns around and lies to you. Simon answered the door and let me in. He held his finger to his lips, signalling me to be quiet. â€Å"Maggie and Martha are in the back. They're angry with you. All of you. Now they'll be angry with me for letting you in.† â€Å"Sorry,† I said. He shrugged. â€Å"What can they do? It's my house.† I went directly through the front room into a second room that opened off to bedchambers, the mikveh, and the courtyard where food was prepared. I heard voices coming from one of the bedchambers. When I walked in, Maggie looked up from braiding Martha's hair. â€Å"So, you've come to tell me that it's done,† she said. Tears welled up in her eyes and I felt as if I would break down with her if she started sobbing now. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"He and the others are on their way here. Through Ben Hinnon, so it will be a few hours. But I have a plan.† I pulled the ying-yang amulet that Joy had given me out of my tunic and waved it before them. â€Å"Your plan is to bribe Joshua with ugly jewelry?† asked Martha. I pointed to the tiny stoppers on either side of the amulet. â€Å"No, my plan is to poison him.† I explained how the poison worked to Mary and Martha and then we waited, counting the time in our imaginations, watching in our mind's eyes as the apostles made their way through Jerusalem, out the Essene gate, into the steep valley of Ben Hinnon, where thousands of tombs had been carved into the rock, and where once a river had run, but now was only sage and cypress and thistles clinging to the crevices in the limestone. After several hours we went outside to wait in the street, then when the moon started down and the night made way into early morning, we saw a single figure coming from the west, not the south as we had expected. As he got closer I could tell from heavy shoulders and the moon shining on his bald pate that it was John. â€Å"They took him,† he said. â€Å"At Gethsemane. Annas and Caiphais came themselves, with Temple guards, and they took him.† Maggie ran into my arms and buried her face in my chest. I reached out and pulled Martha close as well. â€Å"What was he doing at Gethsemane?† I said. â€Å"You were supposed to be coming here through Ben Hinnon.† â€Å"He only told you that.† â€Å"That bastard lied to me. So they arrested everyone?† â€Å"No, the others are hiding not far from here. Peter tried to fight the guards, but Joshua stopped him. Joshua negotiated with the priests to let us go. Joseph came too, he helped talk them into letting the rest of us go.† â€Å"Joseph? Joseph betrayed him?† â€Å"I don't know,† said John. â€Å"Judas was the one that led them to Gethsemane. He pointed Joshua out to the guards. Joseph came later, when they were about to arrest the rest of us.† â€Å"Where did they take him?† â€Å"To the palace of the high priest. That's all I know, Biff. I promise.† He sat down hard in the middle of the street and began to weep. Martha went to him and cradled his head to her breast. Maggie looked up at me. â€Å"He knew you would fight. That's why he sent you here.† â€Å"The plan doesn't change,† I said. â€Å"We just have to get him back so we can poison him.† John looked up from Martha's embrace. â€Å"Did you change sides when I wasn't here?† Wednesday At first light Maggie and I were pounding on Joseph's door. A servant let us in. When Joseph came out from his bedchamber I had to hold Maggie back to keep her from attacking him. â€Å"You betrayed him!† â€Å"I did not,† said Joseph. â€Å"John said you were with the priests,† I said. â€Å"I was. I followed them up to keep them from killing Joshua for trying to escape, or in self-defense, right there at Gethsemane.† â€Å"What do you mean, ‘in self-defense'?† â€Å"They want him dead, Maggie,† Joseph said. â€Å"They want him dead, but they don't have the authority to execute him, don't you understand that? If I hadn't been there they could have murdered him and said that he'd attacked them first. The Romans are the only ones who have the authority to have someone killed.† â€Å"Herod had John the Baptist killed,† I said. â€Å"There were no Romans involved in that.† â€Å"Jakan and his thugs stone people all of the time,† Maggie said. â€Å"Without Roman approval.† â€Å"Think, you two. This is Passover week. The city is crawling with Romans watching for rebellious Jews. The entire Sixth Legion is here, plus all of Pilate's personal guard from Caesarea. Normally there'd only be a handful. The high priests, the Sanhedrin, the Pharisee council, even Herod will think twice before they do anything outside the letter of Roman law. Don't panic. There hasn't even been a trial in the Sanhedrin yet.† â€Å"When will there be a trial?† â€Å"This afternoon, probably. They have to bring everyone in. The prosecution is gathering witnesses against Joshua.† â€Å"What about witnesses for him?† I asked. â€Å"That's not how it works,† said Joseph. â€Å"I'll speak for him, and so will my friend Nicodemus, but other than that Joshua will have to defend himself.† â€Å"Swell,† Maggie said. â€Å"Who is prosecuting him?† â€Å"I thought you'd know,† Joseph said, cringing slightly. â€Å"The one who started the Sanhedrin plots against Joshua the other two times, Jakan bar Iban.† Maggie whirled around and glared at me. â€Å"You should have killed him.† â€Å"Me? You had seventeen years to push the guy down the steps or something.† â€Å"There's still time,† she said. â€Å"That won't help Joshua now,† said Joseph. â€Å"Just hope that the Romans won't hear his case.† â€Å"You sound as if he's already convicted,† I said. â€Å"I'll do my best.† Joseph didn't sound very confident. â€Å"Get us in to see him.† â€Å"And let them arrest the two of you? I don't think so. You stay here. You can have the upper rooms to yourselves. I'll come back or send word as soon as anything happens.† Joseph hugged Maggie and kissed her on the top of the head, then left the room to get dressed. â€Å"Do you trust him?† Maggie said. â€Å"He warned Joshua before when they wanted to kill him.† â€Å"I don't trust him.† Maggie and I waited all day in the upper room, jumping to our feet every time we heard footsteps going by in the street, until we were exhausted and shaking from worry. I asked one of Joseph's servant girls to go down to the palace of the high priest to see what was going on. She returned a short time later to report that the trial was still going on. Maggie and I made a nest of the cushions under the wide arched window in the front, so we could hear the slightest noise coming from the street, but as night started to fall, the footsteps became fewer and farther between, the distant singing from the Temple faded, and we settled into each other's arms, a single lump of low, agonizing grief. Sometime after dark we made love together for the first time since the night before Joshua and I left for the Orient. All those years had passed, and yet it seemed familiar. That first time, so long ago, making love was a desperate way to share the grief we felt because we were each about to lose someone we loved. This time we were losing the same person. This time, we slept afterward. Joseph of Arimathea didn't come home. Thursday It was Simon and Andrew who stormed up the steps to wake us Thursday morning. I threw my tunic over Maggie and jumped to my feet in just a loincloth. As soon as I saw Simon I felt the heat rise in my face. â€Å"You treacherous bastard!† I was too angry to hit him. I just stood there screaming at him. â€Å"You coward!† â€Å"It wasn't him,† screamed Andrew in my ear. â€Å"It wasn't me,† said Simon. â€Å"I tried to fight the guards when they came to get Joshua. Peter and I both did.† â€Å"Judas was your friend. You and your Zealot bullshit!† â€Å"He was your friend too.† Andrew pushed me away. â€Å"Enough! It wasn't Simon. I saw him face two guards with spears. Leave him be. We don't have time for your tantrum, Biff. Joshua is being flogged at the high priest's palace.† â€Å"Where's Joseph?† Maggie said. She'd dressed while I had been railing at Simon. â€Å"He's gone on to the praetorium that Pilate set up at the Antonia Palace by the Temple.† â€Å"What the hell's he doing there if Joshua is being beaten at the palace in this end of the city?† â€Å"That's where they'll take Joshua next. He was convicted of blasphemy, Biff. They want a death sentence. Pontius Pilate is the ruling authority in Judea. Joseph knows him, he's going to ask for Joshua's release.† â€Å"What do we do? What do we do?† I was starting to get hysterical. Since I could remember, my friendship with Joshua had been my anchor, my reason for being, my life; now it, he, was running toward destruction like a storm-driven ship to a reef, and I couldn't think of a thing to do but panic. â€Å"What do we do? What do we do?† I panted, the breath refusing to fill my lungs. Maggie grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. â€Å"You have a plan, remember.† She tugged on the amulet around my neck. â€Å"Right, right,† I said, taking a deep breath. â€Å"Right. The plan.† I grabbed my tunic and slipped it over my head. Maggie helped me wrap the sash. â€Å"I'm sorry, Simon,† I said. He forgave me with the wave of a hand. â€Å"What do we do?† â€Å"If they're taking Joshua to the praetorium, that's where we go. If Pilate releases him then we'll need to get him out of there. There's no telling what Josh will do to get them to kill him.† We were waiting along with a huge crowd outside the Antonia Palace when the Temple guards brought Joshua to the front gates. The high priest, Caiaphas, wearing his blue robes and with a jewel-encrusted chest piece, led the procession. His father, Annas, who had been the high priest previously, followed right behind. A column of guards surrounded Joshua in the middle of the procession. We could just see him amid the guards, and I could tell that someone had put a fresh tunic on him, but there were stripes of blood soaking through the back. He looked as if he was in a trance. There was a great deal of posturing and shouting between the Temple guards, and from somewhere in the procession Jakan came forward and started arguing with the soldiers as well. It was obvious that the Romans were not going to let the Temple guards enter the praetorium, so the transfer of the prisoner was going to take place there at the gate or not at all. I was measuring whether I could sneak through the crowd, snap Jakan's neck, and sneak back out without jeopardizing our plan when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked around to see Joseph of Arimathea. â€Å"At least it wasn't a Roman scourge they lashed him with. He took thirty-nine lashes, but it was just leather, not the lead-tipped whip that the Romans use. That would have killed him.† â€Å"Where were you? What took so long?† â€Å"The prosecution took forever. Jakan went on half the night, taking testimony from witnesses who had obviously never even heard of Joshua, let alone seen any crime.† â€Å"What about the defense?† asked Maggie. â€Å"Well, I put forth a defense of good deeds, but it was so overwhelmed by the accusations that it was lost in the noise. Joshua didn't say a word in his own defense. They asked him if he was the Son of God and he said yes. That confirmed the blasphemy charge. It's all they needed, really.† â€Å"What happens now? Did you talk to Pilate?† â€Å"I did.† â€Å"And?†