Two stories:
A Sergeant is on patrol in southeastern Europe with his long range recon team. They are using an indigenous personnel as a guide and interpreter. They find a wounded boy who is a Muslim. As they prepare a routine, hourly situation report an argument of some sort erupts. It escalates. Suddenly the indigenous guide, who is Christian, levels his assualt rifle at the chest of the wounded boy (who is lying on the ground) and empties it into his chest. It looks a like the boy is being consumed by a power tool- his chest disinetegrates and his head cames off, rolling casually to the side. For a moment there is shock. The patrol leader asks the indigenous guide “Why did you do that?” The guide replies “He was a Muslim.”
The young sergeant draws his sidearm and, behind his back, drops the magazine and clears a round from the chamber. Then he presses the barrel of the handgun to the Christian guide’s head and says, “Funny, I’m a Muslim too.” and pulls the trigger on an empty chamber. The patrol leader tells the guide, “If you do that again we will kill you and put your home on the NATO target list for known terrorist locations.”
From then on, the guide behaves himself.
A friend of mine attempted suicide. She called me when she did and I took her to the emergency room. She was in bad shape. Her boyfriend fucked her over big time. After spending the night with her in the psych ward (big fun) I go to leave in the morning and encounter two customers of mine- a pair of fellas who are members of The Church of the Later Day Saints, I believe they refer to themselves as Mormons. I say “Hi” to them as I am leaving the hosptial. They have always been good customers and appear to spend a lot of time on their bicycles in the course of their religious duties.
“What brings you to the hospital?” They ask me. I tell them. They ask how my friend is. They ask if there is anything else they can do. I tell them, “Well, maybe you can look in on her…” I leave and then start to worry, “Oh no, I wonder if those guys will try to convert her or something- she doesn’t need that right now” (or maybe she did…).
Anyway. She gets out of the hospital, makes a complete recovery and asks me, “Who were your friends with the suits on that you sent up to visit me? They were very nice and I appreciated them being there. They stayed two hours” The two men treated her with kindness, respect and sympathy. They didnt once mention their beliefs. They only left a bible on her table when they left, without even mentioning it.
The next time I saw them in my store I told them “I want to thank you for your kindness toward my friend, I really appreciate it. You guys are very fine people. I hope you will keep my friend in your prayers- it seems to help.”
Two situations. Two different outcomes. Interesting.
