#2 An Explanation
by E.E. King
[this is the second in the three part series–
read Three Tales of Rapture from the beginning, here]
Dear Humans,
I know you will be sending prayers our way. You may have noticed some disappearances lately; this letter is by way of an explanation.
You came up with the idea of rapture long before we realized that one species, among the many we’d created, was suicidal. Who could’ve imagined that any species would have such a disregard for life, in all its myriad forms, including its own, that it would destroy the planet that was its home?
We’d created a world that could and would evolve, each new leaf or branch creating its own pollinator. Every pond spanning new variations. We’d never expected one species to become dominant, and if we had, humans are not the species we would’ve picked. You’re not the oldest species, nor the most competent.
Although we’ve tried to be impartial, we could not help but realize superiority and skill when it was apparent: the amazing eyesight of the mantis shrimp, the maneuverability of the hummingbird, the compassion of wolf and wombat, and most of all, the ability to turn sunlight into food, but we did not play favorites. We let things develop as they would, to our surprise and disappointment.
There were those who argued that we should’ve stepped in again. We could’ve sent a messenger, an Angel, a son of God, a daughter of the Goddess. But we tried that before. Although the Messiah was recognized, as soon as he’d been killed his message was perverted by mad men, would be saints and emperors.
At first, we thought to remove the problem, but you had worked quickly and done so much damage it hardly seemed fair to burden the innocents with cleaning up the mess.
One of our angels, Anthropogenic, first proposed the idea. I’ll never forget the look on God’s face when Anthropogenic described the rapture.
“When all the pure would be lifted up to God to join God and his son in heaven.”
It was a fierce undertaking. We had to prepare an empty but fertile planet. A half-filled sea, ready to be crammed with life.
We argued about the violence of chimps and ducks, about murders of crows and raping dolphins. Some wanted only to take plants and fungi. Others desired herbivores, and many thought we should take everyone but the problem species.
Once again it was Anthropogenic who came up with a solution based on your history.
“The Christian rapture” Anthropogenic explained, “doesn’t take place all at once, first the dead rise, and then the pure.”
So, on the first day we rapture the dead, emptying slaughterhouse and freezer.
We noted an increase of prayer, but thankfully no burnt offerings.
On the second day we too the purest: plants and fungi. On the third: prokaryotes, Bacteria, and virus’. On the third we took fish, birds, reptiles and most mammals.
We are watching the new planet with interest. Good Luck and God Bless.
*
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