STICK AND SAFAS Genesis 4

1: This Genesis stuff is so hard to write. I wish I was at Revelation already, but no I'm stuck here right at the beginning...

2: How's it going?

1: Yeah God. Not bad. Hey I was wondering whether you could help out here?

2: O yeah, the Bible. How's it coming? What chapter you up to now? 72?

1: Ummm Four.

2: Four? What have you been doing? Tell you what, throw in a few chapters of who begatted who and you'll soon get through the chapters?

1: I thought you were going to leave the writing to me.

2: Sure, fine, do it all yourself then.

1: But you've got to give me a hint. All you have here in the outline is "Tell 'em about Violence"

2: So?

1: So, what about violence?

2: Well, you know hitting, hurting, thumping, killing, maiming, and so on ......

1: Yes, I know what violence is, but what do you want me to say about it?

2: Umm, put me down as against. Yeah, definitely against.

1: I was thinking about a story of a sister and brother

2: What violence between a man and woman?

1: Yeah.

2: Steady on. They're not going to accept that. What sort of a man would be violent towards a woman? No man would be that crazy.

1: OK two brothers.

2: What just two?

1: You mean you want two communities, two races, two tribes?

2: It's just a thought. But keep going.

1: The first born I was going to call Boomerang and the second Hofagao.

2: Hofago's a girl's name.

1: Since when?

2: Since then, I just said it, and I'm God, whatever I says goes.

1: Ok. Ok Boomerang and Zaza

2: Don't you want the second son to be a bit of a weakling? I was thinking of Zaza as a name for someone very strong and extra wise.

1: Look it doesn't matter really. What matters is what happens between these two sons.

2: You sure? "Boomerang" is a pretty funny name. Does he come back?

1: Come back? I'm not even sure if he's going to go anywhere yet.

2: Well, it's just that if he doesn't come back he can't be called boomerang. Maybe pole, stick, rod, branch or something like that, but not boomerang.

1: Look can we get off the names.

2: Sorry, just trying to help.

1: Right that's "Stick" and ummm, "Nafas"

2: What was that other name?.

1: Nafas. That's Malaysian for "Breath"

2: Not bad, I know you like the Malaysians but my real favourites are the Australians, I would have picked them, but I know it's going to be hard to find three wise men anywhere in that region.

1: OK. Now, occupations. Stick's a ...... umm.....

2: Computer technician? Nurse? German Theologian

1: No, no, He's got to be understood. Stick's a farmer.

2: O very original, and I suppose Nafas is a shepherd.

1: You know he is, you know everything.

2: I don't. I don't really know why there is going to be so much violence down there.

1: But that's what this story is about.

2: Good, just checking.

1: OK You reject Stick's offering and accept Nafas.

2: What? I do not..

1: You do. In the story you do.

2: But I don't

1: Look I know you don't, you know you don't but in the story Stick thinks you do. He feels like you don't like him much at all. And he get's angry because you accept Nafas

2: Which one is he again?

1: The second born, the shepherd

2: Good, I like shepherds. I think one day I'll be a shepherd.....a good one maybe. Good kid that Nafas

1: Well anyway, Stick wants things.

2: What things?

1: More things!

2: What more things?

1: Anything more, the things that Nafas has for example.

2: What he's not content with all I've given him. He'd better be careful cause when you start thinking like that, a lion crouching at the door.

1: Hey, that's good, "crouching at the door"

2: Did you get the lion bit? I like lions, I wonder if I could be a shepherd of lions.

1: Anyway, Stick asks his brother to go out to the field and kills him.

2: You can't put that in there, that's violence.

1: Exactly.

2: Well wouldn't it be better if we toned it down a bit, how about he went out to the fields and smite him with a feather till he fell asleep.

1: No.

2: Umm, went out to the field and told him Brazilian jokes till he begged for mercy.

1: Sorry. No. We must not hide the violence. He killed him. And his blood....

2: Blood? Surely you don't have to mention blood. ..

1: His blood cried out from the earth ... so loud that you heard it.

2: What?

1: You heard it,... you heard it,.... the blood crying out.

2: Did I?

1: Of course. Nafas can't cry out he's dead remember.

2: But his blood ... that's terrible.

1: Then you come along and ask him where his brother is.

2: Like I did to Adam and Eve you mean? I love it when people think I don't know what's happening. So what happens next?

1: You know.

2: O yes, of course .... remind me?

1: Stick's got to go!

2: Does he?

1: Sure just like Adam and Eve again? There are consequences to this criminal act.

2: "Consequences .... Criminal act", hey, boy I picked the right guy to write for me didn't I? He'd better watch out though

1: Why? Who? What?

2: Stick!!!, Won't other people be mad and sort of want to kill him?

1: Maybe.

2: Steady on, there's not going to be more violence.

1: But just think what he's done. Murder!!

2: No, one death is more than enough.

1: You can't help it can you.

2: What?

1: Loving people? Victims especially, but perpetrators as well.

2: Perpser.... what?

1: And you like giving them things so that they don't have to doubt your loving nature. But let me tell you, one day, all this love stuff is going to get you into a lot of trouble.

2: How do you mean?

1: If you keep loving in the face of violence you'll get hurt.

2: How do you know that?

1: It's common sense.

2: Common sense tells you that violence can't be overcome as well, but don't be so sure. My people can be pretty creative if given the challenge. I reckon if I surround them with love and give 'em enough freedom, they'll come up with some might creative responses to this terrible violence thing.

1: Yeah sure, you're always the optimist when it comes to people. Anyway, what sort of a mark do you want to put on Stick? How about you slash him on the forehead with your little finger.

2: No, no, Stick's been violent right.

1: Sure has.

2: Well how about I gather together all my violence and give him the thrashing of his life.

1: Sounds good.

2: Right then, where's that stuff.

1: What stuff?

2: That stuff I love using.

1: What stuff?

2: You know it comes up later in your book there.

1: What?

2: You put it on people and they're marked for life.

1: O not that again! Your gong to thrash Stick with water. I keep telling you water doesn't leave a mark.

2: Does too!

1: OK, OK what mark do you want it to be?

2: Ummmm Mark... mark .... Ummm

1: Look let's just leave it today and see if you can come across something overnight

2: "Overnight..., across...., leave it...." You know somehow I think the answer is in those words right there, "leave it...., overnight..., across....."