4 | [Video]

[reverentresistance]

The Queen's power has to be less than God's... So why do you think He lets us be brought here? This goes a little beyond giving us free will, don't you think?

[Ky's unsure herself, but there's no way to gain certainty. She can only find out what other people are thinking, and that for some reason feels particularly important.]

What purpose are we serving here?

Comments

[reverentresistance]

Can you give me an example?

[mother_of_god]

I disobeyed because I didn't want to help her bring God to the world. It would make other people hurt.

[reverentresistance]

I still don't have the right context... Your "god" isn't mine, I don't believe.

[mother_of_god]

I'm sorry. I'm not very good at things sometimes.

[A few minutes of radio silence pass.]

God needs to be born into the world so She can open the Path to Paradise. But Paradise is only for the Faithful, and there has to be a sacrifice. And people that aren't Faithful get hurt.

[reverentresistance]

And what part of that did you object to?

[mother_of_god]

I don't

[A pause, as she collects her words and her courage. When she continues, the text is less uniform: letters waver, the burning occasionally eats through the paper entirely, and bits of red bubble at the edges.]

I don't think God is good if She will hurt people. I don't want to hurt people or help hurt them I don't want them to die I'm sorry I'm sorry I don't

[It descends into illegible blobs of black and red.]

[reverentresistance]

Why should God reward the sinners? But He gives us all a chance to repent, because He does not want us to suffer.

Still, it's clear that what you were taught isn't the real picture.

[mother_of_god]

[Another long pause; the other end needs a few minutes to calm down and realise nobody's coming to punish her. The text is still a bit disordered.]

I don't think it should be a reward not to suffer. That isn't fair.

[reverentresistance]

It's about facing the consequences of your actions.

[mother_of_god]

But the unfaithful didn't do anything!!!

[reverentresistance]

They don't believe.

[mother_of_god]

Anyone that wants to torture them because of that is cruel!

[reverentresistance]

Perhaps in your opinion, but you have to remember that God wants them to believe.

[mother_of_god]

You can't force someone to believe like that. It isn't fair.

[reverentresistance]

But belief is better than not believing.

[mother_of_god]

Not when She wants you to do mean things to people.

[reverentresistance]

That's not a belief related thing. He wouldn't ask that of you, so you've been asked to believe in a false God.

[mother_of_god]

But He will still hurt people.

How do you know yours isn't false? How do you know any god isn't false?

I know God is real because she was in me and made things happen. Does yours do that?

[reverentresistance]

We hurt ourselves.

I know that the God I worship is the only true God.

[mother_of_god]

How do you know?

[reverentresistance]

I just do!

[Ky's done with this conversation, now, walking away from the vine she was using.]

[mother_of_god]

[A final bit of ashy parchment unfurls toward her back.]

I'm sorry.

I just wanted to understand.