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Martha shocks with honest sermon
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Day 21
Eschewing the Ark's gaudily-decorated chapel, Jezebel led the arkmates onto the top deck for a very different kind of divine service today.
Notwithstanding Maggie's problems in sitting down, the service started almost promptly with a meditation led by Jezebel, encouraging the Arkmates to face their greatest fear. "Picture it like a big ferocious animal," encouraged the queen, "Look that animal straight in the eye... imagine it shrinking and watch your animal diminish. And then put it on a leash and hand it over to the deity of your choice."
"Bonzai terrors," observed Maggie.
This was followed by Martha's honest and painful sermon about her own fears. "I know that we are not supposed to talk about our future nominations. but there is nothing to stop us talking about past nominations... and one of my nominations was Samson," confessed the strongman's erstwhile almost-fiancee.
"Why did I nominate him? I told myself it was because he was the right choice. I had this list of criteria I had decided I was going to use with each round, to be fair... But he only fit because I let my fears squeeze him into a category."
Despite several of the Arkmates finding Martha's admission embarrassing (Esther: "Um, should we let you two work it out?"), and Samson's visible distress, Martha continued: Martha: I was afraid because of how Samson made me feel - I knew I would be tempted by his presence, hurt by his hurts and angered by his wanting," she confessed. "Samson, I've wronged you terribly, and I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
Although Samson was silent, Mary finished with a final thought: "You can see what fear does, can't you? It makes it harder to follow Jesus. It makes it harder to follow your conscience... what are YOU afraid of? Maybe you should embrace those fears too."
John was impressed: "We need this kind of honesty," he mused.
It was soon John's turn to lead the others. Leading the Arkmates down to the Animal Deck, John led them in praise of God's creation, as expressed in dance, culminating in a version of "Wild Thing" of the prophet's own devising – see his diary for the lyrics.
Approval was universal for John's creativity. Jezebel: "I think this is one of John's finest!"
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