Virtually Real Read online

But what was not recognised, at first, was that Nimrah released no prisoners. Quietly the requirement to conform to the teachings and so-called laws were introduced. Then obedience to the priests was added. Behind the façade of love and peace; bondage and cruelty grew.

  In contrast, the followers of Y’shua seemed in disarray. They were often jeered by the populace and sometimes injured or killed. Many lost their jobs and could not easily access the necessities of life. Sure there were not many of these followers. Those who were not real about their belief had long since converted to Nimrah. But those that remained had a quality of inner life that frequently drew disillusioned followers of Nimrah; but to leave Nimrah and join the Y’shua followers was costly! In addition to all the normal troubles experienced by the v-people, they were ostracised and often without friends, or even the company of fellow believers. Yet somehow their love for Y’shua and for their fellows continued. Y’shua honoured those who were his, and ensured they would always have sufficient to fulfil the purpose of their lives.

  The presence of Y’shua followers angered Antoni. They were the only group that were not under his control – even though they did not break his laws, were not in rebellion and were usually the best and most reliable of his citizens. Having people that did not give allegiance to Antoni himself preoccupied and tortured him.

  “Antoni. You’re like a caged bear,” said I’isabel. “It is time that Aaron made you the embodiment of the Great Power. I believe that now is the right time – after all we would not wish to upset the Great Power by doing this without his approval. Besides, why should you be so upset about these followers of Y’shua. Can you not do anything you like? Why not work toward consolidating your power over them and, who knows even their property may become forfeited to us?”

  “You are right I’isabel. It is time, but remember it is I who uses the Great Power not the other way round.

  “By assuming my new title and role I will destroy the followers of Y’shua and I will be the only one ruling all that is in this world – after I’ve dealt with Chou Ling Yi! I will have my rulership and authority set higher than any other before me. I will be like the Great Power himself and I will be above that despicable Unknown One and his Y’shua. From Aaron, I have learned secrets that will enable me to always rule and death shall not overtake me.”

  “And I will be your queen. I will not be a widow and mourning will not be my lot. You control the people’s behaviour and I will control their emotional bondage. Come. Let us begin.”

  With that she led Antoni to their bedroom. Thoughts of power were ever an aphrodisiac to them both.

  And so it was that the King of the North started to prepare his plans to be the only supreme ruler on earth.

  His first strategy was to initiate the plan that he and Chou had worked out together. Antoni must consolidate his power in the Middle East first, then with access to the resources of Europe, Africa, Russia, and the Middle East itself he would be in a position to take on the King of the East. He was a little uneasy that Chou was going to allow these Israelis to take asylum in China itself, and he could see that Chou was endeavouring to ensure that he had the knowledge and technical skills presently possessed by them. He considered this and decided to make sure that he captured most for himself and then annihilate the others quickly. But he must seem to play Chou’s game for a while.

  Antoni called in Aaron and his chief advisors.

  “This is what we have to do. We know that Israel has a blessed agriculture, and has so many skills and such a command of knowledge and technology that we cannot take them head on yet. While many are envious of them, too many of our people depend upon them for their jobs and know that their own wealth depends on Israel’s wealth. This cycle has to be broken. How shall we do it?”

  Aaron spoke up. “We know that they are strong on following this Y’shua. This stronghold has to be broken. I have said it before, let us corrupt their trust in Y’shua, and then we will get control. Their sense of unity and protection will be gone and divisions and weaknesses will start to infiltrate their society. It is no good going in with military might at the moment.”

  Antoni’s Chief of Staff was silent.

  “That is the same advice that I’isabel gave me. I will give you two years to get this established and for Israel to forget her Y’shua. After that the military!”

  Aaron knew that he could not buy any more time for himself and set about the corruption of Israel with alacrity. His first step was to arrange a meeting with Judah ben David.

  “Ah ben David! I have longed to see you and compare the blessing your nation has with what can be achieved under Nimrah.” Aaron held up his hand before Judah could speak. “I know that our religious viewpoints are completely different and I won’t try to convince you otherwise. Yet we do have a lot in common; both religions seek to promote peace and prosperity, both enjoin our fellow humans to love one another and I could go on. We believe that mankind has the power within themselves to achieve all this and you believe that the only way is to be obedient to the spirit of Y’shua. Well, he too was a man like us, which goes to show that our two belief systems are not far apart after all.”

  “What are you up to Aaron?” asked Judah suspiciously.

  “Why do you suspect my motives dear friend? I am looking for ways by which we can work closer together, agree where we can agree and not to let our disagreements hinder a good relationship. You know that most people of the world admire Israel and yet underneath they hate and despise Israelis. I really don’t know why this should be and I want to explore ways by which the followers of Y’shua will be accepted just as much as the followers of Nimrah and thereby have people respecting the differences and loving each other.”

  “I too wish that that were so. How do you think this could be achieved?”

  “I will ensure that the Nimrah religion will preach that the Y’shua followers are to be respected and that the two view points are not far apart and that the main point of difference is over the name of the Supreme Being. We have the same values and ideals for living. I am sure that I can encourage a much more benign attitude among our people toward Israel and Y’shua followers.”

  “And what will you require of us, Aaron?”

  “Ah! All that would be needed is acknowledgement that we have an understanding between us and that rapprochement has been attained. I am sure that I could get Antoni to support the concept fully – indeed he wanted me to improve relations between his empire and Israel.”

  Judah sat silently for a while.

  “I certainly like the idea that the Israeli people are no longer despised and that all our friends are only interested in the science and agricultural skills with which Y’shua has blessed us. My people are very committed to Y’shua and to persuade them that there is any other way will be very difficult. We look at Europe and see emptiness. Cleverness, but emptiness of affection, emptiness in busy-ness, emptiness in pleasures and comforts. Those who do not know Y’shua are lost and don’t even know it. The reality of following Y’shua is so real to most in this country that it would be difficult to persuade them that Nimrah is anything but blasphemy. You may be able to persuade your people but how do I persuade mine?”

  “I do not dismiss your problem lightly, Judah. But if you allow our businesses to operate more freely in Israel, and our armed forces to be joined together, then this will start easing underlying tensions. Your people will not have to compromise their beliefs. Besides we will remove all remaining trade barriers. Even though Israel is now wealthy, these moves will consolidate this and give her people a new standing among the people of the Northern Kingdom. Think about it Judah.”

  Judah felt an amiable warmth from Aaron and found himself liking him, in contrast to his earlier thoughts.

  “I will certainly think about your proposals and take some advice. Thank you, Aaron. I will be in touch.”

  “Don’t leave it too long Judah. My credibility with Antoni can change quickly, but if we are successful we bot
h have much to gain.”

  With that, the meeting was over.

  Judah called Rabbi Moesh and told him to come over.

  “What disturbs the peace of our Leader today, Judah?”

  Judah told him all that had taken place between him and Aaron.

  “You know Moesh when I was with Aaron I felt a sense of comradeship, I felt that I could trust him and that everything he said was right and reasonable. But after he went, I felt uneasy and I do not know why. He said that they would respect our beliefs and allegiance to Y’shua and he did not try to push anything on us. We both know what he and Antoni are like. What is going on?”

  “We are trapped Judah. This is what he has done. If we turn down his offer he will stir up hatred toward us through Nimrah, and give himself an excuse to invade. If, on the other hand, we agree to his plans and allow greater access to their businesses and greater ‘cultural’ exchange, our people will first see it as further blessing from Y’shua but quietly lose their love of him. They will be drawn to enjoyment of the blessings and away from Y’shua himself.”

  Moesh looked directly at Judah and continued. “I see that you will be drawn to the promise of a liar and the blessings of a deceiver. For the one who would deceive you plans to destroy you; the one who comes in peace, has war on his mind. His speech is as smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart, his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.”

  “I should have known you would turn to prophetic nonsense,” said Judah irritably.

  “You are irritated because my words are true, and deep inside you know they are but do not want to admit it to yourself. Either way, Israel will find itself at war and it is given to you to choose whether it will be by the quiet weakening of our faith in Y’shua or by a direct confrontation. Y’shua has shown me this and I can only tell you what I see and hear.”

  “What then is your advice to me?”

  “This is a test for you Judah so that what is in your heart will be made known. You are to take the issue up with your government colleagues. Your trust in Y’shua is being tested. Go and seek him to know his way in this.”

  Judah was left feeling shaken. He knew that any war with Antoni’s forces would be devastating for Israel. Yet to trust Y’shua with this seemed unreal. Should they be stupid sitting ducks waiting for some miraculous deliverance? He was too distracted to seek Y’shua for himself, and he feared for his own position and safety. Besides he knew that he had to make the choice and in making this choice Y’shua was not going to help because of his respect for Judah’s own free will. Yet many lives were at stake.

  Chapter 14

  Interlude

  The real world

  Lucas was reviewing progress to date with his now closest team member, Ramgee Chukka, an Indian philosopher who advises Lucas on the programming requirements for the Asian replication of v-people in the project. He was knowledgeable of the different world views held by Asian peoples and thoroughly understood the religious and philosophical assumptions that upheld those world views.

  “Ramgee, this project now represents outright war between us and Eli. The project itself is brilliant and is exceeding my wildest dreams in replicating the history, present and, I believe, the future of the human race. The project has limitations in that some of the future scenario sequences may not be exactly the sequences or timing that unfolds in the real world. However I do truly believe that the model that we have will show real trends and the kind of things that will happen in the future.” Lucas spoke aloud but as if to himself.

  “The question is can we control the outcome or not? Is that what preoccupies you Lucas?”

  “Yes. Especially since we cannot replicate in the virtual world a similar project to what we have created here. That would mean a virtual, virtual world and that will mean creating a virtual model of that and so on. It is this fact which obsesses me. I must get hold of the project and understand this conundrum if I am to get ascendancy over Eli.”

  “Ah Eli! He will be your demise Lucas if you can’t get the better of him and outsmart him in this project. There will be insights within the virtual world we have created that I believe we can use to wrest control. If we can control all the v-people, then Eli will not be able to realise his dream of transforming their codes so that they become real people. I know Eli. He will not compromise his conditions and standards for this to happen. And this is why I have supported you, because I see that you have most of the v-population under your influence and I have no doubt that you will get the rest.”

  “Don’t over simplify the problem Ramgee. Eli already has had some who meet his criteria – especially since he appeared to change the rules with that Y’shua and only requires the v-people to believe and act obediently on his promptings and believe in his love of them. He only requires a change of direction. A v-person’s behaviour may be just as bad at the start after they believe, but Eli is delighted. He has more regard for the direction the v-people are going than their actual ability to behave according to his ideas. The ones that please Eli are those that start to increase the good behaviour in their lives and reduce bad behaviour – and of course, persist in it. He gives encouragement to them and helps them. Even when we make life miserable for them they sense Y’shua’s love and continue to love him in return and do what pleases him. Besides he uses these ones to influence other v-people – ones that we have under our control and still, somehow, come to be persuaded to believe what they call the truth and reject what they call lies. It’s not many but sufficient to concern me to get the final control. I know I can do it. We will win, I will take Eli’s place. We just need to see the best way.

  “Eli once said that when he has the number of v-people he wants then the project will come to an end. If we can stop him achieving that number we are well on the way to control all things because Eli will not go back on his word. He’s like that.”

  “Yes, but has he told you the number of compliant v-people he wants?”

  “No! But all the indicators are that he wants several million more. However our time is short and we must act quickly.”

  “Well Lucas I have been thinking about this, and I can see that much of what you are doing is working very well. What I believe we should do is intensify the experiences we already bring to bear on the v-people; including those who are ours.

  “Get those of our team to redouble their efforts to provide delusions, deceits, and all manner of lies. Create evils of all kinds that appear totally repulsive to the v-people, and create influences for good. Clothe some lies in rags and some in light and goodness. Clothe some actions with repulsion and some with apparent grace and kindness. Above all concentrate on hardening hearts and ensure that any love that Eli puts in them will grow cold by the increase of wickedness. Create many who will be deluded into thinking that they are Y’shua himself. Create some who will claim to speak in the name of Y’shua but whose hearts are in our camp. Feed the lies of self-actualisation and looking after ‘number one’ – even as we take away their self control. Create as much confusion as possible, so that even when they hear Eli’s truth about Y’shua they will not be able to perceive or believe it as being true.

  “And most importantly teach that Y’shua loves them so much that they can do what they like, that he does not really expect his people to be able to honour the rules and directions he gives them and there will not be consequences for what they call ‘sin’. This will provide the best deceit and remove the source of strength for their trust.

  “Your fight with Eli is now total and your fate does not bear thinking about if you lose.”

  “If, I lose. That will never be. Look at the state of the v-world now – and even our own for that matter – and see the victories we have attained. I will not tolerate any doubt of our ultimate success! Your ideas are good Ramgee, but if you are to share my power and wealth, you will never have any thought other than my complete victory.”

  Ramgee did not reply but nodded his understanding. He wondere
d if Lucas was ‘losing the plot’ but quickly dismissed the thought from his mind.

  “Look at the outcome in this virtual world we have created Eli,” commented Anna MacDonald who had just come in to Eli’s study.

  As the chief adviser to Eli on the relationship mathematics and programming used in the v-world project, her skills were of particular interest to him. And since Eli had a real fondness for good relational interaction, whether amongst real people or v-people, he enjoyed her company.

  “Lucas and his team have nearly all v-people under his influence and he is setting up the situation to get control of the virtual world of Israel – your special interest v-nation – and the other followers of Y’shua. The Asian part of the v-world is under oppression and this Chou Yi he has established is intending the same thing by a different route. I think you have allowed too much freedom to these v-people, and Lucas, and you tolerate too much of the wicked behaviour of them all.”

  She continued, “We had to start all over, near the beginning, by destroying nearly all v-people and giving a fresh start. I know that was necessary in order to replicate what we know to have been the Noahic flood. I think we are coming close to having to do something similar this time. Is this our fate too as human beings?

  “I can do your mathematics Eli and program the space-time-energy relationship fields to give the virtual people characters you require, but where are you going with it all? Lucas controls nearly everything and you know that he is out to take complete control of the project and through that he will discredit you and establish himself in your place. Only I think that he would be worse than that Antoni Meshiac that he has dancing like a puppet to his tunes.”

  “That’s all you have to raise?” Eli said with a mischievous grin. “I will try to answer.

  “I know Lucas is trying to destroy me and take my place. I know that he has an obsession with complete control of the project and the v-world we have created, but for my purposes Lucas must be allowed to continue for a while yet. The virtual world model we have made is giving us a representation that is closer to our own reality than most of us realise. Have you not noticed that the events in our own world are, with a few simplifications and exceptions, very closely paralleled in the model? I know the model is now running a few years into the future but it does give some prediction of where we humans are going.