Chapter Eight
Cal shook the cool, dry hand of Pastor Matthew Hawkins while keeping his broken arm tucked under his coat.
The pastor was boyishly handsome, with thick dark hair and brown eyes, shoulders broad. He looked younger than his years, but a bit heavy around the middle.
Cal had never been inside the old Unitarian church, but he noticed the smell of fresh paint and the new rug in the aisle. He looked up at the pulpit, taking in the simple gold-painted crucifix surrounded by a circular frame of wood, to represent the continuation of the spirit. This created four spaces between the circle and the cross, each space inhabited by a symbol; a human skull, a white rose, a sword, and a cup. Cal was reminded of The Blue Diamonds tapestry at the funeral home.
What is it about people and their social clubs? he thought. We find something to worship and then try to drag other people into it.
“Thank you for taking the time to talk to me,” Cal said. “I know it’s a stressful time in Marine.”
Pastor Matt straightened his tie, dove gray against a white shirt and dark blue jacket and pants. “Yes, the shootings and the explosion at the funeral home. What tragedies. Many of our congregation is staying home from services. I can’t blame them.”
“Otherwise, how do you like Marine?”
“Very much. I’ve met many open-minded people here. The rest listen respectfully, at least.”
“You can’t blame them for being skeptical, can you?”
“Oh, of course not.” Pastor Matt pointed to a nearby pew. “Let’s sit. Are you comfortable here? I can ask Jane to bring us coffee.”
“No, thank you. But I will sit.” Cal pulled out a small pad of paper. “I like the old-fashioned way. Besides, with a broken arm, it’s hard to use a lap-top.”
Pastor Matt sat next to him. “Have you done any reading or research on The Church?”
“I was surprised to find so little in print about The Church of Mankind, aside from the writings of Marshall Union. A brilliant man, but a bit unpredictable...”
“Our prophet was very human. In many ways, The Church is a work in progress, just like any other religion.”
“Reincarnation plays a large part in The Church–“
“The foundation, really.”
“What about your past lives, Pastor?”
“I have only recalled three under hypnosis. As a Past-Life Practitioner, I have helped others recall up to fifty past lives, going back thousands of years.”
“What do you do with all of that information? How does any of it apply to the present?”
“The results are sometimes not so direct. Let’s say a follower comes to me and asks,’Why do I have such severe claustrophobia?’ But sometimes the physical illness or psychiatric problems are worse, and the past-life regression is only part of the treatment, along with prayer, meditation, and fasting.”
“What about going to a doctor?” Cal asked.
“I would never tell a follower to ignore medical advice from a doctor.”
“I went on You Tube, and I’ve seen these video testimonials from Church followers, claiming they were cured from serious illnesses, such as cancer, after receiving treatment from a Church practitioner. One claimed he was cured of Parkinson’s disease. If this person recalls a past life of being evil or doing evil acts, do they deserve to be sick?”
“That kind of thinking touches on karma. God moves in mysterious ways, correct? But only the guilty conscience rationalizes suffering. I don’t think an evil person deserves to be sick, but rehabilitation can take lifetimes. The Church of Mankind has offered many people a chance to start over; people who have been to prison, committed serious crimes. A man in his 60s came to us, a lifelong drug user, and we took him back several past lives, including living as a prostitute in an opium den. As a woman, he ran away from the brothel to family. While trying to get well, she died of pneumonia. When he became aware of this past life, something switched on in his head. He went back to rehab and has stayed clean since. He told me that he could feel the hope he had in that life, and he felt he had lost hope in this life, that he was tired of trying. But maybe he could try again.”
“Where there’s life, there’s hope,” Cal said.
“Life after life.”
“Reminds me of the song ‘Highwayman.’ You know it?”
“Johnny Cash?”
“Along with Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings. What a team! Anyway, the song touches on reincarnation. Willie sings that he was a highwayman, Kris a sailor, Waylon a damn builder, and Johnny flies a starship in the future. They all claim to still be living after death, possibly the same soul.”
Pastor Matt grinned. “I’ve heard the song many times. A romantic take on reincarnation.”
“We want the adventure and romance, don’t we?” Cal asked.
Cal had taken notes, but had paused during the story about the addict.
“There’s nothing fun about devotion,” Pastor Matt said. “Our mission is more work than anything.”
“The Church of Mankind has churches all over the world. Australia. Japan. Britain. Canada. Why Marine?”
“We felt the Mid-West could use our presence. We’ve had churches on the east and west coasts and Chicago. Another will be coming to Detroit.”
“And how does The Church plan to help the people of Detroit? The same as Mariners?”
“Same peaceful approach. We have young followers who have returned from their tours–“
“Tours?”
“Followers can volunteer to become missionaries and their tour is usually performed in some other part of the world. Including the Middle East.”
“Preaching past lives to Muslims?”
Pastor Matt laughed. “We start with the teachings of Jesus first and go from there. We also have many followers in the U.S. Armed Forces.”
“Wouldn’t there be a conflict between the soldier and the peace-loving Church of Mankind follower? How can they become the same person?”
“One would have to be sacrificed for the other.”
“There’s a surplus of soldiers, I would think, looking for redemption or hope.”
Cal and the pastor were quiet for a moment. Cal put his pen down. “I’ve been reading the book by Thomas Lang, Frieda Union’s stepson. A Hundred Lifetimes...”
“What do you think?”
“Of the book?” Cal asked.
“Yes.”
“Well, I get the impression Thomas Lang is angry and he’s telling horror stories. About people being starved and dying in these trailers called Sweat Lodges. Is any of this true?”
“Not that I know of. The Church has cooperated with every state and federal investigation over the years.”
“Those investigations came about due to some puzzling deaths–“
“Yes. Both individuals were troubled people, one of whom had ceased contact with The Church months before she died. Her suicide note included some rambling reference to The Church, but I had never met the woman. The other death, I believe, was a murder-suicide of a couple. The wife had found out her husband was cheating with another man. Both tragedies.”
“Cautionary tale?” Cal asked. “The wife was convinced she and her husband were soul-mates, bound by many lives together, but he just kept being unfaithful with other men. She couldn’t accept it, so she killed him, then herself.”
“Why cautionary?” Pastor Matt asked.
“I know how The Church feels about homosexuality.”
“The prophet believed homosexual activity impeded the progress of the soul from life to life.”
“Marshall Union was from a different generation. You’re no older than forty, Pastor. How do you feel about gays personally?”
“We all have to take some responsibility for ourselves. This includes gays.”
“Because their behavior is more deviant or promiscuous?”
Pastor Matt shook his head. “Not any more than straights, but one group influences the other. You
can see it in today’s culture. Straights imitate the creativity and flamboyance of gays, and gays want marriage and children, which used to be territory of straights. The world is changing and The Church wants to keep up, but I wonder how much of this acceptance of gays in the mainstream is just politics. The Church deals with more...eternal concepts.”
Cal chuckled. “Homosexuality goes back to ancient Greece, but so does politics.”
“True, Mr. Whistler–“
“Call me Cal.”
“You seem well-educated, Cal. I grew up in The Church, as did Thomas Lang. We played together as children. I always knew my place was with The Church. However, Thomas was always detached emotionally. He had problems with Frieda–“
“He mentions it in his book. She abused him, made him fast for days as a boy, beat him.”
Pastor Matt sighed. “Frieda is not a warm woman, but she was devoted to her father and The Mission. His death and the lawsuits were heartbreaking, even for her.”
“Can I ask what happened to her husband?”
“Henry has health problems. He’s much older than Frieda. He had heart surgery. The lawsuits and having to leave The Church was very stressful for him. Henry is a kind, gentle man. He made Frieda a nicer person when he was around. Well, most of the time.”
“Thomas Lang also mentions The Great Creation. That Man, as we know it, exists because of a higher intelligence, emissaries of God. Not God directly, as in creationism, or through evolution, although The Church does not dispute that primitive beings and creatures, such as dinosaurs, did exist. But our more attractive, less hairy selves were more of a work project for these emissaries, along with our souls. That’s what I picked up from Henry Lang’s book, anyway. Am I correct?”
“Yes. The Church believes that God sent his best to create what is Man.”
“His best? Like angels?”
“Yes.”
“Then wouldn’t we behave more like angels? If we are the result of a work project, God would have fired all of his emissaries.”
The pastor chuckled. “Yes, but he didn’t. He loved us as much as he loved them. We, along with his emissaries, are all his creation. If you’re interested in learning more, please come to our services. We’re also having a candlelight vigil for the shooting victims in the park.”
“I don’t recommend that, Pastor. Too dangerous.”
“My mother requested it. She and my father are coming for a visit.”