Europa Conspiracy (Babylon Rising 3) (11 page)

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"Neither do I."

"Daniel informed the king that the golden head represented his kingdom and power. The chest and arms of silver stood for the kingdom that was to follow Nebuchadnezzar's. It wouldn't be as strong and influential as his was. That was the Medo-Persian Empire. It would be followed by the Greek Empire, represented by the bronze body. The two legs of iron stood for the Roman Empire, which broke into two sections. The feet of iron and clay mixed together illustrated ten kingdoms that were to come."

"Nebuchadnezzar must have had a bad pizza that night."

Murphy laughed and nodded. "Many Bible scholars believe that the ten toes of the image represent ten kingdoms of the revived Roman Empire. They think that they will arise out of the European Union."

"Didn't you mention that there were more than ten countries in the European Union?"

"Yes, there are more right now. Many people feel that there are other possibilities as to what those ten toes represent. Some think that there will eventually be a merging of several countries together. Others think that the ten toes represent ten regions of world commerce. That's probably the most plausible explanation."

"By regions, what do you mean?" Kovacs got her pen ready.

"It has been suggested that the regions are Europe, the Far East, the Mideast, North America, South America, South Asia, Central Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Southern Africa, and Central Africa. Of course, only time

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will tell. But right now, we can see the rise of Europe. It's becoming more and more powerful and is beginning to have a stronger voice in world affairs."

"I've heard it said that what the world needs is a world leader. Someone who can bring about peace. Do you believe that this will one day happen?"

"Most certainly! The Bible calls him the Anti-Christ. Some people think he may be alive today. He'll unite the nations at first and seem to bring about peace. However, that's just a ploy. He'll soon become a dictator and take control economically, socially, and spiritually."

"You mean like a Hitler or Stalin, or Mao Zedong?"

"I think he'll be much worse," Murphy said soberly. "The Bible also talks about a rapture, where the believers in God are taken out of the world before a final world war called the battle of Armageddon. Those who don't believe in God will be left behind to go through a period of great tribulation."

"Yes, I've heard that discussed before. It all sounds pretty scary," Kovacs replied. "And pretty unbelievable. Like a novel."

"It doesn't have to be," Murphy told her.

"What do you mean?" Kovacs looked puzzled.

"Well, people don't have to be left behind. All they need to do is ask Christ to come into their lives and change them from the inside out.

"Stephanie, do you remember the last time we talked, I used an illustration about a kite and how God speaks to us through our conscience and through the Bible? Another illustration comes out of the Book of Revelation. It is found in the third chapter and the twentieth verse. It says,
'Look! I
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have been standing at the door, and I am constantly knocking. If anyone hears me calling him and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him and he with me.'

"It's a picture of Christ standing at the door of your heart. He would like to come in, but He's a gentleman. He won't force His way in. He just patiently knocks and waits for the door to open. He keeps calling and hoping that His still small voice will be heard. He knocks at everyone's heart's door. It is sort of like the pull of the string on the kite. Stephanie, do you hear Him knocking at your heart's door?" Murphy stopped talking.

Kovacs waited a minute before she said, "I'm afraid, Dr. Murphy."

"Afraid of what, Stephanie?"

"Afraid of the changes I would have to make in my lifestyle."

Murphy nodded. "I know. It may not be easy, but God will give you the strength."

"I'm still scared. I don't think I'm ready for that."

"That's okay. God has plenty of time. You can open your heart's door to Him when you are ready. It doesn't have to be in a church or with anyone else present. You can do it when you are all alone. All you have to do is pray a little prayer to Him. Something like this: 'God, I realize that I am a sinner and I have done wrong. I believe that You died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead to create a new life for me. I would like to experience that new life. Please forgive me. I want to follow You. Please change my life. Please help me to learn to live for You. Thank You for doing this for me. Amen.'"

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Stephanie was staring off into space.

"Let me write out a verse for you that I've found helpful. You can memorize it." Murphy wrote out the verse and handed it to Kovacs. They talked about it for a few minutes, then Don West came up to their table.

"Excuse me, Dr. Murphy. I saw Shari Nelson a few minutes ago. She said if I saw you around campus to let you know that you had an important message in your office."

"Thank you, Don."

Murphy turned back to Stephanie. "If you'll excuse me, I think I should attend to this message. Shari doesn't track me down unless it's something urgent."

"Sure, I understand. Maybe we could continue this conversation at another time."
Why do we keep getting interrupted just when I'm going to talk to Dr. Murphy about the danger he is in? It's almost like some force is fighting against me.

Stephanie sat there watching Murphy walk away. She then looked at the verse he had written down for her.

I have learned the secret of contentment in every situation, whether it be a full stomach or hunger, plenty or want; for I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.

Philippians 4:12-13

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TWENTY-ONE

"BOY, YOU'RE IN TROUBLE NOW!" Shari said with a smirk as Murphy entered the office.

Murphy chuckled. With that smirk on her face and her black pigtails, she was a sight to behold. Shari definitely had her own unique style. "Trouble?"

"There's a note on your desk. Dean Archer Fallworth wants to see you in his office at eleven A.M. He sounded a little upset on the phone."

"Do you know what it's about?"

"He didn't say. All he wanted me to do was to make sure that you got the message. He's probably jealous that so many students are taking your class in biblical archaeology. I think he's wound a little too tight."

Murphy could feel his stomach tightening as he approached Fallworth's office in the arts and science building. Their working relationship had not been an easy one.

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I wonder what he's going to complain about this time.

Fallworth glanced up from his desk as Murphy entered. Fallworth's hand trembled slightly as he tried to keep his facial expression under control. "I want to talk to you about your class," he said curtly. "I understand that you are pushing religion on your students again."

Murphy could feel his temper beginning to simmer. "I'm not quite sure if I understand what you mean. I
am
teaching a course in biblical archaeology, and we discuss religious topics in the process. It's part of the curriculum."

"My sources suggest that you are using your course to push your one-sided views about Christianity. I understand that you are talking against Arabs and putting down other religions."

"I don't know where you are getting your information, Archer. But it's wrong. I share facts and details about many forms of ancient worship from Babylonian gods, to Greek mythology, to Christianity. The students are presented with information and its relationship to archaeology and history. I haven't put down anyone."

"Don't you talk about Christianity more than the other religions?"

"Of course I do, Archer. It's a course in biblical archaeology."

"I think that you're coming across bigoted and intolerant of other people's views."

"Wait a minute!" Both of Murphy's feet were firmly planted on the floor and he was leaning forward. "Just how do you define tolerance?"

Murphy could see Fallworth's neck beginning to get red. "Tolerance is respecting other people's viewpoints and

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holding them on an equal level with your viewpoints. You should give them equal time to share their concepts and not be judgmental of someone else's beliefs or behaviors."

"That sounds good and politically correct, Archer, but that's not what tolerance means according to the dictionary Part of what you're saying is true. Yes, we should respect the right of other people to believe what they desire. Not everyone believes the same thing. But I don't have to put what another person believes on the same level as what I believe. That would make truth relative and not absolute."

"Truth
is
relative."

"Is it really? If an Arab terrorist, or a Russian terrorist, or a terrorist from any country blows up innocent children in a school--you're saying that I should hold his beliefs, values, and behaviors on the same level as mine, when I think life is sacred? And because I don't hold and endorse his beliefs on the same level, I'm judgmental and intolerant? That's not how it works."

"That's a good example of what I mean. Look at what you've just done. You have racially profiled terrorists. I think that you're phobic against Arabs and Russians!"

"Whoa! Just a minute, Archer. Because I have strong opinions and convictions that differ from what you believe, that makes me phobic? Is that the game? When I have a different viewpoint, you begin to call me names?"

By now both Murphy and Fallworth were standing.

"You're fanatically phobic on certain issues!" Fallworth exclaimed.

Murphy quashed his desire to suggest that they go outside to settle the issue.
Get control, Murphy. Don't escalate it
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any more. A soft answer turns away wrath.
He took a deep breath.

"I used Arab and Russian terrorists as an illustration. It was not a put-down of particular groups of people. Those examples are current on television and in the newspapers. You don't read about Eskimo or Polynesian terrorists, do you? I think that tolerance and political correctness have become twisted. Disagreement with someone's beliefs and behaviors is not intolerance, it is discernment and conviction. If we didn't have that, we would have everyone thinking the same way."

"That would be nice for a change rather than your bigoted opinions."

"And who determines which way to think or believe, Archer? Is it you? If anyone disagrees with you, do we then call out the thought police and put them in jail? If we are to hold everyone's beliefs and behaviors on the same level and become tolerant and accepting of them, why don't you hold my opinions on the same level as yours? Why aren't you tolerant of them? Why must I give up what I believe and only approve what you believe in? Don't you see a double standard here? Isn't Preston University a place where ideas are shared and free speech is allowed?"

"Of course free speech is allowed, but not hate speech. Not fanaticism."

"I think you've lost it, Archer. Having convictions, values, and moral standards does not equal fanaticism."

"That's the point. You think you have a corner on truth. You're not sensitive to other people's feelings, nor are you being inclusive of their beliefs."

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Murphy could see that they were just going in a circle so he reverted to his usual tactic when frustrated and under verbal attack. He asked a question. "So, what's the bottom line, Archer? What do you want from me?"

"I want your hate speech to end. Your conservative, right-wing, phobic fundamentalist beliefs are disruptive to this university. Christianity should be saved for church; it has no place in the classroom."

"Let me follow your logic. You're equating hate speech with Christianity. And it's okay to use hate speech in the church, but not in the classroom. Am I to assume that you don't see your views as hate speech toward the ideas and beliefs of Christians?"

Fallworth ignored the question. "Murphy, I'd like to see your idiotic archaeology class removed from the school curriculum entirely."

"Well, Archer, I have about a hundred and fifty students who are excited about the class. I don't hear any of them complaining about it. The only complaints come from you, and you haven't attended any of my lectures recently. So much for intellectual honesty."

"Do you know who you're talking to?"

"Yes, I think so. I think I'm talking to a person who had a bad religious experience at some time in his life and is hurt and angry about it. Or maybe you have some moral issues that you are struggling with. It's been my experience that when emotions are out of control for the event going on... something else is going on."

"We're through talking, Murphy. Just remember what I said; your job may depend upon it."

"Is that a threat, Archer?"