Chapter Thirty-One
THE OPENING SESSION on the last day of the conference focused on the importance of an international justice system and the laws and treaties that were needed to end the remaining serious forms of religious oppression. It was a harder-hitting session than most of the earlier ones. The young woman from South Africa who took the platform immediately before John was to speak repeatedly used the expression “conversion is genocide.” It was precisely what Lynn Barrett and the ACLU leaders had been saying for years. To prevent the destruction of indigenous customs and beliefs, she said, her country had recently passed laws banning missionaries who preach exclusionary religious doctrines.
“How can Christian fables be better than our indigenous fables?” the young woman asked to resounding applause and laughter. “Come on now,” she said, strolling back and forth across the platform like a street-corner evangelist, “isn't that how the white American Southerners kept the slaves working in the fields, by telling them that if they worked hard enough and long enough, and if they bowed every day to the master, then someday ‘in the sweet bye and bye,’ they might go to heaven? We have a word for that in my country. Poppycock!” As soon as she said the word, the audience roared with laughter.
“I see that our next speaker is from the United States,” she continued. “I hope that...” She paused to look at the name in the program. “Mr. John Knox Smith knows what I’m saying is true. We have heard that 90 percent of Christian missionaries in the world today are being funded by American evangelicals. Without U.S. dollars, Christian evangelism would pretty much dry up. So they are the ones who are causing so many headaches in South Africa.
“Mr. Smith,” she said, wringing the image for all the humor she could get, “please, stop it.” Again, there was more laughter and applause, but the young woman turned somber. “You can bring us food, factories, and medical assistance, if you like, but no more preaching. If the Americans want to help us, then let them do it with real compassion and without all the Jesus talk. This will separate those who really care for us from those who only want to destroy our native cultures.
“If you examine what Christians believe, you will see they believe that breaking up the family is a good thing.” Holding up a black book, she said, “It says in this Gideon Bible, which I found in my room, that if other people hate you, that’s a good thing. Do you believe it? I don’t believe it. Since the time of the Roman Empire, when Christianity was one of many religions, everything has changed. The Pax Romana under Caesar Augustus—the most peaceful time in all of human history—ended with the rise of Christianity. When the Roman emperors abandoned tolerance and equality for other cultures and faiths, the end had come.
“But they left us a legacy, all the same. You see, the Romans gave us the rostrum—a proper time and place for free speech. They understood that free speech could be dangerous, so they set limits. There were places where free speech would be allowed within certain limits. We also need limits. Before the Christians, the Jews refused to bow to Rome. They arrogantly refused to accept the equality of other beliefs. But Emperor Titus solved that little problem in AD 70, didn’t he? And when the citizens of Rome built the Arch of Titus, they gave him a lasting tribute to his victory over bigotry and exclusivity—a monument that still stands in the center of Rome to this day.
“For the past two thousand years, most of the bad things that have plagued our world can be traced back to the exclusivity claims of these two religions. But there is good news, my friends. The world is finally waking up. Change is a comin’. The question is, how can we liberate what’s left, especially in the U.S., with nearly four hundred years of oppression to overcome?
“I, for one, will be glad to hear what Mr. John Knox Smith has to say when he comes up here to speak. How will America respond? What will your country do, Mr. Smith, to restore sobriety, safety, and sanity to the world?” With that, the speaker took a grand bow to thunderous applause, blew kisses to the audience, and left the stage.
By the time John stepped up to the lectern, he had rewritten the conclusion of his speech. He took the first half hour to give a recap of the court precedents, the enabling legislation, and DTED’s success and the changes taking place in the United States, as he originally planned, but then said he had an announcement. “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s an honor to be here. I’ve learned so much, and I’ve been very encouraged by each of the sessions. Seeing you all, and the wonderful native dress that many of you are wearing, has been an amazing and eye-opening experience for me and the members of my delegation. Thank you.
“As you know, the United States has been insensitive for too long to international law and the World Court. We’re a large, wealthy country, but that’s no excuse. I believe that’s going to change soon. Before coming to Florence, my colleagues and I were pursuing a very difficult case on ‘exclusivity’ claims of a professional religionist that has taken us many months of investigation and litigation. This preacher is one of those who still claim there is only one truth, one religion that really works. That means denigrating others. Until coming here, I had planned to try that case in the U.S. courts, knowing that it would eventually end up at the United States Supreme Court. But the Blaine Administration has changed its mind and decided we need to try this case of religious bigotry and exclusivity at the International Criminal Court, where true justice can be done. I just received final word of this from my government while I was waiting to speak.”
As soon as the words left his mouth the audience stood, applauded and cheered loudly. “I would say this is a new day, wouldn’t you? America is joining the world in this quest for equality and taking a stand against bigotry!” he said over the noise. Again, the audience responded enthusiastically.
In the time remaining, John described Pat’s case: How, over the last few years, his preaching had become more and more forceful and intolerant, and how his sermons were disseminated over the airwaves, the Internet, and cable TV. How his final series of sermons viciously attacked other world religions as false. He told them how Pat, under claims of ‘Jesus is the only way,’ had fought with the police and resisted arrest, had a house full of guns, and refused to cooperate during peaceful interview attempts.
“We know where this behavior ultimately leads,” John said. “I suspect many of you have seen the headlines from my country: Fundamentalist Christians have bombed schools and police stations. They have accosted and fought with policemen outside a public school while handing out Bibles to children, they have shot federal agents and beat peaceful members of the gay community to death on public streets. They continue to resist all efforts at reform. So when we talk about ‘transformative justice,’ this is the behavior that must be transformed.”
By the time he completed his remarks, John Knox Smith had won over the crowd and the young Bantu woman who had spoken before him. She ran onto the stage and threw her arms around John’s neck. John smiled broadly and thanked her. She stepped closer to the microphone. “Mr. Smith, you have restored our faith. Maybe now we will see real transformation and change in your country. I asked for sobriety, safety, and sanity, and I thank you for taking a giant step in that direction.”
John returned to his seat. The conference moderator returned to the platform for his closing remarks. The moderator lavished praised for the Blaine Administration’s decision to bring Pat Preston to Europe to face trial before the ICC. Then, before thanking everyone for their participation and bringing down the closing gavel, the moderator said, “Before we go, I have just one more announcement to make.
“I was asked earlier by a dear friend, Ms. Judith Ravenell, if I would be able to assist her friend, Mr. John Knox Smith, in completing his department’s plan. Ms. Ravenell told me that Mr. Smith, who holds certification to argue legal cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and the federal courts in Washington, D.C., would also like certification to argue his case before the ICC in the Netherlands. She has written a letter of reference for Mr. Smith, with the imprim
atur of the U.S. State Department, and I am giving him my own reference as Commissioner of Human Rights of the United Nations. These references will be useful, I’m sure.”
The moderator turned to John. “I have just now spoken with the President of the ICC at the Peace Palace in The Hague, and she assures me, Mr. Smith, that your special certification before that bar will be confirmed within the hour.” Once again the room erupted in applause and cheers. Several of the conferees reached out to shake John’s hand, and the moderator concluded, saying, “And with that good news, I bid you all a fond farewell.”
AFTER A DEATH-DEFYING ride through morning traffic, the six members of John’s group arrived at the Santa Maria Novella Train Station in downtown Florence, ready for the return trip to Rome and beyond. Judith and Giordano would be taking the train north to Milan and would have a short wait before boarding. The DTED team, on the other hand, were right on time. They would be boarding the high-speed train to Rome within minutes.
John and the others felt sad about leaving, but none more so than Andrea, who, it appeared to John, had an exceptional time with her new friend. Before heading in separate directions, she took Giordano’s hand and said, “You know you have to write me, don’t you? You can e-mail me every day. We can’t just say goodbye and never see each other again, can we?”
Giordano glanced at John and the others, looking embarrassed. He said to Andrea, “I don’t think that will be possible.”
“Why not?” she said, with schoolgirl simplicity. “Surely you can drop me a note, or call me on my private number on the government line now and then.”
Judith, who had been standing on the opposite side of Giordano, moved closer, then touched Andrea’s arm. “Andrea, Giordano can’t do that.”
“Why not?
“His partner wouldn’t like it.”
Hearing those words, Andrea’s jaw dropped. “Partner?” she said.
“His roommate, Carlo. They’ve been together a long time. Carlo gets jealous easily.”
“Julian…” Andrea stared at him incredulously. “You...you came to my room. You…”
Giordano laughed. “Oh, that.” He shrugged. “I’m Italian and you’re very pretty.”
“You deceived me.”
Giordano blinked and looked confused. “I didn’t think you’d mind. After all, you and your friends are fighting to free us from archaic moral restraints. I thought if anyone would understand there are no more ‘wages of sin,’ it would be you.”
Picking up her suitcase and flinging the strap of her handbag over her shoulder, Andrea shook her lowered head and walked toward the depot.
John saw Andrea’s humiliation and embarrassment. He didn’t like being privy to her indiscretion.
He followed at a safe distance.