lewin 2005 - iEARN Australia International Education and Resource ...

like a pauper, sleeping at the stations, marching aimlessly on the streets,
usually reaching the poorest neighborhoods. I was observing people's
life. My hair grew long and dirty, I had no more a face of a 19-year-old
boy but a sober face of a new messiah. I saw so many people living in
misery and pain. I had never thought before life could be such a hell. I
didn't believe my eyes. Something had to be done. I could no more take
it. There is a story in which Jesus enters the Temple and makes the
traders go away. I started to talk and maybe – to preach. I am not a wise
man but I had two truths: people are suffering in this world and I am
their saviour sent by the heaven to bring them anyhow to their lost
paradise. Did I believe in all these things? Yes. I was the Messiah.
I have never had many followers. People usually don't believe in such
things but once persuaded, they are going to die for the cause. Most of
them were totally crazy and didn't really understand me. I was an
unshaved filthy youngster who was talking like a possessed man. But
some of them went home after my speeches, sat in front of their poor
dinner and thought how distorted and dissatisfying their life was. Some
of them came back asking questions. I talked with them about my faith. I
persuaded them that God Almighty had sent me to solve the great
problem of mankind. What was the problem? You've forgotten your
roots. You no more remember your past. Your life has become so
confused. Look back at the tribes in the prehistoric times who had no
skyscrapers, planes, coffee machines and atomic bombs. Their life wasn't
easy but their souls were more pure and candid. It's time to walk the way
back to our roots and we will avoid the apocalypse of our selfdestructive
computer age. Was that right? Was that the truth?
I have no idea. I probably looked like a fool. Another mentally
lobotomized preacher, people said. But not all of them. In the suburbs of
the capital a family of followers offered me to stay at their house. I
agreed, of course, and every day a group of faithful disciples gathered
around me. There I had an audience to enchant. I told them I was the
new Messiah. They swallowed my every word and were eager to bring
my ideas to a realization. I don't remember when I told them that the
time for changes has come. People don't need any government,
politicians, administration, parliaments…indeed. Their existence, I said,
is a blasphemy. The only one we should obey is God. Afterwards some
would say I convinced my disciples to kill, burn and destroy. But what
could I do? They were out in the streets, gathering in the dark, breaking
windows, starting fires. But it wasn't what I meant. The number of
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