"Why did he leave the seminary not long before graduation," the AG asked again, "All right, let's examine it. Biographers keep talking about several versions: he lost his faith in God; he was carried away by Marxism; his mother took him home because of supposedly beginning tuberculosis. This is a version of Katherine herself.
Joseph explains that he did so because of humiliating regime and Jesuitical methods, practiced in the seminary. But no atheism or apostasy is mentioned.
Joseph angrily answers the question of the German writer Emil Ludwig, 'Do Jesuits have positive qualities?'
'Yes, they are systematic and persistent in their work for attainment of bad goals. But their base methods are shadowing, espionage, gaining people's confidence, humiliation - what positive can be in it?'
"But it's his self-portrait," the AD giggled, "Don't tie yourself in knots. He left because he didn't believe in God any more, and that was the whole story."
"But you, son of darkness, know that God existed; you 'believe and tremble'. But will it save you? Let's examine it. A positive or a negative answer to the question about faith means nothing - there immediately arises a next question about name and essence of your God and His teaching. Our defendant didn't believe in Jesuitical god, the essence of whom was small-minded shadowing and humiliations, and who served Caesar and oppressors condemned on every page of the Scripture, and who didn't protect humiliated and oppressed people.
'Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant' (Psalms 78:36-37)).
'Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly [concerning] oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full [cup] are wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these [are] the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase [in] riches' (Psalms 73-7-12).
What did they search, shaking up belongings of seminarians? Books and leaflets condemning the rich and trying to somehow defend 'little ones' whom clerics were obliged to defend according to the Christian doctrine. And these leaflets sometimes reminded of angry accusations came from Christ's mouth, which Joseph was carried away with.
Soso liked being called Koba, in Turkish 'Irreconcilable'. In his favorite book a simple woman applies to Koba for protection. There it is written, 'It is strange! Under organized management when chiefs, judges, police officers and other officers filled the country like ants and pretended to exercise justice, a simple and innocent woman pleaded a man who had committed a murder to protect her from injustice."
"Here is a testimony of a pupil of the religious school, 'During the early years of his study Soso was very faithful; he was present at every church service and sang in a church choir. I can well remember that he not only observed religious ceremonies but always reminded us to observe them' (the magazine 'Atheist', 1939).
The boy, of course couldn't know all refinements of the Orthodox teaching but he loved God the Defender of all the humiliated and oppressed and the Fighter for Truth against 'grasping vampires' and against lie and violence. And he believed in God who hated those who gorged other people's souls and lives and who called and blessed Koba to become his warrior.
Joseph dreamed of becoming Koba, uncompromising and fearless fighter against universal evil. Monastic feats, internal deeds and monotonous religious rites in a parish were strange to him though he was an ascetic by nature. 'Save yourself and thousands will be saved around you...' No, he desired to make fundamental changes in the world. He reread the following lines with delight,
'For mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
His watchmen [are] blind: they are all ignorant, they [are] all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
Yea, [they are] greedy dogs [which] can never have enough, and they [are] shepherds [that] cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
And shall say, CAST YE UP, CAST YE UP, PREPARE THE WAY, TAKE UP THE STUMBLINGBLOCK OUT OF THE WAY OF MY PEOPLE.
But the wicked [are] like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked' (Isaiah 56:7,10,11; 57:14,19-21).
'No peace can be with the wicked' (Irreconcilable - Koba).
Son of darkness, I also affirm that a negative answer to the question 'do you believe in God?' means nothing because:
1. You may believe in a false god, i.e. your understanding of the Truth doesn't correspond to the Truth at all.
2. Or you may not believe in a false god, and that's not bad.
You may believe in true God and His teaching but not follow this teaching, and that's an obvious sin because 'whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required'. Ask any passerby or even a parishioner in the church, "What do you believe in?" It would be good if one of a thousand believers would answer something intelligible. The majority of people believe by their hearts. As for teaching, it's not only a matter of dispute but a matter of struggle too, not to speak of "following" this teaching.
Let's take for example a war when citizens liable for call-up didn't appear to a recruiting office. They are deserters who should be tried by a military tribunal. But other citizens who are not liable for call-up came as volunteers and fought. So who of them are more pleasing to God?
In many years on the margins of the book 'The Last Pages' by Anatole France where there were lines 'To believe in God or not to believe is not a big difference because those who believe in God don't comprehend him,' Joseph wrote, "Therefore, they don't know and can't see him. He doesn't exist for them."
So don't hurry to condemn Joseph. Now we are convinced that he left god who reconciled with evil and blessed it.
He didn't believe in Leo Tolstoy's god, in non-resistance to evil. On the margins of the novel 'Resurrection' he wrote, 'Ha-ha!' where the author claimed that 'the only and unquestionable way of salvation from the evil, from which people suffer, demands of them to always acknowledge their guilt before God and hence their incapability to punish or discipline other people.'"
"It's really 'Ha-ha!' the AD clapped his black hands. Cops will refuse to catch murderers and imprison them, and we will whisper them to massacre half of the country..."
"But wasn't it the Christ Himself who said, 'That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also' (Mathew 5:39)."
'Resist not whomsoever shall smite not YOU but other person" Forgive and love YOUR enemies and offenders but not enemies of the week and hapless.
'Deliver the poor and needy: rid [them] out of the hand of the wicked' (Psalms 82:4) Or else 'God is betrayed by keeping silence' because he can't command his warriors not to stand for the offended. It contradicts the Law inscribed in heart. From such 'god' people and their defenders go to atheism and take their axes. And that's what happened in tsarist Russia.
'CAST YE UP, CAST YE UP, PREPARE THE WAY, TAKE UP THE STUMBLING BLOCK OUT OF THE WAY OF MY PEOPLE.' Isn't it God's humanity of the coming universal Kingdom I once sang to him about?
The passionate youth who thirsted for the Truth interpreted these biblical words as a command, having to do with not only Jewish nation but with those who "are bought with a price", and chosen by the Savior. He decided to struggle against Vampiria, the society of bloodsuckers, to his last breath. He obeyed this 'God of his' with delight, accepted him into his heart and was faithful to him until his death.
He didn't impose 'his God' on anybody; he separated church from state. He never lived a life of his own and served God's secret will in obedience to the Voice heard only by him.
Marxism, revolution and personal power never were Joseph's goals but only means of fulfilling God's will."
"Revolution and rebellion can't be from God! Mind what you say!"
"Firstly, it's not only my point of view, and I will surely prove it in the next part. Secondly, I say that revolution was only a means for Joseph. Afterwards he abandoned both revolution and Marxism according to Will.
A part that is faithful to the Whole must refuse personal ambitions. In case of cancer a surgical operation is needed; it is performed by God's warriors according to the Surgeon's Will. I mean revolutions.
'And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father' (Revelation 2:27).
Joseph left the seminary whose ministers prohibited books that exposed their lie and hypocrisy. Like vampires they were afraid of Light for some reason.
"Your institution is even occupied in organizing revolutions," the AD said indignantly, "But it was I who whispered Joseph, inciting him to leave seminary. 'Having such abilities and intellect, how can you preach to semiliterate old women in a provincial parish? Preaching in Tiflis would be a real dream for you. And it's at the time when "the Russian Church is in paralysis'... Don't pull a face, not I but Dostoyevsky said so. It was I who suggested him all this nonsense that man evolved from monkeys, and that because of this fact he should perform worldly proletarian revolution..."
"But Joseph only laughed and remembered how his friends-proletarians fought in dust for a handful of coins thrown by a harlot... No, he is a cagey old bird. He knew what original sin was and that a victim was only a reverse side of a vampire, a potential vampire, waiting in the wings.
Idolization of revolution is nonsense! Revolution is only cutting an abscess. The first werewolf was your boss, former Lucifer, light angel who became Prince of darkness. Later there appeared Cain, Judas and a crowd of Jerusalem's inhabitants who yelled "Hosanna!" at the beginning and "Crucify him!" at the end. A werewolf or a vampire is in the soul of every man, and Joseph knew that perfectly well. It's your beastly double with his grown claws, teeth, paunch and genitals who whispers, "Don't obey God, and you will be like God.
"If you don't kill him inside yourself, sooner or later he will be killed by the Light because these beasts can't bear light. Are you ashamed and horrified feeling him inside yourself? Do you drive the stake in him or nurture him with somebody's blood - here is a question of questions. For in this case he will become your essence and kill you!"
Sooner or later the Light will come and kill you who have become a beast because a vampire can't bear light. My client believed in these things until his dying day. It's I who sang it to him in the Third Song about the Main Thing."
"Against all your inventions I have one quotation, 'There in the circle of workers, liberators of nations in Russia and initiators of proletarian struggle in all countries and nations, I passed through my third baptism of fire. There in Russia under the direction of Lenin I became one of revolutionary masters.' It was said by comrade Stalin in 1926 in reply to greetings. Isn't it hypocrisy? But with what passion it was said! 'Third baptism' - isn't it a blasphemy and apostasy?"
"Firstly, it was only an image though it was not very good. Joseph often used words and sayings from the Scripture."
"But what about his oath to "follow Lenin's commands', keep his high status of a party member in purity, keep the unity of party as the apple of his eye, consolidate the union of laborers and peasants, strengthen the union of republics, be faithful to principles of the Communist International..." This "oath" in its form resembles an Orthodox Church service... Is it also his policy?"
"Of course. For him the party was a security service of Antivampiria. The union of republics of laborers and peasants was a basis of consolidation of Antivampiria (let's call the former Holy Russia like this). Principles of the Communist International are red flags for wolves... and in all of that there was nothing contradictory to the Will. Maybe, it was the direct Will. This was an oath of a security officer (Joseph spoke on behalf of the newborn state, withstanding the world that' lieth in wickedness' even by evil's forces... But as for Orthodox rhetoric, Joseph had his own weapon, which he used the most perfectly."
"There was no apostasy, Negative, I say again, Party, revolution and International were only means for Joseph. On this matter let me remind you of Mosses' rod:
'And the LORD said unto him, What [is] that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand' (Exodus 4:2-4).
The serpent who is the sworn enemy of man by the will of God can become a rod helping on the way.
'He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers [that] water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and [him] that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and [they] of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and [men] shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed'" (Psalms 72:6-17).