Chapter 38

Gideon's Cabin
Outside the Shenandoah National Forest

Spencer

Spencer continued. "All religious organizations, congregations etc. other than strictly fundamentalist Christianity would be suppressed. Nonconforming evangelical, main line and liberal Christian religious institutions would no longer be allowed to hold services, organize, proselytize, and so on and society would revert to the laws and punishments of the Hebrew Scriptures. Any person who advocated or practiced other religious beliefs outside of their home would be tried for idolatry and executed if found guilty. Blasphemy, adultery and homosexual behavior would be criminalized; those found guilty would also be executed."

"Yeah, but homosexuality was allowed." Kat pointed out. "Look at what happened to Finnick."

"Only in the Capitol, brainless," Jo replied. "It was a hundred lashes and twenty-four hours in the stocks if you were caught in the Districts. That was capital punishment more often than not."

"So they could get away with it but the rest of us couldn't?" JJ asked. "How does that work?"

"Dominionisim seems to be supported by a combination of the Prosperity Gospel and Calvinism." Spencer replied. "In the short form the Prosperity Gospel preaches that that financial blessing is the will of God for Christians. The doctrine teaches that faith, positive speech, and donations to Christian ministries will always increase one's material wealth. Its proponents teach that the doctrine is an aspect of the path to Christian dominion over society, arguing that God's promise of dominion to Israel applies to Christians today, a teaching that falls right in line with the Dominionisim from the Seventies.

The aspect of Calvinism that most applies is the teaching of Unconditional Election. In Calvinist theology, election is considered to be one aspect of predestination in which God selects certain individuals to be saved. Those elected receive mercy, while those not elected, the reprobates, receive justice without condition. This unconditional election hinged upon the supreme basic belief in the sovereignty of God, it is God's choice to save people regardless of their sin or any condition. This basically means, God's act of saving is not based on what man can do or choose to will, but man is loved by God without any conditions or man's action or deeds but solely by God's grace, thus unconditional election.

The end result is a belief that teaches them that God rewards his Chosen with wealth and power here on earth and punished the non-elect, the Reprobates, with poverty and subjugation. Anything man can do to further either status is doing the work of the Lord, while trying to alleviate poverty and misery is an attempt to thwart God's will."

"Well doesn't that just sound familiar!" Jo grinned. She looked over at Kat. "Guess that makes us Reprobates."

"I guess." Kat replied. "It certainly explains how they treated the Districts."

"So we'd be looking for people who are members of churches who follow that philosophy who are trying to get into positions of power in the government." Hotch said. "Any idea how many we're talking about here?"

"I was able to track the writings promoting this philosophy back to a handful of specific writers. From there I was able to connect influential followers and the churches, seminaries, think tanks and advisory groups that they belong to, and the cross-reference that with political, business and military leaders who also belong to the same groups."

"Meaning they share a common philosophy." Rossi agreed. "And they have lots of opportunities to share ideas. OK, lay it on us."

Spencer did.

There were a lot of names on the board.

A lot of names.

"That is a lot of money and power." JJ groaned.

"Yeah," Morgan pointed to one name. "Didn't that one run for President?"

"Not only that one." Hotch muttered. "There are at least two more. And I think this one is the commandant at a military academy." He looked over at Spencer. "You're saying we're not going to stop this."

"We couldn't if we wanted to." Spencer sighed. "Everything is in place; all that's left is the shock."

"So there's nothing we can do." Hotch was too quiet. Spencer could tell he was thinking of Jack and Henry.

"Maybe not," Rossi replied.

"What are you thinking?" Hotch asked.

"First off, if Reid is right, and he probably is, then the rest of the world is more or less safe. From what I know about this movement it hasn't moved much past the US."

"They're trying to make inroads into Canada and the UK, but in the more secularized nations they just can't get much of a foothold." Spencer agreed. "People are too…happy to respond to their fear tactics."

"So in the short term I suggest we contact Emily." Rossi told Hotch and JJ. "This isn't going to happen tomorrow. Even if the hurricane was already brewing we'd have some warning. She can offer safe haven, and perhaps get the boys into good universities in the UK, giving them connections of their own over there."

"That's a good idea." JJ nodded. "At least our family will be safe."

"Yeah, but what about all the other families?" Kat asked.

"I hate to agree with Jason but sometimes a profile really is the greatest weapon we have, because we can respond. We know what they're going to do, so we counter it. This whole thing is an idea." Rossi pointed out, "A concept, a thought, a theology. You can only fight ideas with other ideas, better ones. We need to make sure that the ideas that built this country, freedom, equality, democracy, everything they put down in the Declaration and the Constitution are not wiped away."

"So how do you send an idea forward in time?" JJ asked.

"The same way Coin is sending the idea of the Games forward in time." Spencer replied after a moment of thinking very hard and very fast. "The same way I sent forward the idea that helped Peeta. Stick it in the time stream and let it travel at the speed of time until it gets to where it needs to be."

"Okay, but we need a carrier." Morgan pointed out. "You used a scientific journal, Coin is using the military databases, what can we use that can't be erased when they go looking?"

Spencer thought again. "Historically the ideas that lasted the longest were the tales from the oral traditions."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning our best carriers are Jack and Henry." Spencer told them. "What we teach them is important they teach their children and so on down the line."

"A lot of parents are teaching these things to their children." Rossi pointed out.

"Yes, but they don't know how important it is, how specific they have to be." Spencer replied. "We do."

"Are Jack and Henry going to be enough?"

Spencer was pondering that when JJ spoke up. "Well Will and I have been discussing another one." She looked over at Hotch. "You ready to make any decisions with Beth yet?"

Hotch stammered a bit. "Um, I don't know." He admitted. "But I think I'm going to be thinking about it a lot harder now."

"I'm too old." Rossi informed them. "But I will play the doting Grandfather to any new carriers that come along."

Morgan caught Jo's smile. "Why are you looking at me?" Then he caught Garcia's. "Why are you two looking at me?"

Spencer looked over at Kat and held his breath. He could tell she was thinking….

"We got Henry and Jack out." She said at last. "We kept them safe."

"Yes we did."

"We could do it again if we had to."

"Probably."

"And that test…"

"Came back all right." He was not carrying schizophrenia. Or at least the odds were in his favor.

Kat thought a moment more. "All right then. We'll do it."

Garcia beamed. "Yes! Baby Reid!"

And for a moment the future was very bright indeed.