Propagation and Vectors

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"Tonight on CNN: An in-depth interview with the founder of the Church of The Golden Rule, the new religion sweeping the nation. Is it a legitimate religion, or is it a cult?"

The CNN interviewer had trouble hiding his skepticism, Kara thought. She was comforted by the fact that it was only a single interviewer. She knew that if she had been on Fox she would have faced a battery of hostile questions from a panel of "analysts," none of whom would have hidden their hostility.

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Interviewer: I'm speaking tonight with Kara Cummings, founder of the Church of the Golden Rule. Ms. Cummings, can you tell us about your religious beliefs?

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Kara: Would you please call me Kara, Ross? And our religious beliefs are simple: Follow The Golden Rule.

Interviewer: Which means?

Kara: Come on, Ross. Everybody knows The Golden Rule. 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' That's it. That's the core of our belief system. Everything else is up to the individual.

Interviewer: But that's straight out of the Bible. Matthew 7:12, I believe.

Kara: Yes, that's correct. Jesus said it. It's found in other Biblical passages, as well. And it's found in the Torah and the Talmud. And it's found in the Quran and in the hadith. And it's found in other religions, too, including Hinduism and Buddhism and Jainism and Confucianism. In fact, The Golden Rule is found in almost every religion, tracing back for thousands of years.

Interviewer: So if this 'Golden Rule' is found in every religion, including Christianity, then why do we need another religion to focus on it?

Kara: That's a good question, and I hope my answer doesn't offend your viewers. We believe that too many organized religions have gotten away from that fundamental precept. There's too much lip-service paid to The Golden Rule and not enough action. In the Church of the Golden Rule we focus on that precept and it guides our actions. We work hard to put the interests of our fellow men—and women and other gender-identifications—right up on par with our own interests. And even more. In our view the highest level of consciousness is to put our neighbors' interests ahead of our own interests. That way lies salvation, or perhaps what the Buddhists call 'nirvana'.

Interviewer: Let's talk about your converts for a moment. Is it true that your church is the fastest growing church in Europe and America?

Kara: Yes, that's what the polls and articles say.

Interviewer: What does it take to join your church? My understanding is that converts are required to sign over all their worldly possessions.

Kara: (Laughs.) Oh, no. That's not true at all. All it takes is a commitment, witnessed by friends and family, to abide by The Golden Rule. Everything else is up to the individual. New converts can attend services as often as they wish, or not at all. They can report how they have implemented their commitment in their daily lives, or not at all. They can donate to help sponsor our outreach efforts, or not at all. It's entirely up to them and we certainly will not judge their decisions. All we ask is that they keep their commitments. Period.

Interviewer: But where do the funds come from, if not your converts? You keep constructing church after church, in cities across American and throughout Europe. Where does that money come from? Surely it has to come from somewhere?

Kara: Honestly, Ross. I have no idea. We go where God leads us, and She seems to provide.

Interviewer: You called God a 'She'. Tell me about that.

Kara: (Shrugs.) When I speak to God I hear Her voice, and it is a female voice. So I call Her 'She'.

Interviewer: So. You speak to God?

Kara: Yes. Of course I do. She speaks to me and guides me, and I follow Her directions. And so here we are. As you say, we're doing well.

Interviewer: We've done some research into your background. I must say your early years, up to your accident, don't indicate a preparation for a religious revelation or leadership in a church. Can you tell our viewers what happened to change you from sinner to head of a growing church?

Kara: Well, I had that accident of course. Everybody knows about that and how my doctors tested a medical breakthrough on me, curing me from what was expected to be a paralysis of my legs. What is perhaps less well known is that I was laying there, praying for some miracle, and that's when God spoke to me for the first time. I prayed and She answered my prayer. And from then on I dedicated my life to spreading a question about Her single most important commandment, a question that helps my fellow humans think about how they could better follow it.

Interviewer: And that conversion set you on the path you've been on for three years?

Kara: Well, first there was college. I needed to complete some formal studies in preparation for the role I've taken on. But after graduation we set out on this road. And now here I am on CNN!

Interviewer: And that was it? An accident, a miracle cure, and then you turned your life around?

Kara: I don't understand your point. What did it take for Saul of Tarsus to turn his life around? Blindness cured? A conversation with Jesus? These things happen. More importantly, they happened to me.

Interviewer: And now we'll take some questions from our viewers. Given the hostility some people have expressed towards our guest, we are taking questions submitted via email only, and any emails that are overtly hostile will be ignored. I will now read the first question.

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Question 1: My daughter stopped going to our church because of you. Now she's listening to your heresy and her immortal soul is in danger. Why are you doing this?

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Kara: When people ask about the Church of The Golden Rule they want to understand why people decide to join us. Here's how it works. We ask a simple question: How does your religion measure up against The Golden Rule? How does your local church and how does your local religious leader stack up against that universal teaching? We ask people to think hard about it. We ask them to take their time and deeply ponder the question. How are you doing and how is your local church doing and how is your local religious leader doing? Not the words, but the actions. Do the actions reflect a passionate belief and devotion to what is almost inarguably the most important religious rule of the world's religions? The one belief that intersects and unites both the Abrahamic religions and the Asian religions and Indian religions and even Scientology? How well do they measure up? We ask people to reflect on that question for as long as it takes. Reflect on the actions, not the words. Is there hatred and fear and extremism? Do people in your local church or temple or mosque live their lives in accord with that Rule, or do they violate it? If they violate it, we ask them to reflect on why that might be the case.

Interviewer: And that's it?

Kara: People come to us and they stay in our sanctuaries for hours or days, or even weeks, and they think about that one question. They are welcomed for as long as it takes. We will feed them, and shelter them, and clothe them if necessary. We will give them a quiet space for contemplation. For as long as they may need. No questions asked—other than that single question. Many people conclude that their religion is meeting the test, and they go back home to live their lives. Which is fine. Many other people conclude that their religion or their local religious teacher does not measure up to the test, and they ask what they can do about it. We will help them explore that follow-up question, if it is asked.

Interviewer: And what kind of actions do they take?

Kara: It depends on what they want to do, what they can do, and how we can help them. Many people decide to convert in order to spread the question and to provide a safe space to think about the answer. Some return home and try to change their religion, from the inside as it were. We are fine with their decisions so long as it is consistent with The Golden Rule.

Interviewer: And that means no violence?

Kara: (Nods.) Of course. Violence is never an option for us … despite the use of violence against us.

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Question 2: My son went into your temple or whatever, and I haven't seen him for weeks. Your programming or whatever you're doing is hurting him. Please let him come home.

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Kara: May I see that email, please? (Looks at it.) Your son, Richard, is just fine. We are not holding him against his will. He's been in our sanctuary in Baton Rouge and he's going to come home to you soon. We've been discussing what his next steps will be. He will be home soon.

Interviewer: Wait a second. That email is anonymous. How can you tell it's about Richard?

Kara: (Looks at him steadily.) God told me. I told you I speak with Her. She told me who the email was about and what his parents needed to hear.

Interviewer: Or else you told the parents what they wanted to hear. So that they didn't file suit against your church for kidnapping. How many suits have been filed?

Kara: Many suits have been filed. All have been dismissed once the subjects came forward and testified that they had never, ever, been held against their will. Those who have committed violence in the name of a daughter or son, wife or husband, or other friend or relative, have done so in vain. There is no need to attack us because we are doing nothing wrong.

Interviewer: About that. How many have you lost to violence? How many have you lost while defending your converts from their families, who simply want them to come home? How many lost to riots and assassinations and bombings?

Kara: Nobody knows for sure. Federal agencies tell me it may be in the hundreds. It's so sad … and yet so predictable.

The interview continued for the full hour. Acolyte 1 did well, The Machine thought. The Machine knew exactly how many had been killed but Acolyte 1 did not need that information. Just as Acolyte 1 did not need to know that certain emails were being traced back to originators, who were then being tagged for enhanced surveillance. Acolyte 1 did not need to know everything; she was just as effective without the additional information. The larger objective of disseminating the counter programming was being achieved in accordance with the long-term planning. Religious belief propagation methods and transmission vectors were being studied, tested, and understood. Despite the collateral losses, this was proving to be an effective operating modality.