Sunday, May 20, 2007

The perils of fundamentalism

Joshua Royce Mauldin, a deeply religious man, went to Galveston to find a job as a minister. Joshua is 19, married, and the father of a two-month-old daughter named Ana Marie. Ana's mother, Eva Marie Mauldin, is also deeply religious. After just a few days in Galveston, young Mr. Mauldin has not managed to find a job. His immature expectations were set a little too high. After all, how many churches hire 19-year-old uneducated men to be ministers? Not many is my guess. But, you never you, in some churches simply believing in the lord may be enough to earn an earnest young man a paid position ministering to others - standards are low in this area.

The stress of the situation was high for Joshua. How would he support his wife and daughter? Time was running out. Joshua had a baby to feed, and no prospects. (It is at this point that Satan enters the story.) "Cook young Ava in the microwave" is the command Satan whispers in Joshua's ear. "All your problems will be solved". Joshua smiled as he placed his daughter in the microwave while selecting "Nuke a Burrito" from the available settings. At some point, Joshua must of have had second thoughts. He stopped cooking his daughter before she was done. I guess the smell of charred baby flesh overwhelmed him.

When the inevitable 911 call was made, Joshua told local authorities his baby had a bad sunburn, then later changed his story to claim he had accidentally poured boiling water on her. The police, who know a liar when they see one, figured out that he had used the microwave.

After Joshua is indictment, his dumbass wife is lucid enough to use a typical fundamentalist excuse with the local press, "Satan saw my husband as a threat". Thereby ensuring that she will never touch her disfigured baby again.

Young baby Ana remains hospitalized.

(Some license was taken in the retelling of this true story. Because without licence - my retelling would have contained nothing but four letter words.)

Eva and Joshua are surely the product of fundamentalist religion. There aspirations and actions are pathetic. Joshua will spend a long time in jail (99 yeas is my bet). Eva will fade into obscurity, less a child, and none the wiser.

Note to Eva Marie Mauldin: Satan is not afraid of your husband. There is no Satan. But if there were, he would be laughing at you and your sorry excuse for a husband, just like every other rational person on the planet.

6 comments:

Darwin's Dagger said...

Yeah, people who think death is the doorway to a theme park won't think twice about killing their children, especially if it saves them from going to hell, which is why Andrea Yates drowned her five kids.

Sarah Jean said...

ah, fundementalism can be a beautiful thing in ist purest form....some of the most spiritual people i know are fundementalist Muslims. That's doesnt mean they are hateful, carbombing, suicidebombers who hate america, christianity, and shout JIHAD whenever they can get away with it. they just look at thier faith with a purest, unadlutered eyes. it is only after others try to shape it to their own wants and needs that fundimentalism is so deadly and terrifying. thank you for your writing.

peace

Unknown said...

Stupidity exists. It knows no barriers of faith, nor sense. It's just some lines of thinking lead more quickly to stupidity than others.

Carolyn Ann

Mojoey said...

fundamentalism combined with lack of higher education - it's the main line baby.

Groovy Granny said...

There are some very good people that have been hurt worse than you can imagine over this. Let it go. If you think Satan didn't play a part in this; you are dangerously disillusioned. It is important to know your enemy. And even more important to be a close friend with your Creator. He did a horrible thing and will do his time. His father and mother will do their own 'time' also. Empathy separates us from the 'soul'less.

Mojoey said...

There is no Satan, just as there is no God. There is no soul less.... nothing you say is real.