The Parable of the Passerby’s Shallow Life

One day while teaching, Josh was asked, ”Teacher, are the Sunday morning news shows the church of the media age?”

Josh spoke thus:

A religious gunman was pointing a gun at a passerby.

“I’ll bet you’re a sinner,” the religious gunman said to the passerby.

“Are you going to cast the first stone?” the passerby asked the religious gunman.

“The first stone was cast years ago,” the religious gunman said, and the religious gunman shot the passerby.

A second passerby ran to the first passerby’s aid.  The religious gunman said to the second passerby, “I’ll bet you’re a sinner.”

“Why did you shoot this person?” the second passerby asked the religious gunman.

“I shot that person for the same reason that I’m shooting you,” the religious gunman said, and the religious gunman shot the second passerby.  A third passerby hesitated to help the first two.

“Aren’t you going to help them?” the religious gunman asked the third passerby, “What kind of person are you who doesn’t come to the aid of two people who have just been shot?”  With these words the religious gunman shot the third passerby.

A fourth passerby had a gun and shot the religious gunman.

“What kind of person shoots a religious person?” the religious gunman asked the fourth passerby.

“I was coming to their aid,” the fourth passerby said, “That’s what a good person does.  Why were you shooting them?”

“I was shooting in self defense,” the religious gunman said.

“In self defense?” the fourth passerby said, “What were you defending against?”

“They were threatening my way of life,” the religious gunman said.

“What were they doing?” the fourth passerby asked, “They were passing by.”

“They were sinning,” the religious gunman said.

“How did you know they were sinning?” the fourth passerby asked.

“Everybody sins,” the religious gunman said.

“Everybody sins,” the fourth passerby said, “But you don’t shoot people for sinning.”

“I do,” the religious gunman said, “And you do.”

“I didn’t shoot you because you were sinning,” the fourth passerby said, “I shot you because you were shooting.”

“What a shallow life you lead,” the religious gunman said, and the religious gunman died.