Murray Pura

Christianity was not meant to be a weapon or an argument or a show of force or a political tool. Or an act of aggression or coercion. It was never meant to be a cause or a prop for a cause. Or something to pacify and make thousands go to bed happy and unthinking. It was meant to be a challenge, yes, but that challenge to a second life was meant to be laced with kindness. If someone forces you to choose between God is holy and God is love choose God is love because holiness without love translates into tyranny.

If winter helps you curl up and more that makes it one of the best of the seasons.

Why may you not kiss me?_ she had demanded. __m I a corpse?___f course not.___o you find me less attractive now that weather and wind have scoured the bloom from my cheeks?___kaytha, it__ nothing like that. If anything you are more beautiful now than when we lived on Skyrl. Often enough I have no breath when I look at you. You rob me of any other thoughts.___o you__e afraid my kisses will take what little brain you have left?_____ afraid the angels will do something I don__ want them to do if I fly in the face of their commands, commands I can only assume are divine as well as angelic.___id you ever think to ask them the reasons behind their demands?___hen it is an angel I just want to get out of the conversation alive or at least without being struck dumb. So I don__ prolong the chat.___ou might have wanted my kisses more than that. If you had any romance in you you__ have told them you were ready to fight ten legions of angels for my love.__awk had reached out to hold her. __f I__ told them that they might have taken me up on it. Angels are not just useful for gallant flourishes the moment you declare your intention to battle all comers for the woman you love. Angels burn like fire and blaze like a hundred suns _ they strike fear in my heart.__he had pulled away from his embrace and jumped to her feet. __h, no, you don__. If I__ not good enough to kiss I__ not good enough to take in your arms either. It__ angels or me. Make up your mind whom you fear more. Or love more.___ don__ love the angels.___learly you don__ love me either.__hey had been in a tipi. She__ gone to the opening, lifted the flap, bent, and stalked away, passing by warriors of the tribe with her head as high as a goddess and her back as straight as the shaft of the spear. The chief had poked his head in.__ll is well, Hawk?_ he had asked.Hawk had learned their tongue.__t couldn__ be better,_ Hawk had responded. __nly being slain in battle would be greater than this.__he chief had thought this over and laughed. "That would bring you great honor.""I am in short supply of honor right now and such short supply never pleases a woman like her. Better to die at the end of a spear and have it for a few moments and win her back."The chief had nodded. "Sound wisdom. Would you like to join a raiding party against our enemy tonight?""I couldn't be happier."(from The Name of the Hawk, Book 2)