Visttor; Well, he must have been a
really outstanding man if you cele-
brate his birth. Do you celebrate

his death too?

Casstarite; Not really. It's a
holiday. More like a memorial than
a celebration. Our big celebration
comes at Easter.

Visitor; Easter? What's that?

Casstartte; The day Christ rose
from the dead.

Visttor; But you said he is dead.
Casstarite; Yeah, | know. 1! never
took this religion bit too seriously
you see, shift work and all that.

It makes it hard to get to Church

on Sundays. You know how it is,
some people say there is not too
much to it at all.

But is he alive or dead?

Casstarite; Alive, | guess. He did
say he would be with us to the end
of the world, he is a kind of lib
erator, a Saviour.

Visttor; Well you say this Christ
was a liberator or saviour, was he
a great politician, a millionaire
like many of your great politicians
today?

Visttor;

Casstarite; No, he was the son of
God.

Visttor; You mean the son of the
great spirit who rules the Universe?
Casstarite; Yes. | guess that's
right.

Visttor; Well, | imagine he had a

queen or something for a mother and
a great aristocratic step-father!

Casstarite; No, not really. His
parents were great alright, His
mother was very queen-like but they
were poor. In fact, he was born in
a barn out with the stock on straw,
pretty tough you know, They were in
a small stranae town, nobody took
them in and the hotels were full wit
travellers,

Visitor; Well, he probably became
rich after that. Otherwise how

could he have gotten an army to
liberate people?

Casstarite; No. He worked di ff-
erently. He seemed to be the
opposite of everything ordinary
people do. Poor parents, poor
home in a poor village, no army of
trained soldiers, just a band of
ordinary workmen. Fishermen and
the odd outcast like a retired nem
ber of the oppressive civil service.
He did not care too much for the
ruling or wealthy class, called
them a few names off and on, cut
the socks off them you might Say,
refused to cow-tow to anyone but
finally they got him. He died
like a criminal on a cross. His
followers and their followers have
ever since tried to keep his work
of liberation going but just like
him, they do not seem to be succ-
essful, but | recall reading where
he said, "The servant cannot be
greater than the Master, if they
have persecuted me they will siso
persecute you", These disciples
celebrate his rising from the dead
each Sunday.

Visttor; Yes. We have observec a
minority of people who go to dui ld~
ings you cal! Churches on the first
day of the week. But what amazes
me today is that in this town so
many are intoxicated, | observed
several homes from the ship, they
certainly do not seem to be cele-
brating the birth of a beggar god-
man, One would think they are
celebrating a liberation they had
effected all by themselves, there
does not seem to be much of an
attitude of thanks around. Oh wel}:
Everyone is not perfect at home
either, but | guess some wil) be
glad of the good news that a Saviour
in fact has come into the Universe.
Our Holy Men and Prophets told us
that we would find him some day. But
|! guess like you, only a few wil}
listen, but | must rush back and
tell them anyway. Goodbye my
Christ friend,

Casstarite; Goodbye, bon voyage....
---Silently, "thank you God'',
* x % *