Means and End Times, an Underfable

          Means and End Times

Once upon a time, a dark Angel told a Fundamentalist, “The End Times are nearly upon us; for if only one more sin, even a small one, be committed, then the King of Kings will return in glory and fury. Armageddon will rage, the world will be destroyed, the righteous will go to Heaven, and the wicked will go to Hell.”

          The Fundamentalist said, “Why are you telling me this?”

          The dark Angel said, “Because here is one small sin that you

yourself can commit right now, and thus bring on the End Times. Hurry, for soon one of the forty-two hidden saints will redeem two sins.”

          The Fundamentalist said, “But if I commit a sin, then won’t I go to Hell?”

          The dark Angel said, “Yes, but the rest of the righteous will go to Heaven. Is that not a worthy sacrifice? The end justifies the means!”

          The Fundamentalist thought this over for awhile, and then committed the small sin. But the dark Angel said, “You hesitated too long; the hidden saint acted, and two sins are forgiven, including yours. Now you must commit two more sins, somewhat worse, to bring on the End Times.”

          The Fundamentalist did so, and failed again; and then committed four sins that were even worse; and then eight, and then sixteen. This geometric progression continued, until the Fundamentalist did nothing but evil deeds, all day long.

          Moral: Means become ends in themselves.