THE TAKER meets THE GIVER: A Ride in The Truth Box

Bernie Sanders enters an elevator. There is only one other person inside, standing in the corner by the control buttons. A hood is over their head and their back is turned.

“What floor?” the mysterious voice says.

“Tahp” Sanders says in his distinctive accent.

Without turning, the mysterious figure reaches over and pushes the button. The elevator starts to ascend. After a few moments, he reaches back over and pushes the stop button. Sanders says “Whatta you dewing! Why’d you push stahp?” Pulling down his hood, the figure turns and reveals himself to Sanders. It is Jesus Christ.

Sanders heart drops. He knows he is not dreaming. He knows with absolute certainty who he is standing with. His face turns heated red, and he starts to sweat and tremble. He mumbles ‘I didn’t expect to see you.” Jesus says nothing and just looks into his eyes.

The silence makes Sanders uncontrollably awkward, so he fumbles for something to say. “I know you’re probably wondering why my politics are” Jesus interrupts him “I know why.” He pauses again for a moment. Still looking him directly in the eyes, Jesus says “but let me hear you say it.”

Sanders thinks about what would sound the most noble. He says “Greed is wrong and I’m trying to stop the wealthy from” Jesus cuts him off “Hurting other people? You think they have too much and should give what they have to others, don’t you?” Sanders feels a huge sigh of relief. “Yes I do. And I know you preached about this, so…”

Still having never lost eye contact, Jesus says “I said to give YOUR goods to the poor. I did not say you should FORCE others to give THEIRS.” He stops. Sanders has nothing to say in his defense. He can no longer make eye contact with Jesus.

The Lord continues: “You said greed is wrong, but what about YOUR greed? Is it not the greatest greed of all to steal the free choice of others? The father granted this freedom to all, so by whose authority can you claim ownership of what others should be allowed to freely choose?”

Sanders lowers his head in shame. Jesus still looks directly at him.

“You condemn the wealth of others, but seek to increase your own. And tell me, what is this fair share you speak of? How can a greedy man denote fairness and equality? The Father granted you the privilege to live in a world of natural diversity. You are not the author. You seek to make the world non-diverse and unequal because your serpent ego demands to own the choices of others.”

Sanders listens, motionless, silent and staring at the floor…”You deceive the un-knowing. You promise them free goods without telling them you will take it from others. You seek to take everything and give nothing back at all.”

“Your ego deceives you. It seeks justice only for itself, by using force and obedience to appease its unsatisfied set of demands. Why have you have never sought to touch another’s heart, to find a solution by evangelizing your concern? Your ego rejects a common understanding. It only lusts for control. You offer empty solutions to the very problems your ego has created.”

Sanders is devastated, still looking down in silence. Jesus says “I waited for you to walk in here. I asked you where you wanted to go, you said to the top. Now tell me where you DESERVE to go. I will push the button only once more.”

Sanders continues looking down, staring at the floor. He feels an overwhelming sense of imminent fatality, knowing his judgment had come and was living his last moments. He was certain Jesus would let him out on the basement floor. This would be hell. It would be his final destination for eternity. He hears the button pushed and feels the elevator descend, along with his stomach.

Humbled, embarrassed and too late to save himself, Sanders musters all his strength to gather his last thoughts. Just as he thinks to try mumbling the words “I’m sorry”, the door suddenly opens. Sanders looks up in terror, but only to find himself back on the same floor where he walked in.

Jesus was gone. No one else was around. He lowered his head and stared downward again in disbelief. After a few moments of trying to comprehend what had just happened to him, he noticed a pair of feet coming towards him on the footrest of a wheel chair. Without lifting his head, he looks up just enough to see the armrests, where the wrinkled old hands of a man are resting.

In almost a robot like manner, Sanders turns back towards the elevator to hold the door open for the old man to enter. He hears the wheelchair rolling inside. Then he heard the words “thank you” from the old man. As Sanders was finally ready to make eye contact with the world again, he turned and saw the back of the man as he wheeled himself in. He was wearing a red cap. Sanders didn’t want to see what four words could be on the front. He already knew.

Epilogue:

Millions have been killed under the slavery commanded by socialist dictators. Socialism is murder of the human spirit through the captivity of obedience. It is a cult that fosters perpetual dissatisfaction, and recruits the ignorant through the allure of blame. Acts of heartfelt charity is not something a socialist considers; they embrace force and control only. It is hatred and deception; theft masquerading as altruism. It is the greediest condemning greed. It claims victim hood of inequality while demanding ownership of what is equal. It is a demon-infiltrated ego fighting to seize the God-given free choices of others. Socialism fulfills, in every sense of the word, the Antichrist’s hatred of humanity.

God help them.