And so, this has been the story of how my atheistic belief was shot dead; yes… shot dead by God! As dead as…as for instance, say, Billy the Kid…killed by a ‘bullet in the back’. And just like Billy the Kid, my atheism wasn’t looking for that bullet either!
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Yes, Billy the Kid and atheism have a lot in common! Like Billy, atheism is a ruthless killer. It has slain many-a-man, much more than Billy ever did!
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But as I said, my atheism received that bullet-in-the-back on that fateful November night when I personally met the Devil.
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But in my case, meeting the Devil turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me! Not that the Devil was trying to help me. But God is greater than the Devil, and uses the Devil for His own divine purposes.
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Nevertheless, I’m sure those evil angels must’ve had a great time anyway, tormenting me during these long months and days!
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But I hope and pray that every atheist will have his or her atheism shot dead…just like my atheism was shot dead! Just hope ya don’t have to suffer all the torment that I had to suffer.
Oh, by the way…I read the other day of an old tombstone in Maryland that said…
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“Here lies an atheist 6 feet below. All dressed up, but nowhere to go!”
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An atheist has a truly miserable ideology, or religion, or whatever you want to call it! Nowhere to go after he or she dies! Just food for daisies and earthworms…and crabgrass too! But instead of the above epitaph, I would only wish that the following words below might be inscribed on the stone marker above each and every atheist from this moment forward…
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“A former atheist lies here below. His atheism died when he found Jesus, and now he’s got a wonderful place to go!”
Sometime later, Becky’s mother came to visit from Guatemala. And we decided to go on a 3 or 4-day whirlwind tour up the awesome and majestic Oregon coast, beginning in Brookings Oregon.
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And so, I rented a motorhome.
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I must say, I can’t remember a more fun and more trouble-free trip! It was as if the Lord was blessing every moment of our little tour. While stopping in one little town, I saw a blue captain’s hat (like ol’ Heph used to wear), and bought it, and wore it throughout the trip.
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Through the winding Redwood Highway, these awesome trees stand as gate-keeping giants to the powerful Pacific Ocean. From there we came to Brookings, just a few miles from the Oregon/California border. And from there we proceeded up the Oregon coast until we came to the incredible Sea-Lion Caves! Yes, the Sea-Lion Caves are a must-see for any tourist! Right on the edge of the narrow Coastal Highway 101, hugging a high cliff, an elevator takes you down-down-down about a 1000 feet into a large cave. Entering into this sea-lion sanctuary there they sit, barking loudly, echoing throughout the ominous-looking caverns! And all this makes for a very dramatic scenario, together with in-coming waves, crashing against the rocks!
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Next we went to Depoe Bay, a little tourist mecca in which the raging sea crashes against the sharp cliff, sometimes spilling almost onto Highway 101, which runs through this little tourist-shop burg. It’s a great place to stop to eat, while driving up or down the Oregon Coast.
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There we stopped to see the little black stone-faced building which housed the aquarium (no longer there), in which various aquatic species are seen. The main attraction was a damp and echoie room with a pool in which about 5 or 6 barking seals beg for little pieces of fish which visitors can purchase.
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There was one totally blind seal, whose eyes were completely glazed white. But in spite of his handicap, he performed more tricks, and clownishly slapped his fat belly in hopes of getting some fish thrown to him. Really funny to watch this old aquatic clown! And seemingly almost miraculously, this visually-challenged one could sense exactly when and where food was being tossed in his direction, jumping up and catching it mid-air!
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Pretty good for a “blind old seal”!
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Later on that day, while laying in the upper loft of the motor-home I began slapping my increasingly fattening belly (because of Becky’s great cooking!). When I suddenly realized I was doing a good imitation of that fat old blind seal, I laughed and laughed (I often laughed at myself over something funny. But of course, I’ve never liked other people laughing at me! Who does!?)
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From Lincoln City on the northern coast, we drove inland through beautiful state capitol of Salem (where I was born), and up the Santiam Highway. There we stopped at Silver Falls State Park where about 7 different waterfalls can be be seen along the hiking trail. (and the one in this picture, you can even walk behind!). And being raised in Salem, we kids always loved to have a family picnic at that incredibly beautiful park! My parents even had an old log cabin nearby where we spent many weekends, as kids.
This entire e-book story is concerning events which occurred prior to my becoming a Christian. To give this story proper context, I tried to write it in somewhat the same irreverent humor that I used back in those days. Forgive me for this irreverence! But I suppose I wanted for the Reader to get to know me, as I was back in those days.
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Becky and I were finally married about 10 months after we met, on December 6th of 1980.
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The reader should keep in mind that this is just the first Part of a three-part story about a man who began a journey out of the fires of Hell, and upward toward the Celestial City of God. My unchristian behavior during this first installment was merely because I had not the slightest clue of how to be a Christian. So please excuse any offensive behavior on my part. This Part 1 of my journey should make more sense, if and when God permits me to write the next two installments.
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“Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low…” Isaiah 2:10-12
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This is the end of this e-book, “Judgment Day-RX7″. However, you may go to the companion web-site. Just click here…
Click on image credit links below each photo, for licensing names/details/tags/etc.. Most images cropped/reduced in size
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As told in the previous chapter, Becky and I boarded a little “choo-choo train”, taking us from the hustle-bustle of Guatemala City to the east coast, and onward to the tiny, but beautiful tropical country of Belize.
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Our ultimate destination was Tikal and the incredible temples of the ancient and mysterious Mayan civilization.
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But as the title of this and the previous chapter reveal, we were actually riding on “A Train Bound For Nowhere”…
The next day, after that dark and mysterious night, and running into that darker and even more mysterious stranger, Becky bought two tickets for a commuter boat.
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I had absolutely no idea where we were going. I was kind-of “in my own little world”. I was preoccupied with the spirit and his incessant talking.
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The boat was filled with passengers. Maybe 30 people! Maybe 50! (It looked similar to this Wikimedia photo, but possibly about twice the size, or more, with a walking-isle down the middle, with seats on either side of the middle-isle, as I recall).
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Now, the spirit was really coming down on me hard, at this moment! I distinctly remember that this was definitely a Hitler Day! And as I said, I was in my own little world. This was because, on this particular day, the spirit condemned me really heavily that, “You just might have been Hitler in your last life”. The spirit was probably coming on stronger than on any previous day, except maybe for that day back in Antigua, when I was bombarded with noises all day. But once again, he was literally crushing me under the weight of his accusations and con-damnation!
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Photo of Belize commuter-boat courtesy wikipedia & Mrcveliz share-alike license. Click here for link.
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“MERCY’S JUST A LADY WHO LIVES DOWN THE STREET!”
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As the boat cruised across the water, I just couldn’t take his threats and condemnation any longer! It became way too much! Finally, out of sheer desperation, I pleaded for mercy… “God please have mercy!!”, I silently cried out!
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“Oh you want mercy, do you?” said the spirit, pointing me to a rather large Belizean lady passenger, squeezed into this crowded boat, “Well that’s Mercy sitting over there! You see, Chuck, Mercy’s just a lady who lives down the street!”
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But I still kept pleading for mercy (silently of course…in my thoughts). But each time I did, the spirit kept repeatedly pointing me to that same heavy-set middle-aged lady, saying, “Mercy’s just a lady that lives down the street!” Well at the time, I took this to mean that God had no mercy left for the likes of me! You know, just like saying, “Mercy? Sorry, I’m fresh out!”
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But itwouldn’t be till much later, that I would find out what that was all about. I was to eventually meet the real Mercy! And lo and behold…she actually did live just down the street! But I’ll have to tell that story much later.
After some time, the boat landed on an island. I guess they call them “cays” here in Belize. Anyway, about a dozen skinny little jet-black, bare-foot boys, only wearing shorts, come running up to the boat, all fighting to take our luggage. I looked at all the very big wide eyes, staring at us…obviously working for tips! But there are no smiles. They’re all business! Vying for our luggage! A bunch of little right-wing capitalists, no doubt!
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Anyway, we gave the two or three of the “winners” our luggage, and they led us to a motel on this island. It actually was a pretty nice two-story motel in an otherwise primitive looking…uh…jungle island-village, I guess you might call it.
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Our motel room was very well-kept, complete with a great balcony overlooking the beautiful ocean! Actually, nicer than most modest-priced motels back in the States!
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To tell you the truth, under different circumstances, this could be a dream place to hole-up in, for a while!
But before long it grew dark. And the rain began to fall again.
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But this time it wasn’t just rain, like on the previous night’s train-ride!
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No, this time, the rain was accompanied by thunder and lightning. And not just yer run-of-the-mill flash of lightning, followed by a delayed peal of thunder! No no NOOO! This thunderous lightning-flash is super bad! And super loud!
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”KARRACK!!!” “KABOOM!!!”…
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It sounded directly over our heads! I can’t think back of ever hearing thunder as loud as it thundered that night! Perhaps it was amplified by the sea which surrounded this little cay.
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This went on for much of the evening as I recall. It was so loud, we had to cover our ears! And even the walls shook, as I recall! And because of the intensity of this lightning and thunder, it really seemed like God was angry with me!
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”KARRACK!!! “KABOOM!!!”
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Okay, okay, I can just hear you (the Reader), thinking to yourself, “This guy is bending everything against himself…now even the thunder and lightning!”
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Alright, alright! I get it! I get it! But let me just say this: if you ever go through such an intense lightning storm, while at the same time, an unseen spirit entity is accusing and condemning you…then you’ll probably understand why I felt the way I did!
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And even listen to Scripture…“Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out Thine arrows, and destroy them…The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of Heaven shall He thunder…” Psalm 144:6 & 1st Samuel 2:10.
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So, see!? I’m not so crazy, after all! As these above verses reveal, thunder and lightning are used in the Bible as pictures of the arrows of God’s wrath upon His enemies! (I’m sure glad I didn’t know about these two verses back there in that motel room!)
Well, the night finally turned to morning. And the forgiving sun came out once again, as if the previous night’s storm had never even happened!
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I guess the tropics can be very much like that! Because now the ocean was a peaceful and beautiful turquoise blue. The sand was white. The breeze was soft. The air warm.
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It was as if that previous night’s storm was just a bad dream!
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And this tropical place, or island, or whatever… could’ve been used on a “Gilligan’s Island” episode. (Pretty much like this Wikipedia photo!)
“As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place”
Proverbs 27:8
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And so, I decided to go for a walk, to get the lay of the land…to survey the world. The beautiful sunny new morning made me forget the severe warnings which I got from the previous night’s thunder and lightning. And on this very pleasantly warm and seemingly friendly day, it was very easy to simply wander away from home-base…
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But that was my first mistake!
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I should never have wandered off by myself!
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Not knowing where I was going, I found a path, not too far from the light blue sea. And so, I began to follow that path. It wandered into a thick jungle. But where it would take me, I just didn’t know!
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Maybe some adventure!
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Who knows, maybe I’d run into Ginger or Mary Ann (of Gilligan’s Island fame)!
But no sooner than I set foot on my new journey, the spirit began a really odd phenomenon with me!
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At this moment, the spirit began leading me to believe that this little excursion was some kind of quest to find something valuable. A kind of mystery hunt for hidden treasure or something. And for some reason, he made it impossible for me to turn to the left. I simply could not turn left. I could only turn right. As I walked through this very primitive little jungle village (much like this photo), I had to turn right. If I wanted to make a left turn, I soon realized I could only do so by turningright for a three-quarters turn. The problem was, I had to do it inconspicuously, so no one else would notice! Because, there were other people, local villagers, also walking along this pathway!
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Now if I wanted to turn right, this was no problem. But to turn left—that was a different story! And so, I would kind-of hesitate, as if I was just examining something off in the distance. You know, like a tourist might do. Then I’d turn right a little more. And then a little more. Still pretending to be examining. And finally,I would make that three-quarter turn necessary to go left. Ah-ha! I did it! Nobody thought me strange! LOL!
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This jungle was very beautiful, and very overgrown! With just a beaten path to walk along. The residents of this island were walking back and forth, going about their daily business, no doubt. Some more capitalist-right-wingers, I suppose!
Anyway, the various little huts were interspersed within the thick jungle. I finally found a “Seven/Eleven” quick-Mart. Well not exactly a “Seven/Eleven”. Okay, so it was just a grass hut with one side open with a little counter. But I couldn’t be choosy at this moment! IT WAS THE ONLY STORE IN TOWN!! So, I bought whatever it was I bought. Actually, just a pack of gum. Why gum? I dunno! I just wanted to buy something! And after making a rather quick inspection of her inventory, I opted for the gum! 5 or 10-cent gum!
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(EDITOR’S NOTE: This “7-ONCE” drawing to the right does not depict nearly as much foliage as the actual island had. The artist (me) was just too lazy to draw in all the extra trees and bushes!)
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WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE GUM!
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Okay, so 5 or 10 cents for gum! Not a problem, right? Well, there was a problem! You see, this otherwise simple transaction became complicated, when the spirit overwhelmed my mind, insisting that I “show my faith”, by not getting my change! A five-dollar bill (about $15.00 or $20.00 in 2020 money, and maybe as much as $50.00 or more in theirs!) For 10-cent gum! With a straight face, the lady accepted the rather large “tip”.
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But I suppose I was purchasing goodwill from these quaint folk. Probably not! They, no doubt, decided they were dealing with just another idiot or something! Imagine that!!
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But whatever this lady thought of me, one thing was for sure! The gum that I bought from her was the most expensive gum I would ever buy! And she unflinchingly took my money as if she were taking my soul!
. “Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. But whoso commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he that does it destroys his own soul.” Proverbs 6:30, 31
(This verse seems irrelevant and will not make sense until You read “Part 2” of this e-book, should the Lord graciously permit me to write it)
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But then having bought that gum, I proceeded forward on this treasure hunt, or whatever in the world it was! By now I knew better than to trust this unseen being! He was just too changeable to put any confidence in!
And so, after this 2-minute pause, I resumed my quest to find whatever it was I was searching for. Still only making right turns. It kind-of started feeling like I was in that old movie, “The Wizard of Oz” walking along that infamous “Yellow Brick Road”.
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But unlike that brainless Scare-Crow in that old movie classic, I was going backward…away from OZ! Me more brainless!
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And instead of the road getting larger, the road only got narrower and narrower! Eventually, my right turns became sharper until my path finally came to an abrupt end.
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This not-so-yellow-brick-road ended, and I could go no further!
(Lyrics from the Kenny Rogers song, “The Gambler”)
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Well, as I said, I finally came to the end of the path! And was I ever surprised at what I found there! No, there was no OZ! No, there was no Wizard! No, there was no rainbow! And no, there was no pot of gold either!
The place I came to, looked like an ancient ruin. It was obvious that some structure had once been here…long ago! But now, only the crumbling foundation-footings remained (somewhat like this photo I found on the net). I sat down on the stone footings, lit a Marlboro, and contemplated what this building might have been at one time. Maybe this was once part of an ancient civilization!
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But now, only the ruins remained, crumbling by reason of the moist, salt-laden air from the surrounding sea!
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Well, whatever it once was, one thing was for sure. It was now long gone! Now only this monument of a broken foundation remained as a reminder of its former days of glory! And even that was mostly destroyed! I felt like all this time I spent getting here was a waste of valuable time! And all these right turns! It was a lose-losesituation! What nonsense! The building was long gone! It was too late! A civilization gone…or destroyed! Too late to revive it!
The cards were all laid out on the table as far as this treasure hunt on this unknown Island!
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As the songster sang, “Ya gotta know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em!”
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IT LOOKS LIKE THE “DESTROYER”(the mystery man on the train) HAD ALREADY BEEN HERE TOO!
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I guess this group of people hadn’t been holding up their end of the bargain either!
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You know…their bargain with “the Commander”!
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They hadn’t held up their bargain with the Commander!
(Lyrics from the Kenny Rogers song, “The Gambler”)
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So, after deciding that there was nothing more that I could do here, I knew it was time to walk away, back to home-base. I guess I should never have wandered off, away from home-base! And so, I went back to home-base.
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I could once again turn right or left. Whichever way was more reasonable. That’s the way I once again turned. And hopefully, this strange phenomenon would never ever plague me again!
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Oh yeah, I lost precious time. And though it all lasted only 20 minutes or more, looking back it seemed like 20 years lost! But I was forever cured of wanting to turn to the right (or even to the left!) The experience taught me a valuable lesson I’ll never forget!
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And the thing that must be remembered is this: even if I could have only madeleft turns, instead of rightturns, I would no doubt have ended up in this very same place! And though this may have once been a great society, now it was just a No-Wheres-Ville, no matter which way you turn!
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Truly, truly, our train ride the previous day was only just a “train bound for nowhere”!
So yes, truly this Lost Isle of Thunderbolts experience cured me forever! Yeah, I never ever wanted to turn to the right again! (or even to the left, for that matter!)
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And truly, this little experience turned out to be, “the shape of things to come!”
But in my case, meeting the Devil turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me! Not that the Devil was trying to help me. But God is greater than the Devil, and uses the Devil for His own divine purposes. 
But in my case, meeting the Devil turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me! Not that the Devil was trying to help me. But God is greater than the Devil, and uses the Devil for His own divine purposes. 
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“A former atheist lies here below. His atheism died when he found Jesus, and now he’s got a wonderful place to go!”
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Through the winding Redwood Highway, these awesome trees stand as gate-keeping giants to the powerful Pacific Ocean. From there we came to Brookings, just a few miles from the Oregon/California border. And from there we proceeded up the Oregon coast until we came to the incredible Sea-Lion Caves! Yes, the Sea-Lion Caves are a must-see for any tourist! Right on the edge of the narrow Coastal Highway 101, hugging a high cliff, an elevator takes you down-down-down about a 1000 feet into a large cave. Entering into this sea-lion sanctuary there they sit, barking loudly, echoing throughout the ominous-looking caverns! And all this makes for a very dramatic scenario, together with in-coming waves, crashing against the rocks!
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This is the end of this e-book, “Judgment Day-RX7″. However, you may go to the companion web-site. Just click here… 
only making 
