In Lieu of Heaven

In Lieu of Heaven, Kevin Archer, Xlibris Corporation, 2003

A man is walking along a path, not totally sure of where he is going. In the middle of a desolate landscape, he suddenly encounters a lush, green forest. Exploring the forest, he comes across a man cooking a meal by a fire, a small cabin nearby. The traveler is invited to sit and relax for a while, as if he was expected. The forest resident (for lack of a better name) tells his story.

One day, he woke up in a beautiful garden, with no memories before that day. Physically, he was an adult, but mentally and emotionally, he was like a newborn child. His father gave him no guidance, no idea what to expect. Adam (that is what he calls himself) had to find out for himself what happened when he pricked his finger on a thorn or ate the wrong berries. His father told him not to eat from the tree in the center of the garden. Sound familiar? Adam had no concept of "Do Not..." His life became complete when Eve, his mate, arrived (yes, that Adam and Eve). After they ate from the forbidden tree, because Eve was never told not to do it, they are thrown out of the garden by Adam's father (Jehovah) and forbidden to return.

They eventually found a place to live, and Eve gave birth to two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain killed Abel (if there was only the four of them, where did the concept of murder come from?) and disappeared. This seems to suck the life out of Eve. She got sicker and sicker, until she just stopped breathing. Holding her in his arms, Adam swore vengeance on his father.

Adam has little good to say about many of the major figures of the Bible, like Abraham and David. He talks about this tribe and that tribe that are not just defeated by the Israelites, but totally wiped out. After many years of wandering, Adam met a freelance prophet in the south, and realized that this was Jehovah in the flesh (his vow has not been forgotten). His teachings are either vague, bloodthirsty or taken from other groups. Adam became one of the Disciples, using the name Judas, and waited for the chance to carry out his vow.

As someone who was born and raised a Catholic, my initial reaction to this is: Holy Cow! The author also includes over 270 references to specific Bible verses, so the reader can see for themselves. For a very different, and very uncomplimentary, view of Christianity, this book is very much recommended.