The Three Christs of Ypsilanti - Milton Rokeach [54]
Meeting. The three men are introduced to Miss Miller, one of the Friend’s volunteer workers who is here for the summer. The talk is mostly between Miss Miller and Joseph and centers on literature. Joseph reads from Whitman and seems to be enjoying her company. He is unusually relaxed. Miss Miller suggests that she and Joseph meet tomorrow to read in the park. They meet for several days and read literature and poetry to each other.
Meeting. Today’s visitor is Mr. Zandt, a graduate student in psychology. Leon asks him: “You really think you’re cut out to be a psychologist?” and goes on to say that a psychologist must have spiritual insight; can’t just say, go see the chaplain.
Joseph laughs, but won’t explain what’s funny. I remark to him that he often knows exactly why he does and says certain things. “That’s quite possible,” Joseph agrees. “Sometimes you know but you don’t divulge.”
“I love truth even though it hurts,” Leon says. “If it hurts too much,” Joseph replies, “man is wise to turn away from it.”
“That’s your belief, sir.”
Joseph submits a written report of a meeting:
Subject: Jewish services at hospital church; i.e., I’ve attended a service. Rabbi made or spoke of extra ceremony, called “passah” (sic). A meal will be served, with chicken, etc., but no bread must be eaten, matzos will be eaten. And there are other restrictions. The “Passah” has something to do with it or it is the significance of offerings in the Temple. The “Passah” is a Jewish holiday, and it commemorates the day of offerings as I understand it. It is an offering to God for the welfare of the Jews, from God—but it is for the welfare of the Jews.
Leon defines the word parable. “Parables go from higher level ideas to lower level expression so that a person with less education can understand.”
Meeting report by Joseph Cassel:
Subject: Easter. Resurrection of life. How beautiful to be enjoying this great holiday. What a sacrifice by Christ, to have died upon the cross, to give life to the people of the world. Resurrection of life. What a charmingly beautiful sentence. I’m the one who died upon the cross, God, for the resurrection of life.
Meeting. Joseph tells about being with Miss Miller outdoors. A policeman, he says, came by and told them to move, but Miss Miller showed the policeman Dr. Yoder’s note and the fellow went right off. Joseph says: “I hate to see her go. She’s going back to North Carolina.”
The men talk about Decoration Day. Joseph says he supposes there won’t be any more wars. To this Leon responds: “There’s a war going on all the time. ‘Evil ideal’ versus the truth. War is the outcome of the ‘evil ideal.’ ”
—Will this war ever end?—
“It will,” Leon says.
—When?—
“It will take as long as it will, sir. And then it will be peaceful unto eternity.”
I ask whether Leon’s war against the “evil ideal” and Joseph’s war against the gunshots are the same war. Leon rejects the idea, and Joseph tries to change the subject. “If I say anything, Rex will say, ‘That’s your belief,’ or something like that.”
“All day Sunday, you wait for visitors and none of them come. As for me,” Joseph says, “I’m goddam glad this is Monday.”
CHAPTER VI
THE ROTATING CHAIRMANSHIP
IN THE SECOND month of the study we decided to change the conditions of the daily group meetings. After several weeks of incessant conflict over their claims to the same identity, the three delusional Christs seemed as firmly entrenched in their beliefs as ever. While it was clear that the daily confrontations had had several effects on the behavior of the three men, primarily of a tension-producing character, the only change in delusions had occurred when Leon, after his altercation with Clyde, changed his belief that Adam was a Negro. During these early weeks, the leadership of the daily sessions had been in our hands: we decided what topics to bring up; we guided the discussions; we led the exchanges back to the identity issue. In this way we were able to obtain various kinds of information about the three Christs: about