WHOM TO CAST THE FIRST STONE

A.K.RAMAN

God sent His messenger to earth again to teach human moral values and prevent them from sinning and to build good character. On reaching the earth the messenger was awe struck. Everybody was preaching moral values to others but did not practice their own preaching. When ever he tried to preach moral values no body was willing to listen. He noticed that whenever a person was caught sinning all others jumped on him to punish him. It took him little time to realize that people were experts in sinning without being noticed. Evading attention was the main motto. One would be presumed to be a noble man till he was caught sinning. God’s messenger was waiting for a chance to provoke the conscience of the people.
Once he saw a group of people pelting stones on a young woman. He intervened and asked why were they pelting stones on her? One among the group explained that she was caught eloping with another man when her husband was away. As per the prevailing rule in that village she had to be killed by pelting stones. The messenger felt that it was the right time to awake their conscience.
“OK. He that is without sin among you may cast the stone first” He suggested expecting the crowd to search their conscience and melt away sparing the woman. A person who had sinned most, without batting an eyelid pelted the stone first. Gleefully others followed and the poor woman was not spared.
Next day the messenger saw the sinner talking with another person who was his accomplish in most of his crimes and listened.
“Every body knows that you have sinned most and still you were the first person to pelt the stone yesterday. Why did you do it?” The sinner’s friend asked.
“Otherwise it would tantamount to accepting my guilt.” The sinner replied.

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