I was acting crazy in North America, and all the crazy people there took it seriously.

Chapter 205 Raising a Young God, The Sun's Biggest Rival Emerges (Part 2)

The people of America suffered natural disasters and man-made calamities far exceeding those of ordinary years during this year.

If natural disasters—no matter how fierce, like the fire tornado that swept across four states—can inspire people's tragic heroism and unity in the face of adversity, then this kind of bizarre man-made disaster is purely a matter of mindset!

Never before has the collective mentality of the American people been so fragile, like a sandcastle eroded by wind and rain, still seemingly in shape, but riddled with holes inside.

Those whose values ​​and mentality collapse, like Patton, stand on the edge of a cliff and jump off, turning into madmen who fly planes to carry out suicide attacks.

But for many more people, their values ​​crumble little by little, as if a cruel executioner, wielding a blade called "reality," slowly and meticulously slices away everything they have long relied on and believed in.

Religious beliefs, secular values, national identity, racial superiority... are stripped away piece by piece.

Many people seem perfectly normal.

They eat, sleep, and chat with others on time, and sometimes they even laugh louder than usual when they hear a joke.

However, beneath this seemingly normal exterior, the light that once shone in their eyes—the yearning for the future, the passion for life, and the adherence to certain values—has been extinguished.

Their hearts are becoming barren, and a sense of despondency, of "it doesn't matter anymore" and "anything is fine," is silently spreading through the fabric of society.

This change is particularly evident among firefighters in New York.

If before this they could still believe that they were fighting for "the great America" ​​and risking their lives to protect the symbol of "the land of freedom," then now, as they drag their weary bodies to Liberty Island and face the ruins with only two cold, charred metal legs remaining, what can they still believe in?
What are we fighting for? What are we sacrificing for?
No one loves the Statue of Liberty more than New Yorkers, and no one is more heartbroken to see it destroyed!
This was one of the great symbols of America, yet it was not destroyed by foreign enemies, but by its own people in the most ruthless way!

This "betrayal" has eroded the very foundation of meaning in many firefighters' actions.

Of course, there are still many firefighters who, with their professional instincts and humanitarian spirit, rush headlong into the ruins of high-rise buildings in the city center that were destroyed by planes and are still burning and smoking, snatching lives from the clutches of death.

But many more firefighters seemed to have lost their backbone, losing that heartfelt, unwavering spirit.

With hearts as lonely as stray dogs, they channeled their remaining enthusiasm and energy into things that offered easier, immediate feedback—rescuing cats and dogs.

At least, these speechless little creatures are simple, dependent, and will never think about how to destroy a country or betray a shared belief, right?
If the previous wave of disaster relief efforts prioritized rescuing cats and dogs, largely driven by media attention and public pressure, then in this round in New York, rescuing kittens and puppies has become a spontaneous act for firefighters.

They carefully cradled the shivering kittens rescued from the rubble, as if they could draw a sliver of warmth from these little lives to combat the absurdity and cruelty of the outside world.

The media skillfully captured the heartwarming moment of firefighters cradling surviving cats, their words lavishly portraying the "touching" bond between humans and animals. It was as if few people were harmed in this man-made disaster, only these adorable cats and dogs were unfortunately affected.

On the one hand, we should not say things that are detrimental to the unity of the United States.

Needless to say, the media that have always been biased towards the KKK are eager to spray people with "memory eraser" to make them forget that the suicide bomber was from the KKK.
Meanwhile, relatively neutral media outlets, after being relentlessly attacked by The Sun, found themselves unable to refute the criticism and were thus willing to dedicate more space to these positive moments of "human kindness."

On the other hand, people always need to believe in something, right?

It can be an ethereal god, or it can be a kitten or puppy that doesn't think about complex racial issues, doesn't plan terrorist attacks, and doesn't betray others.

Yes, it could be a person!
Logan never expected that this person would be himself!
The Sun flatters its own boss in order to stand on the moral high ground and point fingers; but when the Chicago Catholic Daily claims he is the "Son of God," Logan can't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

Damn it, I'm the one who always fools people, when did it become my turn to fool others?
Logan immediately published a statement in The Sun, taking the clearest stance possible. The statement began with a triple denial: "I am not! I did not! Don't idolize me!"

"I'm just an ordinary, unremarkable person who enjoys lowbrow entertainment and loves to boast. Didn't your Chicago Catholic Daily keep accusing me of disrespecting God? You're right. How can someone who disrespects God be a son of God?"

—Don't do that! I still prefer your previous arrogant and unruly attitude, where you treated me like a heretic! Please restore the status quo quickly, and I won't talk back this time, okay?
However, Logan underestimated the young pastor's ability to "interpret" scripture.

Niven showed no sign of being contradicted by the person involved; instead, he seized upon Logan's words and offered a deeper interpretation—

“Look! He had already foreseen that the old church system was rigid and corrupt, and that it was no longer favored by God, which is why he showed that kind of ‘disrespect’!”

"His 'disrespect' stems precisely from his higher perspective, from seeing through the illusions of the world! This proves the extraordinary nature of the Son of God!"

Niven was serious about establishing the "Logan Cult," so much so that he didn't hesitate to tell the truth—the church had already gone to great lengths, using every kind of ritual to pray for God's intervention, but there was only empty sound of prayer!
God is merciless, or rather, He has never favored the old church!

These words undoubtedly represent a complete denial of the traditional authority of the church! And it is even less likely that the church would truly venerate Logan as the "Son of God"!
As expected, the Chicago church experienced an unprecedented schism.

Led by Niven, a faction including many young pastors dissatisfied with the status quo and eager to find a new way out, as well as nearly half of the editors and reporters within the Chicago Catholic Daily, resolutely broke away from their original church to establish a new denomination—the "Logan Church"—and founded their own propaganda platform—the Chicago Faith Journal!
Logan's firm refusal was not a problem to them at all; on the contrary, it became evidence that they needed to guide and help the Son of God to recognize his mission.

Nevin creatively proposed the core doctrine of "raising young gods"!
In the inaugural issue of the Chicago Faith, he wrote enthusiastically: "Our Son of God is still young and has not yet fully realized the sacred responsibility he bears on his shoulders to guide the lost sheep! Therefore, we believers need to work together to nurture the young God!"

How do you cultivate this habit?
Niven devised a preliminary method for "spiritual practice":
"We must always praise the name of the Son of God, spread his prophecies and deeds, and let the Son of God gradually realize his own divinity and influence!"

"We must use the most devout faith of all believers to continuously infuse the Son of God, like watering a seedling, to help him awaken the supreme divinity that lies dormant within him as soon as possible!"

When these "profound" remarks reached Logan's ears, he was utterly terrified.

"Hahaha..." Richard couldn't stop laughing!

Finally managing to stop, he wiped away tears of laughter while repeatedly praising the performance:
"He's such a genius! God! The church can produce talented people!"

"Such a humorous person! It's so rare!"

Nurturing a young god? Infusion?
Are you sure you didn't get this inspiration from the church's fine tradition of raising little boys?
The thought of Logan being "injected" made Richard grin again. "Hahaha, Logan, why don't you just give in!"

I can't wait to see this happen!

Logan strongly suspected that his act of pretending to be a deity had given him away, and that the church was deliberately using this disgusting method to inflict psychological damage on him as revenge!
"I just don't believe it!" Logan said bitterly. "Such a ridiculous doctrine, such a ridiculous sect, could actually have any normal people who believe in it and join it?"

Injection? Injection my ass!
Richard laughed even harder. "That's hard to say. There are still ten or twenty thousand abnormal people in Chicago. Ten or twenty thousand people helping you 'inject' is enough for you to enjoy!"

Logan's face turned black!
However, this time, they were all wrong! Terribly wrong!
For ordinary people in Chicago, amidst a void of faith and profound social change, they yearn for a stable and tangible spiritual anchor.

Logan is the most familiar and "magical" person in their lives.

When the world becomes upside down and bizarre, only Logan remains the wise and steadfast pillar who can see through the fog.

This sense of "familiarity" and "detachment" becomes a peculiar foundation of trust during turbulent times.

Furthermore, the Chicago Gazette's relentless promotion of his appearance—"It's no exaggeration to say he's radiant with divine light! What could this be but God's favor?"—further fueled his praise.

Even the early death of Logan's parents became evidence that he was the Son of God—"Mortal parents are not so fortunate as to bear his title, so they were called back to heaven by God early on, so as not to hinder the growth and awakening of the Son of God!"

(Ronald's parents: Then we should really thank God and his whole family!)
Niven's "theory of raising young gods" had an unexpected effect.

Unlike traditional religions where believers can only passively pray to gods, this theory gives them an unprecedented sense of participation and initiative!

Believers are not just followers, but also guardians and catalysts for the growth of the "Son of God"!
This "we help God grow together" premise is fatally attractive to many people who yearn to find their own value amidst chaos.

Many housewives can't help but smile like an aunt looking at her own "good son" when they think about participating in the "raising" of a living "divine child"!
Logan had anticipated that only a few fun-loving people would join the so-called "Logan Cult," but to his surprise, in just three days, the number of Chicago citizens who officially registered to join the "Logan Cult" exceeded 100,000!
And this number is growing at a snowball rate.

These new believers are even more enthusiastic and tireless than The Sun in promoting every "prophecy" of Logan—everything Logan prophesies must be the truth; every choice Logan makes must be divinely correct!
In short, Logan is never wrong, and following Logan is never wrong; the only one who is wrong is the world!

The Chicago Faith newspaper was filled with their "love pouring" into the "Son of God," and many of these "love pourings" were even sent to the Sun and Voice of Liberty, which made people's hair stand on end!
"Shit! So this is how you flatter someone?!"

The entire staff of The Sun was stunned. When we praise our boss, we at least try to adhere to basic principles and facts. What you're doing is just mindless worship!
How can flattery turn into such a mess?
The Sun's biggest competitor has emerged!
How can you compare? They really treat their boss like a god, how can these employees learn that?
Richard couldn't laugh either!
Are there really that many abnormal people in Chicago?
He picked up the Chicago Gazette of Faith, which was full of mindless praise for the "son of God," and looked at Logan, whose face was as black as the bottom of a pot, but still couldn't see any "divine light" in it!
So he asked, half-seriously, "This really isn't something you did to brag and glorify yourself? This is... such a slick move!"

Logan felt a sharp pain in his heart.

He didn't want to say a word, let alone make any comments on the "Logan Cult," lest it be distorted into some kind of absurdity!

However, even his silence could not escape it.

The latest issue of the Chicago Faith newspaper proclaims with jubilation: "Yes, that's how it should be! The Son of God should be solitary, exalted, and untouched by the dust of the world! Our faith is effectively stimulating the dormant divinity within the Son of God! Believers, keep up the good work!"

With the active promotion of the "Logan Cult," the number of believers continued to surge, and its influence even began to spread to the area surrounding Chicago.

Logan can no longer even show up openly on the streets of Chicago.

Whenever he appears, believers will appear from who-knows-where, their eyes shining with excitement and piety, trying to get close to him, touch him, and ask for blessings.

There were both men and women, and Logan strongly suspected they were trying to take advantage of him!
When did he get pushed to this point?!

Logan was about to lose it. Who on earth was this Niven? Are you deliberately messing with me?!
"Who is this Niven?"

In Chicago, another person was asking the same question.

Al Capone angrily slammed the Chicago Faith newspaper on the table. "I've seen the real God and been prophesied to be the chosen one, and I don't make a fuss. How dare Logan, a mere kid, act like an elephant with an onion in his nose and be called the 'son of God'?"

"It's time to call upon the true god to wake up the people of Chicago!"

……

(End of this chapter)