Boswell, LaVenia by THE DAWNING (The Dawning Trilogy) Page B

DNA.”
           “Perhaps,” Jason responded, nodding his head at her.
           She’d been taken off guard by his admittance of this possibility.
           He stated after a moment, “Jen, if that were completely true then wouldn’t it also mean that great people are made with enhanced or souped up DNA?”
           “I’m not sure,” Jenny responded wondering if that would be the case where did she stand.
           “But if it’s DNA, Jen,” Jason argued, “where people are prone to do terrible acts, and tests might prove that to be a major factor as science increases, then would you say that bad people have no choice other than to be cruel and kill?  It’s completely out of their hands, they can’t help it?”
           He watched her reactions carefully.  She was considering all that he’d said.  When she didn’t respond he added, “Maybe we should test everyone and put the ones with the mutated DNA in prisons to protect the rest?”
           “No,” Jennifer admitted with urgency, “That wouldn’t be right.”
           “Why not?” he asked, with a half smile that irritated her.
           “Well, some people may be able to resist the propensity to give in to their Id.   They might manage to live decent lives and not do harm,” Jennifer posed.
           Stirring the coffee in his cup with a spoon Jason suggested, “So we understand that people make choices?  We have the ability to choose our actions, you agree?”
           “Sure.”
           “What do you think causes a person to choose good over evil?  Especially in a situation where choosing the evil would be the easiest route?” Jason asked her.
           “Just wanting to be a decent person, I imagine,” Jenny answered.  Jeeze, that was a silly question.
           “So, there is a component in us that is beyond DNA.  We have choice,” he stated.  “Jenny, that component is what I, as a believer in God, call spirit.  Our spirits help us tamper the desires of our fleshly wants.  However, no one can see our spirit.  They can see the results of the actions of our spirits but not the spirit itself.  Some folks might call it our souls.  But I feel our souls are the container, if you will, for our spirits.  I feel convinced we are all body, soul and spirit and our souls are forever.
           Jennifer wiggled a bit and began to fidget with her napkin. So far he had not surprised her, but the spirit and soul thing, she found rather irritating.  “Go on,” she encouraged, because he hadn’t answered all her questions yet.
           “You’re a smart lady.  Do you believe there may be different dimensions in our universe?” he asked with a smile, because he knew she did, rather she used to think so.  As kids they discussed that idea several times.  She wrote short stories using the idea of different dimensions.
           “Maybe,” she hedged just to throw him off, wondering where he was going with this
           Jason put his fork down, leaned forward and with eagerness on his face said, “Let’s suppose there are at least a few dimensions.”  Wiping his mouth with his napkin he proceeded, “First we have the physical realm that we are all aware of, because we can touch it.  But even here we have realms within realms.  For instance, there are sound waves all in the air, yet we can’t see them or touch them, but they are there.  Satellites send signals all the time but we can’t actually view them in the air with our eyes without a special device.”  He paused and waited for Jennifer to react.
           When she nodded he continued, “A person’s soul is filled with the choices they make in the spirit.  Good or bad.  You’ve heard the terms, ‘oh, they have a good soul’ or ‘she has a spirit of kindness’?”
           “I think that just refers to their nature,” Jennifer interjected.  “But, you haven’t