“It's just that – and I'm trying to get to the nub of things, here, so bear with me while I stumble around searching for a candle, because they all seem to be on the wrong side of the dresser nowadays – and, you know, I don't want to give the impression that I'm searching for places to pick holes, because I'm not. Far from it, even.”

[Pause for subject's response.]

“I agree, it's a beautiful story, so self-contained, and it's tempting; it's the sort of thing you want to be convinced of. A world made by a greater being, or, as you say (though I've heard it told both ways, don't get me wrong), a whole host of them, to fulfill a particular purpose, and that too a purpose greater than itself, so a purpose we can't conceive…

… it's almost convenient, to conclude that we can't possibly have all the answers about it yet, and we may as well not worry our pretty little heads about anything, and just sit back and watch and wait on things to end before the next stage begins. It's a relief, in times like these, to put it bluntly, to be told not to worry, the bigwig in the sky has it all handled. No one wants to think bad things are happening because we brought bad things about. Nor does anyone want to think bad things don't happen for a purpose, and if we can nod our heads and say, yep, there's a purpose, nobody panic, because we don't have to think too hard about it to know it's there, then all the better…”

[Pause.]

“W-well, I wouldn't say it's a stretch. From my perspective, it's calling a dabra a dabra. If I can be honest here, I want to ask you the same thing, reversed. I'd say, for example, the average Second-Stage Prepper is pushing it a bit far, riding tidal waves in 'preparation'… I mean, this isn't a play, or, or a children's game. This is real life, and I rather think calling earthquakes – I mean, 70,000 displaced. 70 thousand. I don't think it's a stretch to say those are bad things happening to real people. In fact, my question back to you is – isn't calling this sort of thing a 'challenge' just a tad bit more of a stretch than calling it a crisis nobody wants to have to live through, let alone use as training splits?”