I'm Going to Change the Attitude of This Town
After school, John talked with his friend, Randall. John said, "Man, I had an interesting dream last night." Randall asked, "What was it?" John said, "John Lennon came to me and told me that I could change the world. I told him that I would start 由 changing the mentality of this town." Randall looked confused. "What are 你 going to do?" He asked. John said, "I'm going to change the attitude of this town. I'm going to 显示 them that rock and roll isn't so bad. I'll also promote peace and love." Randall's eyes got big. "Are 你 crazy?!" He cried. "You're going to try to change the mentality of Devil's Garden, only to find a guy doesn't like to give messages to a town that doesn't like him!" John said, "As crazy as it sounds, I'm going to do it." Randall said, "John, 你 don't know what you're getting into. The town already hates you. Don't give them another reason." John decided to do it, anyway. That night, his family got ready to go to church. "John," his mother called, "are 你 ready to go?" John said, "I can't. I have a test to study for." She asked, "When is it?" He said, "Friday." She said, "Oh, okay." She left with his sisters, and John watched them leave from the window. He didn't like to lie, but he knew that he had to get out of church somehow. It was essential to his plan. He grabbed his 吉他 and drove downtown. He parked right in front of the church. He played on his 吉他 and sang a song about peace. It was during the sermon. Everyone in the church came out. Pastor Thomas said, "John, you're disrupting my sermon. What do 你 have to say for yourself?" John said, "I do feel guilty for lying to my mother, but I otherwise feel no shame." His mother said, "So, 你 lied to me! Just wait until I get through with you, mister!" Pastor Thomas said, "I'm talking to John, Mrs. Wilde." He then turned to John and said, "You lied to your mother, and you're playing that devil music. We cannot have this great sin on church grounds, this holy ground." John snorted with derision. Pastor Thomas said, "Don't make that noise. It's disrespectful." John said, "I'm sorry, Pastor Thomas. I just couldn't help but notice the irony of that statement." Pastor Thomas was angry. "IRONY?!" He shouted. John said, "You can't exactly say this place is holy 或者 without sin. No one here is without sin." Pastor Thomas said, "Everyone but 你 is without sin." John said, "That's not correct. Didn't 耶稣 say he without sin cast the first stone. Who among 你 is without sin? The answer is none." Pastor Thomas said, "But your sin is the worst." John said, "I don't think this is a contest, Pastor Thomas." Pastor Thomas said, "You listened to that devil music. Rock 音乐 came from the devil." John asked, "Haven't 你 heard of Christian rock?" Pastor Thomas said, "Christian rock is like Santa Claus. It doesn't exist." John said, "You judge rock, because 你 don't know it. If 你 actually got to know it, 你 would see that it isn't so bad." Pastor Thomas said, "Country 音乐 isn't so bad. Rock 音乐 is sinful." John said, "Most country songs are about fighting in a bar. Most rock songs are about world peace." Pastor Thomas said, "There's no such thing as world peace. It's a cliche that went away in the sixties." John said, "You think that, because 你 won't give it a chance." Pastor Thomas frowned. "Give peace a chance," he scoffed. "That's like telling black people that they're supposed to serve white people." This angered John, but he didn't lose it. "You just expressed hatred!" He cried. "To me, that's the worst sin anyone can commit. That's far worse than listening to any type of 音乐 that isn't considered Christian." Pastor Thomas shook with rage. He couldn't come up with an argument. He dismissed church. As John got ready to leave, his mother confronted him. "How could 你 do that?!" She cried. He said, "I'm sorry, Mother. I did what I had to." She said, "You didn't have to do that." He said, "I'm only trying to change the attitude of Devil's Garden. Their hearts are filled with hate. I only want peace." She said, "There'll be no peace until 耶稣 comes." John said, "There'll be no peace until we all come together and 爱情 one another." His mother said, "Don't argue with me, John." He said, "It seems that 你 have been brainwashed 由 Baptists." She hit him on the side of his face with her purse, causing a black eye. She left with his sisters, leaving John to drive 首页 alone. He went to 床, 床上 early that night, crying from the pain of his black eye. He cried himself to sleep, hoping for a better tomorrow.
After school, John talked with his friend, Randall. John said, "Man, I had an interesting dream last night." Randall asked, "What was it?" John said, "John Lennon came to me and told me that I could change the world. I told him that I would start 由 changing the mentality of this town." Randall looked confused. "What are 你 going to do?" He asked. John said, "I'm going to change the attitude of this town. I'm going to 显示 them that rock and roll isn't so bad. I'll also promote peace and love." Randall's eyes got big. "Are 你 crazy?!" He cried. "You're going to try to change the mentality of Devil's Garden, only to find a guy doesn't like to give messages to a town that doesn't like him!" John said, "As crazy as it sounds, I'm going to do it." Randall said, "John, 你 don't know what you're getting into. The town already hates you. Don't give them another reason." John decided to do it, anyway. That night, his family got ready to go to church. "John," his mother called, "are 你 ready to go?" John said, "I can't. I have a test to study for." She asked, "When is it?" He said, "Friday." She said, "Oh, okay." She left with his sisters, and John watched them leave from the window. He didn't like to lie, but he knew that he had to get out of church somehow. It was essential to his plan. He grabbed his 吉他 and drove downtown. He parked right in front of the church. He played on his 吉他 and sang a song about peace. It was during the sermon. Everyone in the church came out. Pastor Thomas said, "John, you're disrupting my sermon. What do 你 have to say for yourself?" John said, "I do feel guilty for lying to my mother, but I otherwise feel no shame." His mother said, "So, 你 lied to me! Just wait until I get through with you, mister!" Pastor Thomas said, "I'm talking to John, Mrs. Wilde." He then turned to John and said, "You lied to your mother, and you're playing that devil music. We cannot have this great sin on church grounds, this holy ground." John snorted with derision. Pastor Thomas said, "Don't make that noise. It's disrespectful." John said, "I'm sorry, Pastor Thomas. I just couldn't help but notice the irony of that statement." Pastor Thomas was angry. "IRONY?!" He shouted. John said, "You can't exactly say this place is holy 或者 without sin. No one here is without sin." Pastor Thomas said, "Everyone but 你 is without sin." John said, "That's not correct. Didn't 耶稣 say he without sin cast the first stone. Who among 你 is without sin? The answer is none." Pastor Thomas said, "But your sin is the worst." John said, "I don't think this is a contest, Pastor Thomas." Pastor Thomas said, "You listened to that devil music. Rock 音乐 came from the devil." John asked, "Haven't 你 heard of Christian rock?" Pastor Thomas said, "Christian rock is like Santa Claus. It doesn't exist." John said, "You judge rock, because 你 don't know it. If 你 actually got to know it, 你 would see that it isn't so bad." Pastor Thomas said, "Country 音乐 isn't so bad. Rock 音乐 is sinful." John said, "Most country songs are about fighting in a bar. Most rock songs are about world peace." Pastor Thomas said, "There's no such thing as world peace. It's a cliche that went away in the sixties." John said, "You think that, because 你 won't give it a chance." Pastor Thomas frowned. "Give peace a chance," he scoffed. "That's like telling black people that they're supposed to serve white people." This angered John, but he didn't lose it. "You just expressed hatred!" He cried. "To me, that's the worst sin anyone can commit. That's far worse than listening to any type of 音乐 that isn't considered Christian." Pastor Thomas shook with rage. He couldn't come up with an argument. He dismissed church. As John got ready to leave, his mother confronted him. "How could 你 do that?!" She cried. He said, "I'm sorry, Mother. I did what I had to." She said, "You didn't have to do that." He said, "I'm only trying to change the attitude of Devil's Garden. Their hearts are filled with hate. I only want peace." She said, "There'll be no peace until 耶稣 comes." John said, "There'll be no peace until we all come together and 爱情 one another." His mother said, "Don't argue with me, John." He said, "It seems that 你 have been brainwashed 由 Baptists." She hit him on the side of his face with her purse, causing a black eye. She left with his sisters, leaving John to drive 首页 alone. He went to 床, 床上 early that night, crying from the pain of his black eye. He cried himself to sleep, hoping for a better tomorrow.