Blasphemy: The Character Of Joshua In Auburn

Everyone is talking about him, the mystery man known as Joshua. Joshua, a quiet yet friendly man, lived on the outskirts of town in a small cabin. Though he only lived here in Auburn for a few months, he became close friends with some locals. For a couple of weeks, no one knew much about him. He had no family and no known job; curiosity and mystery surrounded him. Joshua simply did not care about what the people thought of him.
Charlie, the mailman, was the first to meet Joshua when Joshua invited him in for lunch. Charlie observed how friendly Joshua was, even saying it "caught him off guard". Joshua, a carpenter by trade, showed Charlie his carpentry workshop and encouraged him he could visit anytime and bring his friends. Joshua was known
around Auburn as a religious man. He knew many people and pastors from visiting each church in Auburn, some beloved him and others hated him. Joshua had created many friendships, Charlie and his friends would visit often and Aaron, Marcia, Father Pat were some of Joshua's close friends. Joshua met Father Pat through a get together with Charlie and his crew, they instantly became friends. Joshua met Aaron and Marcia through the synagogue in the city, Aaron became close friends to Joshua by driving him to the synagogue for service every Friday. Marcia, Joshua's "crush" , would stop by occasionally and have dinner with Joshua. During these dinners, they would have deep conversations about her work and religious matters. Joshua created a special relationship with Margaret and Hank and their kids. They were very poor and had very little for themselves yet gave generously. It was said that Joshua even healed their daughter when she was very sick but that's only a rumor.
Joshua undoubtedly left a lasting mark on our town, Auburn.
Before Joshua, Auburn had religious separation and cliques. Through Joshua's gift of friendliness and compassion to the people of Auburn, he was able to leave most people in the town enlightened. After learning that he was going to Rome indefinitely, his friends hosted him a going away party. His friends used this to show their thanks to him for all he had done. Though many people liked Joshua, some believed he was a threat. This group of mostly Catholics, question him and even told their children to stay away from him. They believe Joshua was preaching blasphemy because he threatened what they believed about how religion should be. These people went to great lengths to try to prove this “blasphemy”. They forced Joshua to go to Rome to see Cardinal Riccardo, so Joshua could be proven wrong. On his ship ride to Rome, he became good friends with a deck hand, Michael Szeneth, the Rabbi's son from the synagogue Joshua attended and the ship's captain, Captain Ponzelli, who was related to Cardinal Riccardo, though Joshua didn't realize this. The last to see Joshua before he disappeared were Cardinal Riccardo, Captain Ponzelli, and Michael. The only things Joshua left behind were his sandals, Marcia's medal, and two Roman
coins.
In Matthew 23:10 it says " Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah." This quote is what Joshua and Jesus believed about religion. Joshua and Jesus believed that religious officials have/ had too much power over their members in their congregation, restricting them with laws and punishments. Matthew 23 strikes down on hypocrites, exactly what Joshua and Jesus strived to get rid of in the local churches and temples.