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Little Sally and Her Beautiful Rose, An allegory in defense of woman and her special beauty.
Their was once a poor little girl named Sally, who had a special love for roses. She liked to watch roses as they grew, and to admire them in all stages of their lives. Sally thought young and miniature roses were especially cute. Yet her father sometimes told his little Sally that he thought she was even more cute than a miniature rose, which made her giggle. It then happened that on Sally's seventh birthday, while she was happily scampering through the woods, she discovered an extra ordinarily beautiful rose. This rose had a deep shade of purple mingled with some other colors and shades that made it quite unique. Further the rose happened to be right in front of an unusual rock that largely looked like a number seven. Sally was amazed at the rock that showed her age, as well as amazed at the beauty of the rose, and it almost seemed it was God's birthday gift to her. She then carefully picked the rose and took it home and placed it in a beautiful vase. She loved the beautiful rose very much and took very good care of it. Sally even gave it a personal name calling it "beauty queen". When winter came along Sally then carefully dried her special rose to try to preserve it's splendid beauty. Yet as her rose "beauty queen" was dried and winter came on, it faded and lost significant beauty. Yet Sally remembered how beautiful her special rose once was, and still loved her faded "beauty queen" very much. Sally had numerous special memories involving this rose and it had become quite sentimental to her. dH-1
Sally had a friend who lived right across the street, and that winter it happened Sally's friend got several very beautiful roses for Christmas. Sally soon was invited over to see and admire them. Sally in seeing her friend's fresh and beautiful roses, was vividly reminded how beautiful her special rose "beauty queen" also once was. Yet she thought her rose "beauty queen" when she first picked it, was even more beautiful than her friend's roses. Yet it seemed seeing her friend's roses at their best state, and again seeing what roses can be at their best, increased Sally's respect and appreciation for roses, and even for her now faded yet special "beauty queen". dH-2
Yet one day a stern looking man with a long black coat sternly told Sally she should never look at or admire any roses which were not her very own, because she could not do that without coveting and lusting after them. The stern man with the long black coat was from a religious society which largely believed that the beauty of God's most special roses was evil, and which seemed to believe that these roses could not even be seen without them being lusted after. Thus in the Moslem part of this man's society many of their female roses were so veiled they basically could not even be seen, while in other parts of his society their female roses had their beautiful petals and leaves pulled back and tightly bundled together and covered with a little cap of some kind to prevent their special beauty. Although little Sally was quite shocked and frightened in hearing what the stern man with the long black coat said, she had a wise and understanding father who then comforted her saying that the stern man was very wrong, and she very much could admire her friend's beautiful roses without lusting after or coveting them. Sally's father very much knew how much his Sally appreciated the beauty of roses, and very much knew that the beauty of roses was a special creation and gift of God. dH-3
Although Sally's father knew their obviously was a big difference between female roses and Sally's kind of rose, he yet did not believe the beauty of one was good and the beauty of the other evil. Nor did he believe female roses needed to be veiled and obscured as the stern man taught, to prevent them from being lusted after. Sally's father knew that because the beauty of female roses was so very special, excessive efforts and expense could very easily arise regarding beautifying such roses, and for which cause two wise ancient teachers called Peter and Paul rebuked excessive efforts and expense regarding decorating these roses. Yet Sally's father well knew Peter and Paul did not mean the beauty of these special roses was evil while other forms of beauty oppositely were good. Sally's father realized that Peter and Paul simply were advocating that Christians should firstly focus on their female roses being beautiful in character, and such roses creating a loving and peaceful atmosphere in their household, rather then just trying to be beautiful roses for people's eyes to see. Sally's father also well knew that when female roses have beautiful attitudes within, that it very much even enhances their outward appearance. He well knew his little Sally's smiles and expressions of kindness and admiration enhanced her appearance much more than expensive clothes or jewelry could ever do. Sally's father could easily understand why the wise teachers Peter and Paul rebuked excessive and expensive adornment, and encouraged female roses to really focus on being beautiful in their character. Yet he was very saddened how that many people misunderstood their teachings, insomuch that they intentionally hindered the beauty of these special roses, while yet putting forth great efforts and expense to make their houses and furniture very beautiful, as if the special beauty of their roses was evil while other beauties were very good. Sally's father also well knew, certain hair styles and clothes, which were not expensive or excessive, still made his little Sally especially cute. dH-4
Sally's father then in speaking about beautiful roses as in Jewish history said that when King David, a man after God's own heart was old and sick, the Israelites sought throughout the whole land of Israel for the most beautiful fresh rose to bring to David to help warm his heart and make him well again, and even though he already had many nice roses to enjoy (1 King 1:1-4). Sally's father further said that this David, when King Saul died, told the women to weep for Saul who clothed them in scarlet and other delights, and who put ornaments of gold upon their apparel (2 Sam 1:24). He said that obviously these people made their roses very beautiful even in public, and these nice roses were to weep for the one who had provided so they could be such decorated roses. Further Sally's father said this David had a son called Solomon, who was very famous for his wisdom and who wrote a special book about how special roses are and their beauty is, and which book is even included in our Holy Bibles. He said this Solomon in chapters 6&7 of his book wrote about a garden of beautiful roses having 60 special queens, 80 concubines, and fresh roses without number, and vividly described all the beautiful features of one especially beautiful rose, which rose appeared was not veiled in any way. He said this must have been quite a show of roses, and which some Bible translations say pertained to a special dance. dH-5
Yet Sally's father said that many people today because of the ascetic teachings of the stern man with the long black coat, think the special beauty of roses is largely evil, and is something that should be hindered rather than enhanced and appreciated. He said, because of this man's faulty teaching much of our whole world is greatly confused about, or even ashamed and disdaining about the beauty of roses, and cannot seem to change. He said, this is terribly sad, for both roses and those who appreciate roses. He said the stern man already in the days of the famous teacher Paul, was cruelly demanding many poor Greek roses to be veiled insomuch that they could hardly see or be seen. Sally's father further was quite convinced that this Paul in 1 Cor 11:1-16 was saying that roses very much should be covered with long leaves and petals, and which are a natural glory to roses, and to be covered with such instead of the obscuring veil which the stern man required many Greek roses to be covered with (1 Cor 11:13-15). Sally's father said various Bible translations even read "her long hair is given her instead of a veil" which translations according to the original Greek quite obviously are correct. He said that Paul in the Greek Bible taught that roses are the glory of man and made especially for man, and therefore roses should have liberty on their heads because of or with the Angels up in glory (1 Cor 11:8-10). He said this Paul advocated liberty in Christ, taught that woman's long hair is a glory to her, said that Christ took away the veil, and said that Christian roses should come before God with an unveiled face (1 Cor 11:15, 2 Cor 3:16-18). Sometimes Sally's father thought his little Sally looked almost as beautiful as a little Angel, with her beautiful longer hair hanging freely and gloriously, and was very glad his little Sally could have freedom on her head with the Angels, rather than be bound to the stern man's laws which made some Greek and Moslem roses almost look like a gloomy bag of beans. dH-6
Although little Sally especially liked roses, she yet appreciated all varieties of flowers. Sally liked looking through garden catalogs to see the many kinds of flowers in them, and often thought that the God who made the whole big world must be very interested in beauty, as He designed so many different kinds of beautiful flowers. Sometimes Sally's father took his Sally to a special flower garden about ten miles away, and Sally in seeing the marvelous flowers often was deeply impressed that flowers are a very special creation of God, and would even be motivated to additionally treasure her special yet faded rose "beauty queen", which she had become so attached to and so sentimental about. Sally in admiring the flower gardens sometimes would think about how King David, the man after God's own heart, unlike her even had many of his very own roses to admire and enjoy. Yet she was very thankful for and content with the things God had granted her in His big world. Yet as she was leaving the garden she was sternly reminded by the stern man, that she in admiring flower gardens having flowers that were not her own, was coveting and lusting after them. Yet Sally well knew that was not true. The thought then suddenly came to Sally that if she actually would never be allowed to admire roses that were not her very own, as the stern man had said, she likely would be less satisfied with only having her faded yet beloved rose "beauty queen", and thus would be tempted in a new way to covet and to be jealous of her friend's fresh roses, as she knew she sometimes very much liked admiring roses at their best. dH-7
One day Sally asked her father if she was strange because she appreciated the beauty of roses so much. He then told her that she was not strange at all, and said that a very good book called the Apocrypha even says that the beauty of roses cheereth the countenance, and a man loveth nothing better (Ecc of Sir 36:22). Sally's father even thought this special book should be a part of his Bible, as for many many years it was in the Bible. Her father even wondered if one reason that book wasn't in his Bible any longer was because the stern man with the long black coat had had much influence in the world, and did not like numerous things this book said, such as it in speaking of both music and wine said, "...hinder not music. ...A concert of music in a banquet of wine is as a signet of carbuncle set in gold. (Sirach 32:3-5). And further speaking of wine said, "Wine is as good as life to a man, if it be drunk moderately: what life is then to a man that is without wine? for it was made to make men glad." (Sirach 31:7). These verses helped Sally's father understand why Jesus Christ moderately drank wine, and further even said the old was better. Yet the stern man with the long black coat, because of his self chosen righteousness, which seemed so good and important to him, even had the nerve to call Jesus Christ a sinner! Sally's father also was quite sure that because of the stern man's great influence in the world, several Scriptures in his Bible, after being translated from the Hebrew and Greek, now too much carried his wrong emphasis about roses. dH-8
As Sally's father thought about the ways of the stern man with the black coat, and about the beauty of roses, he thought about how a God fearing and beautiful rose called Esther, had become queen in the place of another beautiful rose, simply because the first rose called Vashti had refused to come forth to publicly show her special beauty to the King's guests, and the King wanted a more obedient and better rose than that. He also thought about how some histories say that the beautiful rose Vashti, was not to be veiled in any way when she came forth to show her beauty to the King's guests. He further thought about how this queen Esther had spent a whole year in special efforts to become a most beautiful rose for the King. Sally's father believed the famous teachers Peter and Paul would now rebuke such excessive efforts in beautifying roses, yet he knew that still did not mean the beauty of roses was evil or something that must be hindered or obscured as the stern man with the long black coat advocated. dH-10
About six months after Sally had found and dried her special rose "beauty queen", it happened she was given a doll for Christmas. Her parents although wise were quite poor and this doll was not new and was quite worn when Sally first got it, and further a small part of it's nose was missing which was quite noticeable. Yet the doll was new to Sally, and further was her first and only doll, and she appreciated her doll very much. She thus took great care of it, and gave it the nicest name she could think of which was "Cinderella". Her worn and somewhat discolored doll soon largely became like a personal friend to Sally, and she almost took it everywhere she went. Before long Sally had become quite attached to and sentimental about Cinderella, and had many special memories relating to her doll. Sometimes Sally even kept her special doll in the original box that it was packaged in to protect it. Sally well knew that her "Cinderella" although quite worn and with part of her nose missing, once was a very very beautiful doll, because their was a picture on the box that showed exactly how her doll looked when it was new. Sally sometimes liked to look at that beautiful picture and imagine her beloved Cinderella was still beautiful like that, or even to imagine Cinderella was as beautiful as her friend's special new doll and to love Cinderella as such. She especially liked to contemplate or imagine Cinderella's nose being perfect and whole like it was in the picture, as she played with Cinderella. Yet one day Sally was told by the stern man with the long black coat, that she in remembering the best beauty of her doll or the beauty of her friends new doll, and contributing that beauty to Cinderella while playing with her, was wickedly lusting after and coveting her friend's new doll. Yet Sally was convinced that was not true. Sally knew she had no intent of any kind to try to get her friend's doll, but was only remembering and contemplating how nice and beautiful doll babies can be and loving her special "Cinderella" as such. As Sally then watched the stern man with the long black coat get in his car to leave, she wondered what he really thought about God giving so many nice and real dolls to the famous King who was a man after God's own heart. Sally had also often heard her father say how God so kindly contributes the perfection of His Son Jesus to us imperfect humans, and wondered why the stern man thought she should not remember and visualize perfection and contribute it to her beloved Cinderella. dH-11
Sally's father in hearing that the stern man with the long black coat was again trying to trouble his little Sally, told her that the ancient missionary Paul said "to the pure all things are pure", and she very much could admire her friend's beautiful roses or doll and remember their special beauty without coveting or lusting after them. He said, "all things are pure to the pure because the pure person simply will use and deal with all things kindly and justly". Yet he said, "unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, because they will deal unjustly and selfishly with everything, as even their mind and conscience is defiled!". He said the impure one, will even try to wickedly steal their neighbor's rose or doll or damage them because of jealousy, which is very very wicked. He said no amount of laws will make the impure pure. dH-12
Sally's father knew that although seeing female roses obviously could cause the impure one to wickedly lust after and covet a certain beautiful rose, that yet the pure one by no means needs to do so, but rather by realizing and contemplating the special beauty God has given to roses at their best state, can be inspired to more highly esteem God's wondrous creation of roses and the very rose God gave him, even if significantly faded. Yet he said, it is sad that the stern man with the long black coat must think roses cannot even be seen without being lusted after, and thus many roses in the Moslem part of his society are so completely covered in public, that they largely appear like a gloomy bag of beans. He said, in the days of King David and Solomon and Queen Esther, roses never were made to look like a mere bag of beans but rather their young and fresh roses were beautifully adorned and even danced and were very beautiful for everyone's eyes to see. He then said, although a man very much must turn away his eyes rather than to wickedly lust after a certain beautiful rose, and then be tempted to steal it, that does not mean roses must be made to look like mere bags of beans so no one can see their beauty. He said, to appreciate seeing the wondrous beauty God has given to roses at their best, and to thank God for making them so beautiful, or to wickedly lust after a certain beautiful rose is very different. dH-13
Sally's father then thought about how the best beauty of roses, such as Esther carefully prepared and Solomon vividly described, like a glowing fire in a fireplace can warm a man's heart towards God's special creation of roses and his very own rose. Sally's father then also thought about how many houses in the stern man's society were very cold and dark and gloomy because fire was believed to only destroy and be very evil. Sally then earnestly asked her father if he did not think that it was very sad that the special beauty of roses, like Queen Esther carefully prepared for a whole year and Solomon graphically described, and which God intended should greatly bless mankind, now instead of blessing as God intended often is merely a pain and temptation to men, because many dare not enjoy or even imagine such excellent beauty, but rather must fight against it, and even though realizing it could often make them to more highly esteem God's creation of roses, and to more ardently love their own rose even if faded. Sally's father then with tears said such is very sad, and told Sally that the stern man's teachings had oppressed and caused humanity great difficulty in many ways. dH-14
Sally's father then concerning the special beauty of roses said that the true God of heaven in old times honored men's appreciation for this beauty so much, He even allowed soldiers who seen an especially beautiful rose among the captives of war to take her as an additional rose (Deu 21:10-15), and likely to the lessening of his present rose. Sally's father further said he did not believe that the true God, who granted such a broad liberty in old times, and who then gave many other related liberties, would now turn around and declare that concerning the husband whose rose got sick and had to have some special petals removed, that he must now be totally deprived of ever again seeing or visualizing the special beauty of roses which he had before so much appreciated, and which realization of beauty even from mere photos could readily inspire him to love his damaged rose, more rather than less. Sally's father then in pondering this, and the beauty of roses, was made to think about many things. He thought about how the good King David told the women to weep for the one who provided that they could be such decorated roses, he thought about how roses beautifully and freely danced in old times in Israel, he thought about the very special display of roses, and likely exposing dance that King Solomon wrote about, he thought about how this Solomon spoke of a special rose having petals like towers, he thought about how the special book called the Apocrypha says that the beauty of roses cheereth the countenance and a man loveth nothing better, he thought about how the good and beautiful rose Esther replaced a rose who had refused to come forth to publicly show her beauty to the king's guests, and last of all he thought about Prophet Isaiah's public three year nudity as well as other issues which reveal nudity was not thought so incredible in old times (Isa 20:2-3, 1 Samuel 19:24, Micah 1:8, Isaiah 32:11, John 21:7). Considering all those things Sally's father wondered why the stern man yet so vigorously advocated that a husband as this, should now be totally deprived of ever again seeing the beauty of roses without damage or blemish. Sally's father then also thought about how the act of taking a beautiful rose from the enemy captives, as an additional rose, would tend to make the present rose to be loved less, while on the other hand the act of just discreetly viewing and realizing the beauty of roses at their best, very much could make the husband of a damaged rose to love his present and damaged rose more. As Sally's father then shared some of his thoughts with Sally, she was very reminded of how she appreciated the picture on Cinderella's doll box, which showed how her Cinderella was when new, and of how she sometimes liked to visualize the best beauty of dolls and contribute it to her quite imperfect Cinderella while playing with her. Sally also well knew that the special picture on Cinderella's box often made her respect and love Cinderella more. Yet Sally was made to cringe as she remembered the stern man's sharp rebukes. dH-15
Sally's father then in speaking of the stern man's ways and laws told Sally that one of his bad laws even significantly disallowed marriage, which evil law the famous teacher Paul, classified with the doctrines of devils. He further said, this man's laws also basically disallowed the wondrous bonding and blessing God intended within marriage, saying such is only permissible and suitable for reproductive business and a disgrace, and thus he significantly made marriage a place of temptation and difficulty instead of the place of blessing and freedom God intended. Sally's father thought this evil restriction within marriage, likely was even worse than forbidding marriage, and even that, the famous teacher Paul had classified as the doctrines of devils. Sally's father said these oppressive laws about marriage and love were very connected to the stern man's oppressive veiling laws, and which had made some roses to be so veiled they could only see with one eye, as well as largely look like a gloomy bag of beans! Sally's father said this man's evil laws had caused humanity tremendous pain and difficulty. He told Sally that this man and those influenced by him and who are even called early church fathers wrote many very wrong things about marriage and roses, while one of them called Justin Martyr went as far as to even write that "our Lord Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, for no other reason than that He might destroy the begetting by lawless desire". Sally's father said that was absurd, because Jesus was born of a virgin simply because He was the Son of God and as a special witness of such, and not born of a virgin to destroy and rebuke love and intimacy in marriage! Sally's father said numerous of their erroneous writings are given at www.TeachMeGod.com/home169.htm.. Sally's father further said that www.BiblicalSexuality.com has numerous articles which extensively consider and clarify many of the things he had been talking about all along. Sally's father then told Sally that God had made roses very beautiful and to be admired and enjoyed, and told Sally not to let the stern man with the long black coat bother her any longer. Yet he told her, you yet must be discrete and balanced in dealing with everything, and never do anything excessive or unkind in dealing with roses or dolls or anything. dH-17
That night little Sally very happily went to bed knowing she had a good God which was not out to pain her but to bless her. She then prayed that God would unveil to humanity the terrible lies of the stern man with the long black coat, and then fell fast asleep with her special rose "beauty queen" on the dresser close by her bed, and her special doll "Cinderella" right by her side in the bed, and knowing that although they were not as beautiful as at one time, they yet were her very own special treasures and which held greater meaning and value to her than only beauty, and which beauty she could see in many places anyway. As Sally's father and mother, then through the partly open door seen their little Sally fast asleep, they breathed a prayer that their little Sally could follow the good and protective laws of the true Jesus, who came that we might have life and have it more abundantly, and whose laws make up the perfect law of liberty, and prayed she would be spared from the laws of the thief which steal and kill, and after a special time of sharing together and praying that God would help them to be balanced in all things, they too fell fast asleep. dH-17
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