February 3rd, 1987

Dear Jessica,

In my last letter I promised to tell you what I have decided to do instead of playing Wizards of America. First, I decided to stop believing in all the wizards of America. I don't believe in the United States of America, that's the biggest Wizard of all in our country. I don't believe in the State of Alaska or any of the other Great Wizards of America. These wizards are always invisible because they are make-believe. Don't forget, no one can force you to play a game you know is bad or to believe in wizards.

When Simon Says is over, no one pretends to believe in Simon any more. I don't believe in Simon or wizards either, like congressmen, presidents, judges, policemen and all the rest. You can see these smaller wizards, but outside the game they are only common men and humbugs, like the Wizard of Oz. They hide behind screens, too, and speak in solemn voices to trick as many as they can.

Part of the screen is in the funny clothes they wear. Policemen dress up like Smokey the Bear. Judges wear long black robes that look like dresses. They sit up high behind big wooden desks. But most of the screen is put in your mind by your teacher and other grown-ups. If you don't let them put the screen in your mind you'll always be able to see that wizards are really humbugs.

It took me a long time to remove the screens from my mind. My teachers worked very hard putting them in there. But now I've knocked them all over just like Dorothy's little dog Toto did in the Wizard of Oz. It is good to see that all the wizards are really just humbugs.

Now all the Great Wizards of all the countries are gone for me. Now when I look at America all I see is green and beautiful country filled with jewels and precious metals and all the good things to make people happy. And I see many good people and many humbugs, but no wizards at all.

I should tell you about another trick that grown-ups play on children to make them want to play Wizards of America. Children are told that if they don't play make believe when they grow up then there will be chaos and anarchy. They say many will be hurt or killed. Children are told that to scare them. When they grow up they believe it is true without really thinking about it. But it is a lie. It is such a silly lie we should laugh about it! But it is a very sad lie, too, because really it is playing wizards that hurts people. In another letter I'll tell you the story of the time everyone stopped playing wizards for several years right here in America and how everything was just fine.

So I have quit playing United States of America. I'm not afraid to stop pretending there are wizards who can protect us. Now I have stopped believing that Great Wizards rule the countries of the world. Now I believe in the Kingdom of God.

It really is true that God rules the world. The men who wrote the Bible thought so, too. If you ask grown-ups who have read the Bible, Is God the ruler of the whole world, many of them will say, Yes, He is. They will tell you God rules the world and we must do as He says. But then they will lie to you. They will tell you God wants us to play Wizards of America. They pretend God wants us to be ruled by humbugs. That is not true. God wants to rule us Himself directly without any wizards at all.

Ask your Dad to read you the story of when the old country of Israel wanted to be ruled by a wizard and a humbug. God had ruled them for hundreds of years, but they thought it would be more fun to play make-believe. God said He would pick a humbug to rule them. God said it would be a bad thing and it was. Israel's humbug wizard was called a king. His name was Saul. Today's children paly Simon Says, but the Israelites played Saul Says. You can find that story in First Samuel, Chapter 8.

On the spectrum of government find where the Israelites started, then where they ended up with Saul. This is something new for you. Ask your Mom and Dad to help you. We'll be doing this for other people, too!

Grown-ups pretend wizards rule them. Like the State of Alaska and the United States. They believe in them even though they know other men made them up. If grown-ups can believe such a lie, then they can believe the truth that God rules them. The reason that it is hard for grown-ups to believe that God rules the world is simple. If God rules the world then grown-ups can't play wizards. Grown-ups love to play wizards more than they love God, of they are afraid and it's easier to go along than speak up.

So the first rule is to love God more than anything else. The second rule is like the first one. Love other people as much as we love ourselves. This is what people call The Golden Rule. It means you should always do to other people what you would like them to do to you. It takes lots of practice to do this every time. It works like this. If you want your sister to share her toys with you, you must share your toys with her. In the Bible this second rule is, also, An eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth. No one wants a tooth knocked out! So be very careful not to knock out someone else's tooth. Be very careful not to hurt anyone. Be as nice as you can to everyone, even if they aren't nice to you.

As long as you live at home you must obey your parents. As you grow older you will notice inside you a strong desire to find something to take the place of your Mom and Dad. The best thing to take that place is God. But grown-ups want to trick you into using that desire to let the wizards they made up to rule you. Humbugs want to take the place of God in your heart and mind. They think that because God is invisible and wizards are invisible that you will never know the difference. They are wrong. I know the difference and now you do too!

I know the second rule is in your hear and mind because one day when I was staying with you I overheard you and Halley talking. The two of you were playing and you hurt Halley's arm. Halley made a scrunched-up face and held her arm. Then she said, How would you like me to do that to you? The Golden Rule is the same: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Little children know it without being told because it is put in their hearts and minds by God.

These two rules of God are called Commandments or laws of God. Your Dad can read them to you from Matthew 22:37-40. There are ten commandments you should know about. Maybe your Dad will teach them to you. I think grown-ups and children should all stop believing that wizards rule them and let God rule them. In my next letter I'll tell you a true story about a little girl who knew what I'm telling you over a hundred years ago. 'Bye for now!