In William Jacob’s 1902 short story, The Monkey’s Paw, former Army officer Sgt Major Morris gives a mummified monkey’s paw he had brought back from India to his old friend Mr White.
Morris tells White that an old Sufi holy man had placed a spell on the paw, so that it would grant three wishes to anyone who held the paw. Awful consequences, however, would also accompany the wishes as punishment for tampering with fate.
Throughout India, the belief that ‘Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened’ is very strong. It is unwise, they say, to interfere with your destiny.
This belief was also evident in the biblical story of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah was a righteous king and was much loved by God. But when Hezekiah was told by the prophet Isaiah that he was going to die, he pleaded with Isaiah to ask God to spare him.
God granted Hezekiah his wish and he lived for another 15 years.
During those 15 years, however, Hezekiah had a son – Manasseh.
After Hezekiah died, Manasseh became king and was the most evil king ever to rule over Israel, worshipping idols and shedding much innocent blood. Manasseh’s wickedness eventually led to the destruction of the nation.
Manasseh, of course, would never have been born had Hezekiah accepted God’s will for his life. His tampering with fate led to much suffering.
But back to the monkey’s paw story.
Mr White grasped the paw, and his first wish was for two hundred pounds to pay off the mortgage on his house.
The following day, there was a knock on the door and standing on the doorstep were two men from the factory where Mr White’s son Herbert worked. They had arrived to tell Mr White that their son had been killed in a machine accident. The men said that the accident was not the company’s fault, but as a gesture of goodwill, the company would like to give Mr White a sum of money.
When asked how much the sum was, the men replied, “two hundred pounds”.
Be careful what you wish for.
Which takes us to strange new alliances, such as ‘Queers for Palestine’ – two groups which one would have thought would have nothing in common – uniting in their hatred of all things Jewish or Christian.
And the new Green Alliance forged between The Greens and radical Islamists.
‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend’ indeed.
Former Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe, for example, was first out of the blocks wearing her green Hamas headband in solidarity. Likewise, Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is happy to show her support for the Palestinian cause.
There are 22 Arab-speaking countries in the Middle East and 50 Muslim-majority countries around the world. None of them are prepared to take Palestinian refugees.
But Australia will. Which begs the question: what do these Arab countries know that the Greens and Anthony Albanese don’t?
Free speech, freedom of association, Western civilization and, yes, even democracy – the new Green Alliance sets out to dismantle all that our Judeo-Christian heritage holds dear.
This Greens’ pitch for votes then compels Labor to respond by promoting its own anti-Israel/pro-Palestinian credentials to shore up those of its seats which have high Muslim populations.
By teaming up with Hamas sympathizers to win votes, the Greens have grasped the monkey’s paw with both hands.
Should their wish ever be granted, then like Mr White, they will pay a heavy price.
As we know from history, the first ones the revolutionaries eliminate once they achieve power are those who helped them.
The Greens, having sown the wind, will reap the whirlwind.
Thank you for your support.