set up

If the common people are constantly afraid of death,
why intimidate with killing?
If the people were constantly afraid of death,
and I were able to arrest and put to death those who innovate,
then who would dare?
If the people are constantly afraid of death,
then there will constantly be an executioner.
Now to kill on behalf of the executioner
is what is described as chopping wood
on behalf of the master carpenter.
Now of those who chop wood on behalf of the master carpenter,
few will escape hurting their own hands instead.
-- D. C. Lau, Chapter 74, Tao Te Ching

Lao Tzu, Jesus, and I were at the Internet Cafe.

Jesus sat with open and calm awareness.

Lao Tzu was staring into his coffee cup as if the future of humankind was written there.

I was surfing the web for the morning news.

"Listen to this," I said. "A man in Australia, on the hot summer day yesterday, waded into a shallow small pond. A large crocodile had also taken refuge there. The crocodile grabbed him and ate him. His friends said since boyhood he had been continuously fearful and wary of being eaten by a crocodile."

Jesus's eyes were sad.

"He was devoured by his worst fear," said Lao Tzu.

"As we always are," said Jesus.