The Religious Bastard

The Religious Bastard They say "Once upon a time," but those words are too soft for stories like this. His name was Daniel. He loved the church more than anything in the world. The Word was his anchor, his refuge. Every morning, he would walk through the narrow streets with his old Bible tucked under his arm, blessing strangers, preaching salvation, feeding the poor when he had just enough for himself. But the world didn’t love him back. He was called "bastard" by the town—born of a mother who never named his father. The whispers followed him like shadows. "Preach to your mother first!" "Find your father in heaven before you find him on earth!" He heard it all. And usually, he bore it in silence, whispering forgiveness under his breath as he turned the other cheek. But today was different.Daniel had just received word that one of the pastors he looked up to Pastor Amos had passed away in the night. The man had mentored him, believed in him when others spat in his direction. And now he was gone, just like that. No farewell. No final prayer. Just silence. Still, Daniel wiped his tears, picked up his Bible, and set out to preach. He reached the fourth house of the day when a voice pierced the air. “Hypocrite!” It was Mama Ada. Loud. Unfiltered. Known for her tongue and her cruelty. Daniel paused but kept walking toward the door. “I said hypocrite!”* she yelled again. “Your mother was a p********e! Your wife will be a p********e! And so will your daughter if any fool is mad enough to give you a family!” He stopped in his tracks. For a long moment, he said nothing. He turned slowly and looked at her. “Peace be unto those who cause trouble,”he said calmly, though something trembled in his voice. She laughed, loud and bitter. “Peace? Who do you think you are? A holy man? You’re just a bastard with a Bible!” And something broke in him. Something fragile that had been holding on all these years.Daniel stepped forward, shaking. His eyes burned not with hatred, but with deep, bone-aching grief and exhaustion. He bent down, picked up a stone from the dusty ground, and stared at it for a second too long. Silence fell between them. Daniel looked at Mama Ada, now frozen mid-laugh. He took a breath, took two steps towards her and bashed her head with the stone 7 times. When he was sure she was dead he picked up his Bible turned and walked to the door of the house and knocked. A young girl answered. Daniel, standing in front of the door with bloody clothes and his Bible under his arm, gave her a rusty smile and asked gently “Have you heard the good news?