Чужак в чужой стране

           "Let’ssayit’snotareligion.Itisachurch,ineverylegalandmoralsenses–andIsupposeourNestisamonastery.Butwe’renottryingtobringpeopletoGod;that’sacontradictioninterms,youcan’tevensayitinMartian.We’renottryingtosavesouls,becausesoulscan’tbelost.We’renottryingtogetpeopletohavefaith,becausewhatweofferisnotfaithbuttruth–truththeycancheck;wedon’turgethemtobelieveit.Truthforpracticalpurposes,forhere-and-now,truthasmatteroffactasanironingboardandasusefulasaloafofbread?sopracticalthatitcanmakewarandhungerandviolenceandhateasunnecessaryas?as–well,asclotheshereintheNest.ButtheyhavetolearnMartianfirst.That’stheonlyhitch-findingpeoplewhoarehonestenoughtobelievewhattheysee,andthenarewillingtodothehardwork–itishardwork–oflearningthelanguageitcanbetaughtin.Acomposercouldn’tpossiblywritedownasymphonyinEnglish?andthissortofsymphonycan’tbestatedinEnglishanymorethanBeethoven’sFifthcanbe."Shesmiled."ButMikeneverhurries.Dayafterdayhescreenshundredsofpeoplefindsafewdozen?andoutofthoseaveryfewtrickleintotheNestandhetrainsthemfurther.AndsomedayMikewillhavesomeofussothoroughlytrainedthatwecangooutandstartothernests,andthenitcanbegintosnowball.Butthere’snohurry.Noneofus,evenusintheNest,arereallytrained.