Pride and Judgment

Once upon a time, a philosopher invented a machine that could measure the 'good deeds' of a man. He had designed it in a way that the machine would start filling with a liquid for every good deed. He wished to test it and took it all over the world. Great saints, do-gooders, and good men of all kind volunteered. They would jump inside the machine, look through a window, and start narrating their good deeds. But no matter how long the list was, the machine did not fill beyond an inch. As a matter of fact, most of these tests were witnessed by millions of people who cheered for their saints. But all in vain. The philosopher always laughed at them. When all good men were tried, the philosopher brought the most despised barbarian of all the lands, who was ready to be executed and pushed him inside the machine. Millions had gathered again to witness the event. The barbarian went inside and shut the window. For a while, nothing happened and then feeble sobs were heard. Lo! The Machine began to fill and overflow. He was filling it with tears of remorse. He was shedding tears for every brutal act of his, that he considered a sin. The philosopher took no time in declaring him the greatest among all men. The millions went mad at the philosopher and made him drink the barbarian's tears and killed him and fed him to dogs. All of a sudden, famine arrived in the land. People had no food and they began to eat everything they could lay hands on. Even the greatest saints turned cannibals. Almost everyone died except those who ate the dogs. In them 'Conscience' was born and the land turned prosperous again. The people then worshipped the dogs, the philosopher, and the barbarian as incarnations of god.

Centuries later, a little boy found the machine and jumped inside it. He shut the window and on the doors of the window was written the words “You will be judged not by your actions, but by your judgment". He opened the window and on the other side of the doors was written "Pride". The philosopher was still laughing.