Friday, March 19, 2010

Contradiction

"They are all correct."

"How could they ALL be correct? They contradict each-other. You can't have Heaven and Valhalla be the afterlife. If Heaven exists then that means that Valhalla doesn't. And vice-versa."

"Think of it as parallel universes."

"But doesn't the idea of a God transcend multiple universes? Isn't God the god of all universes?"

"Yes."

"And so is Zeus?"

"Yes. Infinite, parallel parallel universes."

"Which universe is Earth in?"

"Earth is Earth. The afterlife is different. It is when you change over."

"So if I'm from Earth, which one do I go to?"

"It depends on what you believe. You determine where you go, when you cross over."

"So if I believe in Judeo-Christian Heaven?"

"Then you go there."

"But what if I believe in that, but don't think I lived well enough?"

"Then you go to Hell."

"Does that mean there isn't a God?"

"All of the gods are. You go to the one you believe in."

"What if I believe in reincarnation?"

"Then you will be reincarnated."

"On Earth?"

"On an Earth, yes."

"What about the atheists?"

"They cease to be."

"That doesn't seem fair. They die?"

"It is what they believe happens. It is what they cause to happen."

"So if you don't have faith in something, you die?"

"Faith is not a belief in what might happen. It is what happens. It causes it to happen. If you believe death is the end of your existence, then it is so."

"So where would I go?"

"What do you believe?"

"I don't know, really. I believe... or maybe I hope something happens. I always had a hard time believing one church was right and that the others were wrong. Or that any of them were right. I guess I figured I would find out when it happened. I hope I will have a chance to figure it all out afterward."

"That is how you ended up here."

5 comments:

Jan said...

That's actually pretty close to my own belief structure, except mine doesn't involve thoughtful showers.

Jan said...

Not that showers are against my religion or anything!

Michael Mol said...

That exchange sounds familiar. Is it from Stranger in a Strange land?

Unknown said...

Not as far as I know. Possible, though. I haven't read Stranger in 20-something years.

Anonymous said...

I choose to believe that, upon my death, I shall spontaneously immolate, followed by phoenixian resurrection as a twelve-foot-tall winged titan. I *believe*.