My room is next door

Last week I stopped for lunch and one thing led to another, and I struck up a conversation with the woman at the table next to me. She happened to be a theologian training to become a priest and we spent almost two hours discussing all kinds of topics. You may remember that a few weeks ago I had a discussion with a Vicar who I ended up hugging because she was such a lovely woman to talk to.

The Vicar was happy to question her world view and held doubt in the scripture due to the introduction of human desires and will for outcomes, whereas this one was looking at the bible as the word of God and immutable - like it was recorded on a Blockchain.

While she was pleasant and happy to talk, I could see that she was obviously frustrated by the conversation and from the outset, was making assumptions based on my view of God.

Lets start there.

I don't believe in God. I don't believe in no God either.

For me, it is a non-event because either way, it is unprovable until proven and even then, it is unlikely to be universally obvious to all. Even if I die and wake up in an afterlife of some kind, that isn't actually proof of a God, I could still be in a simulation. As I see it, if there is a God that created all that is, it has to be on the outside of all that is knowable which means, we being part of the creation within the system, cannot ever know that God.

But, that is for some other time.

Since God is a non-starter when it comes to its ability to know, I take a different approach and choose to believe that there are two obvious ways forward but, they are both the same. If there is a God, I should be the best I can be. If there is no God, I should be the best I can be. See what I mean? Be my best.

This of course brings up some interesting questions of freewill and willpower as we cannot choose our genetic flaws that affect our ability to do or not do which means, we are all doing our best no matter what the results may be. Again, another conversation.

While we were talking, she mentioned that she believed God to be pure, innocent and perfect and filled with love, several times, so I asked her;

Let's say I live my life the best I can, I work hard and do all the things that would be expected of a good person but, I didn't believe in God. Then right now, we both die together, you a believer, me not and we end up at the pearly gates of heaven. I have been proven wrong and Peter says to me, "You have lived a perfect life but because you didn't believe, God won't let you into heaven. You must be punished."

Tell me, You knowing that I have lead a perfect life but didn't believe - would YOU be happy to go through those gates, is your God still pure and innocent?

For me, the answer is quite obvious that even though I would be proven wrong on the existence of a God, that is not the kind of God I would accept as perfect and innocent. That God is petty and immature. And that is definitely not Love.

She said, "I have no answer for that."

This is the problem though because someone that walks through those gates into heaven knowing that situation is proving that they themselves are judgmental and petty so, they likely deserve to be in there with their God.

That is my view though.

The more interesting aspect is that if we are all indeed doing the best we can given all the tools and restrictions we have imposed on us at every changing moment of time, if there was a God that was indeed merciful and loving, that love would encompass every action and forgive them all no matter their nature for to not, would be to prove that the God's on creative process is flawed. Why would a God make violent sociopaths that have no control over their urges and then blame the psycho their behavior?

Perhaps there is a God and I will go to hell, perhaps there is not and it will fade to black but, the life I lead is my own and no matter the outcome at the end or the new beginning, I live it the best I can - triumph and defeat over myself inclusive.

People spend a lot of time arguing about what comes after death but these days at least, it feels like there aren't many people worrying about what their own life is. Most seem to live on automatic pilot, following the rules they have been taught, others live in disarray and suffering as they blame others for their plight. This is life.

The unexamined life is not worth living.

In my view, examining life is through the experience and observation of life itself, not through the words of others onboarded as a rule set to follow, even if they are better serving. Examination is activity and means that the discoveries lead to changes in behavior, not just thought. If there is a God, that is the way one could find its rules.

The theologian said when I mentioned this that while she agrees, perhaps there are two ways to find God, through living and through studying the words.

To this I responded;

I love you.

She paused and blushed before saying, "You don't love me."

How do you know I don't love you?

"We only just met."

This is her experience talking about behavior - not her examination of the words spoken.

I don't mind having the room next door.

Taraz
[ a Steem original ]

On a side note, the image is from the floor outside the rooms of the hotel to mark the number. I thought it would be interesting for a post but, there is no Mark of the beast here, Room 666 does not exist.
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