What If!

One of the things that you will run into sooner or later if you go out at all is the hand out given to you by someone who wants to convince you that they have the real goods on some subject. One that I have seen on-line, handed out at a 4^th of July fireworks event is called, “What If...”. It asks several questions in a “what if” manner, and then answers them as though the only possible answer is the one they provide. In this case, the “they” I speak of are Christians. Each question is followed by their chosen answer and selected Bible verse.

While I don't have all day to address each and every “what if”, I will touch on a few.

What if there really is a Creator-God? What implications does that make for me, His Creation?

• Well, there are so many possibilities here. First of all, why assume this god is a He? Gender is a product of biological necessity which evolved in many species, and would have very little function in what most people think of as a god. Does he have female gods to share his time with? Are there little baby gods out there like Trelane of Star Trek's “The Squire of Gothos” episode? Without knowing what kind of god he is, there is absolutely no way of ascertaining what, if any implications there are for me. Actually, I can't see any that would matter. The “fact” that he is a creator-god, does not mean he created me.
  

What if that Creator will hold man, His Creation, accountable in a day of judgment?

• Well, now we have a problem. I know that the Christians handing out this pamphlet think this creator/god is “their” god, but there is no guarantee, now is there? There are as many religions out there as there are fleas on a dog, if not more. So we don't really know what he would hold us accountable for. It is possible that he doesn't like people who push their beliefs on others. Now what implications would that make for the bloody Christians?
  

What if the Creator-God really loves man, His Creation?

• Boy they really want to pound home that “His Creation”, thing don't they? Well, if he really loves me, then no problem. Just as I love my daughter and wife, and would go to all kinds of trouble to see to it that they ended up all right, I am sure that this god would want to do the same for me. IF...he really loves me.
  

What if the Creator-God has a son named Jesus?

• Well then, assuming this is the Jesus of the Bible, and that the current right wing fundamentalist view of him is correct, then I'm screwed aren't I? But ..., there is the problem that Jesus is such a sketchy historical character, and that there are so many possible ways of interpreting the New Testament (just look at all the different Christian denominations and individual beliefs about him), that I really don't feel that there is much chance of Jesus being a problem for me. And “what if” the Gospels got it all wrong (very likely), and Jesus really isn't about sending anyone to hell because we didn't buy into a 2000 year old fairy tale?
  

This is where I'll stop for now. Playing “what if” can be fun, especially if you can turn it around.

What if there is no god.

What if we are what we appear to be, an evolved species on a small planet near the edge of a medium sized galaxy amongst billions of galaxies in a nearly 14 billion year old universe?

What if all these religious trappings are man made madness that distract us from so many other important things in life?

What if, while wasting time praying, proselytizing, and pushing gods, the opportunity to enjoy life is passing you by?

Now that's sad!