Image from page 101 of .The evolution of the dragon. (1919)
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I spent half the night awake trying to make sense of it all. In this culture war, all sorts of believers and atheists battle for supremacy, each making statements about whether a supreme being really exists or not.
Theists appeal to faith, scripture, or other reasons, while atheists say there is no reason to believe in a supreme being, although absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Both believers and atheists often exhibit similar over-zealousness when they state their opinions. It is black or white; there is no doubt or tolerance for nuance. I would say, it is premature to speak of certainties. My agnosticism on the matter may be tilted in favor of disbelief, but epistemologically, I know that, as a human being, I cannot possibly know about metaphysical unknowns such as a God. Unfortunately, my brain is insufficiently equipped. Which brings me to the following little story:
Let us assume for a moment that there is a supreme being. And that he shakes his head every time a hardcore atheist or devout believer enters his gate to heaven. And then he asks, "What on Earth have you been doing with your short life? Suicide bombing? Mocking me in cartoons that promote hatred and intolerance? Killing people in crusades or other religious wars? Denying gays their love? Using gas chambers and making lamp shades out of human skin? Why all that sh*t, while humans could not possibly know, prove, or disprove that I even existed? There has always been only one single person who knew I was here, and you are now standing in front of him."
Of course, they will all apologize profusely. But then the believers will say, "But it is You. You are indeed God!"
To which he might reply, "No one who enters this gate seems to know my name. People call me God, Allah, Elohim, Jehovah, Nirankar, or whatever; they have hundreds of names for me. I couldn't care less. I am who I am. Up here, everyone calls me Charlie."
