butterflylion:

This story would have been nice except that it's a figment of the writers imagination. He wishes things were that way so in support of his beliefs as an atheist he wrote that funny story.

hahn:

Don't play with Bubu o. He can easily pray and Jehovah will give him miraculous six packs overnight

butterflylion:


But your story is unheard of by 0.00000000001% of the worlds population but the bible is a whole different level

hahn:


Your illustration does not make sense and the fact that many people believe in that nonsense book called the bible does not make it any more important. It only proves there are a lot of gullible people in the world

hahn:


This is the question EVERYONE asks but if that woman cooks there is no way I can refuse it. That is temptation enough

johnydon22:


A lie heard by the whole world is no less a lie than one nobody heard at all..

Argumentum ad populum.. Really? Mother of God!!!

butterflylion:


So food.... Just food is what made you fall and yet you feel you are better than Adam and eve.

If you like box till you turn lepa all the fat will still return quickly as long as "you have not overcome " your temptation.

Every action get consequence Abi no be so? Your falling for food temptation made you a fat Albert

Think am well oo. Every action get consequence!

butterflylion:


Of course why wouldn't you call them gullible

Same way you were gullible enough to see yourself growing fat with a beer belly and still could not avoid fatty foods.

You are obviously gullible for food.

So gullible for Bible and gullible for food all na gullible na

hahn:


I have actually reduced my meal portions. No more second helping and cut of snacks

Seriously, I have lost a lot of weight and I am really enjoying this work out experience

I am just tired of the pot belly. It is my goal to be fit

hahn:


Can you please focus on the discussion

butterflylion:


Oh yes "we all" have "goals" do we not?

butterflylion:


No discussion here na. It's just a fictional story to read and I have done just that

hahn:




Mtcheww

And I thought for once you were capable of reasoning

Have a nice day

butterflylion:


Now that I Am reasoning you are walking away. Did you not say you have goals? If you do, so do all others who are believing in God and see walking with him as their goal. Wouldn't you agree?

hahn:


Shoo

Go and play somewhere

hahn:
Lennycool shared this story he saw online with us on Thinker's Lodge(a whatsapp group for freethinkers)

An atheist on Judgment Day.

"That, if you can, you look me in the eyes as you do it."

cc: johnnydon22, hardmirror, kevoh, frank317, hopefullandlord, dalaman, adepeter2027, sonofluc1fer, JackBizzle, lepasharon, CatfishBilly, joseph1013, benzics, jonbellion, calliope, Teempakguy, martinez19 etc

shadeyinka:

Here is the real part of your fine story


https://www.nairaland.com/3414597/undying-short-story-shadeyinka

Today is my birthday and I am afraid. I have just been born the second time but as an adult. My full sense and memory intact. Sweat is all over me, this cannot be true. Its not a dream and I know it. The queue is long but with the speed of lightning its getting to my turn.

My eyes blinked and fluttered. This can't be! Eyes don't flutter in dreams. I tried to remember, how did I get here? Something assured me, no turning back, its too late! I am alone. Oh God!

The thought hit me. Did I just say oh God? He is supposed not to exist..a mere creation of insecure human mind. I suddenly wished I had remained a fool. A beautiful girl of 22 behind me was crying, weeping, uncontrollable mucous running down her nose.

As I looked at her, I suddenly knew everything about her. A daughter of a big pastor in Lagos. She declared her independence from everything called church, Christ at 15. She chose to be free, to enjoy herself and she did. A video picture of her flashed and I could see her smiling and giggling at a club house at Ikeja.

I wanted to take my sight of the playback, but looking at her miserable beautiful face contorted in anguish, the pictures continued. In less than a second, I watch her life from when her mum gave birth to her. I could see the doctors, one white grey haired doctor led the other doctors. Through a cesarean op, she came out! Long haired beautiful baby girl.

I do not intend to bore you with her story, for this is not about her but about me.

Continuation:
I do not intend to bore you with her story, for this is not about her but about me. I could see how she got here. She died on her way to the hospital. A jealous friend stabbed her with a broken bottle. The cut was deep. A major artery was severed and she bled.

How did I get here?

I tried to concentrate. How did I get here? Yes, its my birthday I remembered. My 23rd birthday!

Then I began to view my own video. From my mums hospital bed. I was surprised that no one ever told me that I came out with the umbilical cord wrapped twice round my neck. I was like the opposite of the wailing girl I just told you about. Bald head, flat face and I saw my self with a mouth opened like an umbrella crying profusely. My mum was happy, her own baby boy is born.

Someone screamed suddenly in an agonizing wail that seemed to continue forever about 4134, people ahead of me on the row and I understood why! Terror shook me! My mind showed me what is in store and I was hoping for any iota of mercy.

Do I deserve mercy? The question played back a thousand times like a broken record player. I knew the answer. Here no one can lie. Everyone is naked as in transparent in thought and mind.

I was never the religious type all my life although, I went to church religiously with my parents until I turned 16. My journey to atheism was slow and steady. Thanks to my room mate at the university Kolez. I heard that he is now a full blown bible Carrier!

Kolez was handsome and intelligent. He was my guy, my Adonis. I wish I can be like him. He missed first class degee by a wisker. He had this piercingly intelligent look. I swear, he can read peoples mind.

Kolez, I said was a handsome and intelligent dude. Even though he was a Biochemistry student, he seemed to know everything. From Physics to Anthropology, to Anatomy to Bible and Quran. He would dispute with Christians about the futility of religion, origin of species, origin of the universe, errors in the bible and so on. He normally won with convincing arguments.

I started despising these dumb, half-educated and archaic Christians whose only argument was "the bible says! ". What kind of fools these Christians are!

Deep in my heart, I knew God must exist. But, it cannot be the God of the Christians. Their God Jehovah killed innocent children, condoned slavery. And these gullible Christians would still say " God is love".

What love! When there is suffering and pains in the world. Shouldn't He have done something about it if he really truly exists? If God is Omnipotent and Omnipresent, why would He watch evil being done to a baby except He is Evil or not existing!

Oh, this gullible fools who call themselves Christians! So, I first became a Pantheist and then a Naturalist and finally stabilized as an Agnostics Atheist. Thanks to my friends in Nairaland. They helped me to consolidate in my newfound religion (although, we all claim that atheism is not a religion). I learnt slowly to argue like a real atheist.

Show me a proof? ....Extraordinary claim deserves extraordinary evidence! Even though my understanding of the theory of evolution wasn't that excellent, I had some rudimentary knowledge to go by. All those "white professors" can't be wrong.

I studied writings and arguments of atheists worldwide. Google is your friend you know. And thanks to google, there were more than enough information by specialists, professionals who provided facts and figures. Unfortunately, the average Christian is really a duns. He doesn't read outside the bible. Most can't even argue intelligently. No wonder, every sunday, they give their hard earned money to one man of "dog" who buys a private jet with it. Gullible Fools!


I said, I studied writings and arguments of atheists worldwide. Google was actually my blossom friend.
The Sweat all over my body was discomforting. Its due to a mixture of Fear and Apprehension. This is real and I know it. Everyone on this queue is silent. You could hear a pin drop except for the occasional lamentations vomited by us at random. The guy directly in front of me is caucasian most likely from Germany but I could read his thoughts. He was white as a ghost. I never knew that fright changes the colour of people. I could read everyone's thoughts; amazing! Every one here is laden with a burden of great sorrow mixed with fear.

How did it all happen? Yes I remember. It was in my house, my girlfriend Tina organized this birthday celebration party for me with a few dozens of friends. The party was on, yes we were dancing a track by Korede Bello.

I just remembered: funny, I don't drink nor smoke. I am just the regular quiet well behaved guy. So, you can expect that it wasn't a wild party. Would God be lenient with me for my fairly good moral behaviours? Rudely, I heard the answer inside me; Like telepathically, one word No! And I knew the answer was a final No! I didn't contest it, there was no argument.

I realized that here, blood ties don't mean a thing. You are all the same; all of us are from the source! I just wished that I had been just a little objective in finding out information with which to deny and reject God. I wished that I had taken the position that God existed until proven otherwise. Maybe if I had slowed down to understand the Bible, I would have been Born Again!

These so called fools are the wise ones now. A moving picture of the other side started playing. They were so few in number and they were entering through something that looks like the main bowl of a large stadium. The crowd, the cloud of witness gave the new entrants the standing ovation and like athletes who just finished a Marathon, they were smiling and waving their hands. The girl standing just in from of the German man sighed so loudly, you would think it was a locomotive. It snapped me out of this vision back to reality.

Suddenly, the MC called me up to cut the cake! I don't know what is wrong with all these "ajebo" girls? A big guy like me cutting cakes?..but not to hurt my girlfriend, I stood up to cut the cake.

I was about holding the knife when I heard a loud crash. Way too loud! Like something fell, something very heavy like a bag of cement or actually two bags of cement. I thought, what could have fallen. There is nothing in sight that could have fallen that hard on the floor right beside me.

I tried to look and then, I saw!


Continuation:


I tried to look and with the greatest surprise, I saw on the floor, myself. How come, but It was me! I fell over the cake and the stool was broken. The cake was upside down on the floor.

I felt very very OK. Nothing is medically wrong with me. I quickly tried to get up at least to show everyone that I was OK. No cause for alarm!

I stood up hurriedly to speak but all in the room ignored me. It was as if the cake was more important than me. I shouted to them in anger, but they seemed oblivious of me. They were focusing on the floor.

My girlfriend was crying, some guys removed their shirts. There was pandemonium in the room. I was confused, can't they see that I am OK?

Four guys bent down over the location of the cake doing something I couldn't see. The girls were all crying, someone ran out to find the key to the car. Curiosity would not leave me. What's the fuss all about? I am OK!

I moved over to see and I got the shock of my life. I saw me, myself! On the floor! No! It can't be, I am very OK. Look everybody...but no one paid any attention to me but on the me on the floor.

This is not real. I pinched myself and moved closer to see. The guy on the floor is actually me. My mouth was opened in one disgusting ugly manner that I didn't want anything to do with this body of mine on the floor.

I stepped away. Could I have been dead? Is this how people die? But how come? I still feel very alive, I feel normal, I feel OK. My senses are supper sharp.

I watched as they carried my body outside the house. I guess to the hospital. I didn't feel like following them. So, the concept of the soul is true after all.!

I touched my head, and it felt solid. The door was just ahead of me, I wanted to go out and then..

I pushed the door only to find out my hands and body passed through. This is impossible!

Then, I heard my name. I turned round. I saw no one. Then something like black smoke filled everywhere.

Then, I started falling through the dark. There was nothing to hold on to.The darkness became pitch black. I couldn't even see myself. Fear gripped me. Along the path I felt them. They were happy. Their trap caught one more prey and that prey was me.

The fall was like for hours. I'm I lost in limbo? Like a meteorite in the empty space. Would this be my state forever?

Then I saw a light far far off, like a dot. The light was at least a little comforting and reassuring. A force pulled me towards the light. The Light was pure love and acceptance but I was full of darkness.

I found myself in a field and two very tall men in white stopped me. They looked not excited to see me. They called be by my name and said;

You cannot go to the Light!
You made your choice, come!

Without a word, I followed them irresistibly like a sheep. I knew they were correct, I had rejected the Light. They spoke the truth.

For God so loved the World
that He gave His only Son
that whoever believe in Gods solution
shall not perish but have his eternal life where God dwells.

God did not send His son to the world to condemn the world
But that the world is through Him will be saved.

But men loved darkness rather than Light.

As many as believed on His Name God gives the power to become sons of God.

I lined up at the back of others towards the place where God dumps the useless creatures who have declared their independence away from Him.

Unknowingly, I have served the god of self. The same sin Satan committed! And I just found out the Truth. I have been deceived by the same lies that Eve was told.

Death is NOT the end of Existence!



THE END!

hahn:


Wehdone

cc: Johnnydon22

butterflylion:


"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

Is it the presence of a person who heard the tree fall that would mean a tree never fell if nobody was there?

Is it our opinion or lack of that makes a real event any less real than it was?

argumentum ad ignorantiam. Really? Blood of Atheism!

adepeter2027:
onus probandi

MrPresident1:


Hahn, one thing I know is that you will shiit in your pants on judgment day

butterflylion:


If you know what argumentum ad ignorantiam means you no go mention onus probandi Abi na Indira Gandhi

hahn:


Which of the judgement days you predicted that failed are you referring to?

hahn:
Lennycool shared this story he saw online with us on Thinker's Lodge(a whatsapp group for freethinkers)

An atheist on Judgment Day.

- The line seemed to stretch back forever. Hundreds of millions of souls, waiting patiently for their turn before the throne. The date... Well, the day is Judgment Day, so you won't find it on any calendar. The queue of people winds its way down the mountain, through the valley and off into the far distance. Everybody in the queue can see the final destination at the mountain peak. A hundred miles away, they can see it perfectly clearly. And they wait, moving forward a couple of steps at a time. Towards God, and the Decision.�

At the head of the we find a young Christian, wearing an expression of awe and joy. Behind him, an atheist, looking slightly astonished, examining a leaf she has picked from a nearby bush, trying to decide if it is real or not. Heaven, she thinks, should be whiter, with more dry ice swirling about; not look like a Welsh hillside on a hot day.

The Christian steps forward for judgment.

"Hello Martin". God's voice is calm and gentle as He speaks.

"Erm.. Hello. Lord". Martin's voice is nervous, as a dozen emotions fight for room in his mind at once.

"This is it. This is where I decide what shall happen to you, Martin. In life, you were a Christian". It was a statement, not a question.

"I was, Lord. I still am. I have been all my life. I have dedicated myself to your service."

"Tell me, Martin. Why were you a Christian? Why did you believe in me?"

"Why? Well... Because you are God! I've always believed in you."

"That is not what I want to know. Why did you believe?"

"Because I knew it was true. You were always there for me. You helped me through the bad times. You answered my prayers. You gave me the strength and courage to get through life. I could feel your presence with me all the time."

"No."

"Pardon, Lord?"

"I said no, Martin. I have never helped you. You seemed to be doing perfectly alright by yourself. I heard your prayers, but never answered a single one. Your belief in me definitely helped you on occasion, but I have never intervened in your life. Certainly, you gave me credit for all the good times, but they were your own doing, not mine. You did not feel my presence, because it cannot be felt. The only actual proof you have that I exist at all is here and now. Again, tell me why you believed."

"I.. I had faith, Lord. Since I was a child I have been to church, prayed and sang every Sunday. My faith in you never wavered. Even when my mother died, I had faith that it was your will, that it was a blessing from you that she passed peacefully. I was raised to believe in you, and as I grew I read the Bible for myself, and learnt of your miracles, and all the saints and martyrs, and the good done in your name. I read the works of great philosophers and they merely strengthened my faith. I knew it was true. "

"No, Martin. Your mother died of natural causes, and she died peacefully because of the actions of the hospital. I watched and saw, but that is all. As for the rest - the saints, martyrs and philosophers had similar reasons for their belief in me, just as dictators and murderers have had. People have done great good and great harm in my name, and in the names of a thousand false gods. The Bible was written about me, not by me, and was written by people who had similar reasons as you for their belief, just as a thousand other Holy Books have been written about the false gods, or different versions of myself. I ask for the third and final time. Why did you believe in me?"

Martin looked shocked and ashen, but pulled himself together. His Lord was testing him, and he had lived his entire life for this moment.

"I believed because I could feel in my heart it was true. You sent your son to die for us, and I gladly accepted Him as my saviour. I.. I just knew it was true, and now that I see you, my faith has been vindicated. I no longer need to believe - I can see for myself the truth and majesty of my religion."

Quietly, God spoke again. "Martin, you have impressed me". He paused.

"But... not enough. You believe because you were taught to believe. You believe because you mistakenly attribute to me anything positive that has happened in your life, and discount anything negative. You believe because it is comforting to believe, and because you are frightened of the consequences of my not existing. You believe because... you believe. I'm sorry, Martin, but there is no place for you here."

God gestured briefly with his fingers, and Martin vanished. His shadow lingered where he had stood, fading rapidly to nothingness.

The atheist, somewhat shaken by what she had just seen, stepped forward.

"Hello Eve. I like that name."

"Ah. Hello, God. Thanks", said Eve, not entirely sure how to address a being she had, until now, considered fictional.

"Yes, you may call me God. Eve, in life you were an atheist. You doubted my existence, even objecting to the very concept". Again, a statement, not a question.

"Yes, I did. Clearly, I was mistaken."

"Clearly. Tell me, are you still an atheist?"

"I suppose not. I'm not a Christian, Jew or anything else. I guess I'd have to be called an involuntary theist. Ah ha ha", Eve laughed nervously, hoping the very real and solid-looking deity before her had a good sense of humour.

"Mmm... Tell me, Eve. Why did you not believe in me?". God's voice was kind and gentle once more.

"At one point I did. I was raised as a Christian, and often went to church, and prayed every night before bed. When I was feeling down I would read the Bible. The act of reading it seemed to comfort me, even though the words themselves didn't seem much help. I think, like Martin, I believed because I believed."

"And then you lost your faith? You decided I did not exist, and you knew better than those around you? You knew better than your pastor and family?" The voice was losing its kindly edge a little.

"That is one way of looking at it, yes. What I believed did not seem to fit with other things I knew. The Bible clearly could not be literally true, word for word. I knew from biology and paleontology that humans had evolved like all other life, and were not special creations. How life or the universe began, I still don't know, but could not just merely accept 'God did it' as an explanation. I learned about other religions, and how they all claimed a monopoly on truth, happiness and morality. I saw the good done in your name, but I also saw the oppression, genocide and wars. I saw that if people were in need, it was up to us to deal with it, not to rely on heavenly aid.". Eve felt a little braver, but was expecting the traditional thunderbolt any moment. The people behind her, now at the head of the queue, were slowly moving backwards, trying not to draw attention to themselves.

"Yet here you are, before your God, on the final Day of Judgment. Why should I allow you in - a heretic, a disbeliever, an infidel - when your predecessor, devout and faithful, full of love for me, was consigned to Oblivion? Tell me why. Justify your entry to my Paradise."

Eve straightened up, looking God in the face. "Why should you let me in? Because I am better person than you."

If Eve had looked round, she would have seen the entire line of souls, perfectly still and wide-eyed, staring at her in shock.

"What did you say?", enquired God. His voice, though barely audible, caused tremors in the mountain.

Surprised at still being alive, her mouth dry, Eve continued. "I said, because I am a better person. You have shown it yourself already. You told Martin that you watched as his mother became ill and died. You destroyed him for believing for no good reason, when his whole life had been shaped by that belief. Your preachers on Earth encourage unquestioning faith, yet you do not tell us whether that is what you want. You give people no rational basis for belief, and then when they make up their own that is not good enough for you. You listen to our prayers, yet do not answer, leaving people to rationalise events for themselves. People kill and slaughter over trivial differences in doctrine, and you look on. In the churches and temples raised in your glory, children are mentally and physically abused - in your so-called House! All over the world, throughout history, people have murdered each other for believing the wrong thing about God, for believing in the wrong God, or for not believing in any God. The poorest and most helpless people are relentlessly targeted, being told to give what little they have now, for the promise of eternal bliss later. When a person is at his lowest ebb, that is when the smiling missionaries appear, knowing that his life will probably get better naturally and they can give you the credit. In your name, the ends justify the means as long as souls are saved". Eve paused for breath, and continued.

"And you? All-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing? You just sit here and you watch it all... Any person in this line, had they your power, would show greater compassion and morality. You may be God, but you are far from Godliness."

God smiled. "Are you finished? Good. Eve, you have impressed me". He paused. Eve held her breath, shoulders tensing.

"You have impressed me a great deal. You may have believed in me for all the wrong reasons, but you disbelieved for the right reasons. You led a good life, and used the intelligence I give to everybody in the correct way. Even though you came to a conclusion about me that was hopelessly wrong, you came to it in a way that cannot be faulted. You may pass into paradise, Eve, with my blessing."

Eve did not step forward. Instead, she spoke once more. "No, I will not".

"No? You refuse Heaven? You defy my will?" The smile had left God's face again.

"Do you think I would want to spend one more minute, let alone eternity, in your company? You allow people to suffer, sometimes for their entire lives, for no purpose, and then judge them on their reaction. You hide yourself from the world and allow your creations to persecute each other over differing interpretations of the lack of evidence. You see all the pain and ignorance caused in your name, and just sit there as this queue grows daily? And then you have the audacity to punish good people for believing in you 'for the wrong reasons'?"

"Eve. Enough of this. The gates to Paradise are open to you. Be silent now, and enter."

"No. If it is a choice between oblivion and an eternity with a monster like you, I gladly choose oblivion. I ask only one thing, before you destroy me."

"And what is that?" asked God, getting impatient.

"That, if you can, you look me in the eyes as you do it."

cc: johnnydon22, hardmirror, kevoh, frank317, hopefullandlord, dalaman, adepeter2027, sonofluc1fer, JackBizzle, lepasharon, CatfishBilly, joseph1013, benzics, jonbellion, calliope, Teempakguy, martinez19 etc

hahn:
Lennycool shared this story he saw online with us on Thinker's Lodge(a whatsapp group for freethinkers)

An atheist on Judgment Day.

- The line seemed to stretch back forever. Hundreds of millions of souls, waiting patiently for their turn before the throne. The date... Well, the day is Judgment Day, so you won't find it on any calendar. The queue of people winds its way down the mountain, through the valley and off into the far distance. Everybody in the queue can see the final destination at the mountain peak. A hundred miles away, they can see it perfectly clearly. And they wait, moving forward a couple of steps at a time. Towards God, and the Decision.�

At the head of the we find a young Christian, wearing an expression of awe and joy. Behind him, an atheist, looking slightly astonished, examining a leaf she has picked from a nearby bush, trying to decide if it is real or not. Heaven, she thinks, should be whiter, with more dry ice swirling about; not look like a Welsh hillside on a hot day.

The Christian steps forward for judgment.

"Hello Martin". God's voice is calm and gentle as He speaks.

"Erm.. Hello. Lord". Martin's voice is nervous, as a dozen emotions fight for room in his mind at once.

"This is it. This is where I decide what shall happen to you, Martin. In life, you were a Christian". It was a statement, not a question.

"I was, Lord. I still am. I have been all my life. I have dedicated myself to your service."

"Tell me, Martin. Why were you a Christian? Why did you believe in me?"

"Why? Well... Because you are God! I've always believed in you."

"That is not what I want to know. Why did you believe?"

"Because I knew it was true. You were always there for me. You helped me through the bad times. You answered my prayers. You gave me the strength and courage to get through life. I could feel your presence with me all the time."

"No."

"Pardon, Lord?"

"I said no, Martin. I have never helped you. You seemed to be doing perfectly alright by yourself. I heard your prayers, but never answered a single one. Your belief in me definitely helped you on occasion, but I have never intervened in your life. Certainly, you gave me credit for all the good times, but they were your own doing, not mine. You did not feel my presence, because it cannot be felt. The only actual proof you have that I exist at all is here and now. Again, tell me why you believed."

"I.. I had faith, Lord. Since I was a child I have been to church, prayed and sang every Sunday. My faith in you never wavered. Even when my mother died, I had faith that it was your will, that it was a blessing from you that she passed peacefully. I was raised to believe in you, and as I grew I read the Bible for myself, and learnt of your miracles, and all the saints and martyrs, and the good done in your name. I read the works of great philosophers and they merely strengthened my faith. I knew it was true. "

"No, Martin. Your mother died of natural causes, and she died peacefully because of the actions of the hospital. I watched and saw, but that is all. As for the rest - the saints, martyrs and philosophers had similar reasons for their belief in me, just as dictators and murderers have had. People have done great good and great harm in my name, and in the names of a thousand false gods. The Bible was written about me, not by me, and was written by people who had similar reasons as you for their belief, just as a thousand other Holy Books have been written about the false gods, or different versions of myself. I ask for the third and final time. Why did you believe in me?"

Martin looked shocked and ashen, but pulled himself together. His Lord was testing him, and he had lived his entire life for this moment.

"I believed because I could feel in my heart it was true. You sent your son to die for us, and I gladly accepted Him as my saviour. I.. I just knew it was true, and now that I see you, my faith has been vindicated. I no longer need to believe - I can see for myself the truth and majesty of my religion."

Quietly, God spoke again. "Martin, you have impressed me". He paused.

"But... not enough. You believe because you were taught to believe. You believe because you mistakenly attribute to me anything positive that has happened in your life, and discount anything negative. You believe because it is comforting to believe, and because you are frightened of the consequences of my not existing. You believe because... you believe. I'm sorry, Martin, but there is no place for you here."

God gestured briefly with his fingers, and Martin vanished. His shadow lingered where he had stood, fading rapidly to nothingness.

The atheist, somewhat shaken by what she had just seen, stepped forward.

"Hello Eve. I like that name."

"Ah. Hello, God. Thanks", said Eve, not entirely sure how to address a being she had, until now, considered fictional.

"Yes, you may call me God. Eve, in life you were an atheist. You doubted my existence, even objecting to the very concept". Again, a statement, not a question.

"Yes, I did. Clearly, I was mistaken."

"Clearly. Tell me, are you still an atheist?"

"I suppose not. I'm not a Christian, Jew or anything else. I guess I'd have to be called an involuntary theist. Ah ha ha", Eve laughed nervously, hoping the very real and solid-looking deity before her had a good sense of humour.

"Mmm... Tell me, Eve. Why did you not believe in me?". God's voice was kind and gentle once more.

"At one point I did. I was raised as a Christian, and often went to church, and prayed every night before bed. When I was feeling down I would read the Bible. The act of reading it seemed to comfort me, even though the words themselves didn't seem much help. I think, like Martin, I believed because I believed."

"And then you lost your faith? You decided I did not exist, and you knew better than those around you? You knew better than your pastor and family?" The voice was losing its kindly edge a little.

"That is one way of looking at it, yes. What I believed did not seem to fit with other things I knew. The Bible clearly could not be literally true, word for word. I knew from biology and paleontology that humans had evolved like all other life, and were not special creations. How life or the universe began, I still don't know, but could not just merely accept 'God did it' as an explanation. I learned about other religions, and how they all claimed a monopoly on truth, happiness and morality. I saw the good done in your name, but I also saw the oppression, genocide and wars. I saw that if people were in need, it was up to us to deal with it, not to rely on heavenly aid.". Eve felt a little braver, but was expecting the traditional thunderbolt any moment. The people behind her, now at the head of the queue, were slowly moving backwards, trying not to draw attention to themselves.

"Yet here you are, before your God, on the final Day of Judgment. Why should I allow you in - a heretic, a disbeliever, an infidel - when your predecessor, devout and faithful, full of love for me, was consigned to Oblivion? Tell me why. Justify your entry to my Paradise."

Eve straightened up, looking God in the face. "Why should you let me in? Because I am better person than you."

If Eve had looked round, she would have seen the entire line of souls, perfectly still and wide-eyed, staring at her in shock.

"What did you say?", enquired God. His voice, though barely audible, caused tremors in the mountain.

Surprised at still being alive, her mouth dry, Eve continued. "I said, because I am a better person. You have shown it yourself already. You told Martin that you watched as his mother became ill and died. You destroyed him for believing for no good reason, when his whole life had been shaped by that belief. Your preachers on Earth encourage unquestioning faith, yet you do not tell us whether that is what you want. You give people no rational basis for belief, and then when they make up their own that is not good enough for you. You listen to our prayers, yet do not answer, leaving people to rationalise events for themselves. People kill and slaughter over trivial differences in doctrine, and you look on. In the churches and temples raised in your glory, children are mentally and physically abused - in your so-called House! All over the world, throughout history, people have murdered each other for believing the wrong thing about God, for believing in the wrong God, or for not believing in any God. The poorest and most helpless people are relentlessly targeted, being told to give what little they have now, for the promise of eternal bliss later. When a person is at his lowest ebb, that is when the smiling missionaries appear, knowing that his life will probably get better naturally and they can give you the credit. In your name, the ends justify the means as long as souls are saved". Eve paused for breath, and continued.

"And you? All-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing? You just sit here and you watch it all... Any person in this line, had they your power, would show greater compassion and morality. You may be God, but you are far from Godliness."

God smiled. "Are you finished? Good. Eve, you have impressed me". He paused. Eve held her breath, shoulders tensing.

"You have impressed me a great deal. You may have believed in me for all the wrong reasons, but you disbelieved for the right reasons. You led a good life, and used the intelligence I give to everybody in the correct way. Even though you came to a conclusion about me that was hopelessly wrong, you came to it in a way that cannot be faulted. You may pass into paradise, Eve, with my blessing."

Eve did not step forward. Instead, she spoke once more. "No, I will not".

"No? You refuse Heaven? You defy my will?" The smile had left God's face again.

"Do you think I would want to spend one more minute, let alone eternity, in your company? You allow people to suffer, sometimes for their entire lives, for no purpose, and then judge them on their reaction. You hide yourself from the world and allow your creations to persecute each other over differing interpretations of the lack of evidence. You see all the pain and ignorance caused in your name, and just sit there as this queue grows daily? And then you have the audacity to punish good people for believing in you 'for the wrong reasons'?"

"Eve. Enough of this. The gates to Paradise are open to you. Be silent now, and enter."

"No. If it is a choice between oblivion and an eternity with a monster like you, I gladly choose oblivion. I ask only one thing, before you destroy me."

"And what is that?" asked God, getting impatient.

"That, if you can, you look me in the eyes as you do it."

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MrPresident1:


Hahn, hot shiit

hahn:


Wehdone

cc: Johnnydon22

MrPresident1:


Hahn, one thing I know is that you will shiit in your pants on judgment day

hahn:


Do you mean Lennycool?

hahn:

Do you mean Lennycool?