|
If You Were God
| It has been an
interesting thought experiment throughout the ages to ask oneself,”If I
were king”,or “If I were president”... These thoughts are often a
response to some egregious policy or law that one has to endure. These
thoughts do not often go far as speculations as to how things might be
made to work better are often abandoned in favor of more interesting
thoughts. However, if one considers the broader scope of existence, one
might gain a perspective that can shed some light on how we look at the
universe in which we live
Speculation about what it would be like to be God does not even require
one to believe in God at all. To consider the dynamics and mechanics of
such a proposition is more an exercise in logic. However, it may also
open the mind to possibilities not previously considered. Going beyond
the idea that “I could get whatever I wanted”, one discovers
possibilities and even limitations that can be intriguing.
If one had the ability to create an entire universe simply by speaking
it into existence, one might discover there is a danger with such
power. Those inclined to consumptive self-indulgence might soon
discover that the desire to consume is a hunger that is never satisfied
and that in chasing after such lusts, one tends to consume themselves.
The bible can be a useful resource to shed some light on processes both
celestial and terrestial.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.- James 4:3
In a way this admonition resonates with parents who recognize the
wisdom in restricting the appetites of their children (wanting 100 ice
cream cones is different than actually eating them). One would
hope that upon reaching adulthood, one would see the benefit of
self-restriction. It should therefore be also evident that upon
godhood, consumptive lusts would be even that much more destructive.
We can get an additional insight into the nature of God from John;
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto
you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. - 1 John 1:5
If we consider “light” we observe something that flows outward, shows
truth, gives and sustains life. There is no consumptive element at all.
With all the power of God the first limitation one encounters is that
it cannot be used for self. To do so would start a process of self
consumption.
Another restrictive element would be truth. Just as self-indulgence
would be destructive, deception including self-deception would inflict
blindness and tend towards self-destruction as the foundation reality
gives to existence would be lost.
One might see Godhood as other or outward orientation and limited to
truth. Faced with these limitations one might ask what sort of activity
options would be available. The ability to create would be an obvious
choice. However, creating what and why are natural questions one would
ask. One might create a world with creatures whose actions were
predetermined and predictable. Like having an aquarium, the actions of
such creatures can be distracting, but in the end one has to question
the ultimate value of entertainment.
The ability to create worlds and creatures poses an interesting
quandary. One could create creatures programmed to do exactly what was
expected. Creatures could also be created to interact with their
environment such that they were free to make choices, but acted on
instincts. A third alternative would be to create thinking creatures
who had the free will to act independently from the creator. The risk
here would be that the creatures would follow the self-destructive path
of self-indulgent consumption or disassociation from reality that
deceptions create.
In addition to choosing whether to make creatures with free will or
not, one would also have to chose whether to make the creatures
self-replicating or with initial functionality. The angelic realm might
be an example of creatures made with knowledge and powers as well as
given free will. For such creatures the test would be if they could
exercise their free will to choose to remain faithful and resist the
attraction that rebellion might offer.
For self replicating creatures one would expect at some point their
ignorance would cause them to be cut off from their creator and their
descendants would each start life helpless, ignorant, and selfish. Here
the test would be if any could find their way out of rebellion.
An additional complicating factor would exist if a rebelling angel came
to have control or influence over the human realm such that in addition
to trying to escape ignorance, one also had to fight through deceptions.
The fate of rebelling angles would be pretty clear, those who rebell
will be destroyed. The fate of humans born in ignorance is a different
matter. There would be two ways eternal life could be imparted to those
who never had it. The first would be to select an individual from whom
a nation would come and through that nation all the peoples of earth
could be provided the knowledge of the creator and faith in him
demonstrated by following his laws could lead to being raised from the
dead unto eternal life. A second way would be to offer eternal life to
those who had faith in an action by the creator to recover them.
If you are a creator and your creation is stuck in sin, the question
arises as to how do you resolve this dilemma. The bible describes the
creator entering his own creation and being put to death by his own
creatures by which a payment was made that could allow some to be given
eternal life.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. - 1 Corinthians 15:22
Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. - 1 Corinthians
2:8
It is not exactly clear how this “payment” was made and to whom, but
the result was the possibility that recovery of some could be made. The
phrase “in Christ” suggests that in some way humans through faith are
able to receive eternal life from the life of their creator.
A creator thus through his creation is able to produce “children” that
could come out of creation and join him in a sort of familial
relationship.
|
|
|
