ST Bycroft

The Debate by ST Bycroft

Headline of the New York Times

Astronomers discover God

Astronomers at the High mountain observatory using new instruments have discover proof that God does exist. Other observatories have confirmed the existence of a divine Omnipresent being whose life force permeates the universe and that a communication has began. Dr Robert Wilson with his staff ...

Thomas Johnson was placing the black pieces on the chess board in the corner booth of the Four Winds pub. His frosty mug of ale was set on the end of the table next to his copy of the New York Times. He was placing the pieces very slowly, the pawns first of course, and was starting to put the power pieces on the second row. He was waiting for his friend Bill Clark to arrive for their normal Thursday chess game.

Tom picked up his mug of ale and took a long sip, while glaring the Times. He set down the mug and started to place the white pieces on the board shaking his head slowly. 'How could God exist'? he ask himself silently. He had given up on organized religion at around age 7 and dispense with God altogether a few years afterward. Now 30 years later he would have to accept something he never believed in. Bill and he had debated the existence of God often over their chess games. Now it looked like he would have to buy his friend a drink while he feasted on some crow.

Bill came up to the booth with a broad smile on his face. He took off his overcoat and draped it over the back of the booth, he had the Time under one arm.

"Hello Tom, have you seen the Times today?" Bill said. He saw the copy of the paper on the edge of the table, but thought he would add a little dig at Tom.

"Yes! I have, as you well know. And you needn't ask I will order your ale now." Tom snarled as he waved down the waitress.

"I'll take a brandy, if you don't mine. It's a bit nippy out." responded Bill. He still had a big smile on his face.

Tom ordered the brandy as well as another ale for himself, even though he wasn't half done with his first one. He picked up his drink and swallowed down half of what was left in the mug.

Bill said "Does the proof of God upset you so much that you have to look so grumpy?"

Tom looked up with a wry smile and said "No, it's not God that's upset me it's the fact that you were right."

"Well I wouldn't say I told you so. But..." Bill said with a friendly smile.

The waitress come up with the drinks and set them down picking up Tom's now empty first mug. Tom paid for both drinks, still grumbling. Then he raised his mug to Bill and said "Congratulations, it was blind faith but you were right."

"Thank you" Bill said raising his glass in return. “But it was faith not blind faith. And now that the issue of God has been settled what shall we debate next?" He picked up his king's pawn and moved it two squares forward.

"Somewhat settled" Tom responded, noting the first move of the game.

Bill looked up quickly and said "What do you mean Somewhat settled?"

Tom also moved his king's pawn out two squares and than said "I'll admit to the existence of God, so the question now is not if but why?"

"Why what?" Bill responded.

Tom looked up, "Why all this..." sweeping his arm out and pointing at pub "what is He, She, It up to? Why create the universe or the world or animals or us?"

Making the next move of the game Bill said with an amused look on his face. "If you were an omnipotent being, what would you do?"

"I'll let you know, when I make up my mind what I'm going to do, hopefully it won't be any thing too disturbing" Tom said with a smile.

Bill looked up at his friend, shaking his head. He picked up and emptied his brandy glass. He set the glass back down still shaking his head.

Tom waved down the waitress and ordered another round. The game continued on is silence. Move after move, they started to trade pieces, jockeying for position. The waitress brought the fresh drinks and set them down on the table. Tom took a sip of his ale, looking over the glass at his opponent and waited.

Without looking up Bill asked "What do you mean by disturbing?"

Tom smiled and said "Maybe, just maybe, there is a disturbing reason for all this, for us. Perhaps God is just like a farmer, sowing His seeds."

"Ok, I'll buy it, but what's so disturbing about that?" Bill asked.

Tom responded with a series of questions which he answered himself "What does a farmer do with his crop when they are ripe? He harvests them, that's what. And why does he harvest them? for consumption, that's why. Perhaps that's all we are, crops and death is just our harvest. Death is just getting us ready for consumption by some omnipotent being." He was no longer smiling but was banging his finger of the table to stress the point.

Bill looked up with a smile that had an annoyed mood behind it and said "You're crazy!" opening his eyes wide and staring at his friend's eyes. He moved his attention back to the game. Moving his queen out and into jeopardy, but he thought if this works I will have him mated in two moves. As he moved the queen he continued "Why wouldn't God just consume ordinary matter or energy, why bother with us or life in general?"

"Ah," Tom exclaimed. "Perhaps He can't consume regular energy, perhaps life has a special type of energy. It's not such a crazy idea, the sun and the world, they are a perfect cattle ranch. We just keep breeding and breeding, and being lead to the slaughter. The death harvest so He can feed on our life energy, on us!" Tom saw the trap set by Bill and castled to avoid it. Bill noticed the dinner crowd starting to come into the pub. He sighed realizing that his strategy had not worked and that the game was going to be a long one. He moved his queen out of danger and said. "Perhaps your terminology is wrong. Maybe consume and feed upon is the wrong way to look at it. Maybe when we die we become part of a greater whole. Not as food, but our life energies or souls become a contributing part to the greater whole. You ever consider that?"

"Yes, but I think my idea is still valid. Think about it." Tom said as he drained his glass with a nod at Bill.

"I will" Bill said. "But, it's getting late, we'll have to finish next week." He drew a pen out of his pocket and started to record the location of the pieces.

Tom just smiled, as he put the recorded pieces away for next week's game.

Copyright (c)  ST Bycroft  2023