This is a translation of the story "An Atheist on Judgement Day," written by Adrian Barnett, and published by Adrian Hayter on The Atheist Blogger site . It is a story about an atheist before God on the day of Judgement.
The row seemed to be prolonged indefinitely. Hundreds of millions of souls who waited patiently for their turn to come before the throne. The day ... Well, the day is that of Judgement, so it's not on any calendar. The line of people is carried down the mountain through the valley and a large distance away. All in a row, they can see the final destination, the peak of the mountain. Hundred miles ahead of them, they can see it clearly. And ahead, moving forward a step or two at a time. God and the Decision.
head of the line we find a young Christian man, with an expression of reverence and joy. Behind him, an atheist, looking somewhat dazed, looking at taking a leaf from a bush nearby, while trying to decide if it is real or not. Paradise, he thinks, should be more white, with more dry ice swirling in the air, do not remember a Welsh hill on a hot day.
The Christian takes a step forward to be judged.
"Hello Martin." God's voice is calm and gentle as he talks.
"Um ... Hello, sir. " Martin's voice is nervous, a dozen emotions collide with each other to occupy his mind at once.
"We. This is the time when I decide what will happen to you, Martin. In life, you were a Christian. " It was a statement not a question.
"I was, sir. And I still am. I have been all my life. I have devoted myself to your service. "
"Tell me, Martin. Why were you a Christian? Because you believed in me? "
" Why? Well ... Why are you God! I always believed in you. "
"This is not what I want to know. Why do you believe? "
" Because I knew that was true. You were always there with me. You helped me during difficult times. You answered my prayers. You gave me strength and courage to move forward in life. I felt your presence at my side the whole time. "
'No'.
"I did not understand, Lord."
"I said no, Martin. I've never helped. Seemed to get away completely alone. I have heard your prayers, but I've never met, not one. Your faith in me has certainly helped in some cases, but have never intervened in your life. It is true that I have credited the happy times, but it was your doing, not mine. Did not you feel my presence, because it can not be perceived. The only real proof that you exist here and now. Again, tell me why you believed. "
"I ... I had faith, Lord. Ever since I was a kid I went to church, I prayed and sung every Sunday. My faith in you has never wavered. Even when my mother died, I had faith that the it be your will, your it was a blessing in the fact that she died peacefully. I was brought up to believe in you, and as I grew up reading the Bible, and knew your miracles, all the saints and martyrs and the good done in your name. I read the works of great philosophers, and they have strengthened my faith. I knew it was all true. "
"No, Martin. Your mother died of natural causes, passed away peacefully and with the assistance of the hospital. I have watched and followed events, but nothing else. As for the rest - the saints, the martyrs and philosophers had similar reasons for believing in me, as I have had dictators and murderers. People have done great good and great evil in my as well as in the name of thousands of false gods. The Bible was written about me, not me, and was written by people who had reasons similar to yours for their faith, just like thousands of other sacred books were written about false gods, or different views of me. I ask for the third and last time. Because you believed in me? "
Martin appeared ashen and shocked, but composed herself. The Lord was testing him, and he had lived his whole life for this moment.
"I believe because I could feel in my heart it was true. You sent your son to die for us, and I gladly accepted as my savior. I ... I just knew it was true, and now that I see you, my faith has been confirmed. I do not need to believe - I can see for myself the truth and the majesty of my religion. "
Quietly, God spoke again. "Martin, you've impressed me." Then he paused.
"Ma .. not enough. You think because you had been taught to believe. Believe it erroneously attributed to me all the positive things that happened in your life, ignoring any negative thing. Do you think it is comfortable for you to believe, and why are you afraid of the consequences of my lack of it. You think because ... believe. I'm sorry, Martin, but there is no place for you here. "
God fece un rapido gesto con le sue dita, e Martin scomparve. La sua ombra si attardò lì dove egli era stato, scomparendo rapidamente nel nulla.
L'atea, alquanto scossa da ciò che aveva appena visto, fece un passo avanti.
«Ciao, Eva. Mi piace il tuo nome».
«Ah. Ciao, Dio. Grazie», disse Eva, non completamente sicura di come dovesse rivolgersi ad un essere che aveva considerato, fino a quel momento, immaginario.
«Sì, puoi chiamarmi Dio. Eva, in vita eri un'atea. Hai dubitato della mia esistenza, giungendo persino a obiettare sullo stesso concetto di me». Ancora una volta, un'affermazione, non una domanda.
«Sì, è true. Obviously I was wrong. "
"Of course. Tell me are you always an atheist? "
" I suppose not. I'm not Christian, Jewish or whatever. I imagine it must be considered an involuntary theist. Ha ha ha, "laughed Eve nervously, hoping that the gods very real and practical sense of humor he had before.
'Mmm ... Tell me, Eve. Why you did not believe in me? "But God's voice was kind and gentle again.
"In a moment I thought. I was raised as a Christian, I often went to church and prayed every night before going to bed. I was feeling down when I read the Bible. The very act of reading it seemed to give me comfort, anche se le parole di per sé non sembravano essere di grande aiuto. Credo che, come Martin, credessi perché credevo».
«E quando hai perso la tua fede? Decidesti che non esistevo, e che ne sapevi di più di coloro che erano intorno a te? Ne sapevi di più del tuo sacerdote e della tua famiglia?» La voce perse un po' del suo tono gentile.
«Questo è un modo di vedere le cose, sì. Ciò che credevo non sembrava essere compatibile con le altre cose che sapevo. La Bibbia chiaramente non poteva essere letteralmente vera, parola per parola. Sapevo grazie alla biologia e alla paleontologia che gli esseri umani si erano evoluti come tutte le altre forme di vita, e che non eravamo creature speciali. As life began and the universe, I do not even know now, but I could not accept a simple "God wanted" as an explanation. I met other religions, and I knew that all claimed the monopoly of truth, happiness and morality. I saw the good done in your name, but also the oppression, genocide and war. I understand that if people were in trouble, we had to manage, rather than waiting for divine help. " Eva felt a little 'more encouraged, but expected the proverbial lightning bolt at any moment. The people behind her who was now head of the line began to move slowly backwards, trying not to draw attention to themselves.
"Yet here you are before your God, the Day of Judgement. Why should I allow to come to you - a heretic, disbelief, an infidel - when what was there before you, a believer and a devout, full of love for me has been consigned to oblivion? Tell me why. Give me a reason to get you to heaven. "
Eva straightened up, looking at God in the face. "Why would you let me in? Because I am a better person than you. "
If Eve had looked around, he saw the whole row of souls, perfectly still and staring eyes, looking shaken.
"What did you say?" Asked God His voice, though barely audible, caused tremors in the mountain.
Surprised to still be alive, with a dry mouth Eva continued. "I said, because I am a better person than you. You've already revealed. You told Martin that you were watching his mother get sick and die. You've destroyed for believing without having any reason, when his whole life has been shaped by that belief. Your faith encourages preachers to Earth without questions, and yet not tell us if that's what you want. You do not give people any rational basis for believing in you, yet when they build this one is not good enough for you. Listening to our prayers, but not answers them, allowing people rationalize the events themselves. The killing and slaughtering people for trivial differences between their doctrines, and you're watching. In churches and temples erected for your glory, children are abused mentally and physically - in your so-called House! Throughout the world, throughout history, people have killed each other because the wrong thing to believe about God, belief in God wrong, or not to believe in no God The poorest and most vulnerable are constantly harassed, given notice to give the little they have now for the promise of eternal happiness after. When a person is in the worst situations, that's when missionaries appear smiling, knowing that his life will probably improve, and that alone can give you the credit. Nel tuo nome, il fine giustifica i mezzi, fintanto che le anime sono salvate». Eva si fermò per respirare, e continuò.
«E tu? Onnipotente, onnibenevolente, onnisciente? Te ne stai lì seduto a guardare... Ciascuna persona in questa fila, se avesse avuto il tuo potere, avrebbe mostrato una maggior compassione e moralità. Puoi essere Dio, ma sei lontano dall'essere divino»·
Dio sorrise. «Hai finito? Bene, Eva, mi hai impressionato». Fece una pausa. Eva trattenne il respiro, le spalle che entrarono in tensione.
«Mi hai davvero impressionato. Puoi aver creduto in me per tutte le ragioni sbagliata, ma non hai creduto in me per le giuste ragioni. Hai seguito una Conduct of the good life, and used the intelligence it provides all the right way. Even if you come to a conclusion about me that is desperately wrong, you come there in a way that can not be criticized. You can enter paradise, Eve, with my blessing. "
Eva made no progress. Instead, he spoke again. "No, I will."
"No? Waste heaven? Defy my will? "The smile had again left the face of God
" I think he wants to spend another minute, if not eternity, in your company? Allow people to suffer, sometimes for their entire life, no aim, and then judge them based on their reaction. You hide from the world and allow your creatures to persecute each other on the basis of different interpretations of the lack of evidence. Look at all the suffering and ignorance caused in your name, and you're sitting there while this queue is growing daily? And you have the audacity to punish good people for believing in you "for the wrong reasons '?"
' Eve. Enough. The gates of heaven are opened for you. Now shut up and go. "
"No. If there is a choice between oblivion and eternity with a monster like you, gladly choose oblivion. I only ask one thing, before you destroy me. "
"What?" Asked God, becoming impatient.
"What you look me in the eye while doing it, if you can."
Soon after, the next person in the queue took a step towards the top of the mountain and the Judgement.
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