Are We Alone?

Are we alone, a seemingly profound question concerning the potential for life elsewhere in the universe. Gives rise to that other question. Where/when/why did life, or our universe begin, and why? And, of course, that almost always gives way to that other question, Who created God?

See, if God exists, someone created her, right? Or did she simply pop into existence, poof! And then, what existed prior to God?  I mean, did something, a God, or the Universe itself simply begin out of nothing? And if so, why, how?  See, telling us that God created the universe doesn’t really solve or even answer anything. Because it produces the inevitable question about who created God.  And even Neil DeGrasse Tyson doesn’t seem to have any answer to the origin question.

See, all of my questions relate to the simplest one of all – Why?

OK, so why was the universe created the way it was? I mean, if there is a God, she could have created a finished product, right? I mean, why would she create this vast entity still in the beginning stages of its development? And, why a universe that held such enormous potential for damage to its creatures? Why not create a universe that satisfied the needs of its inhabitants, whether those inhabitants were emerging stars, or living creatures?  Also, there seems no serious order to the universe. The creativity seems entirely random.  Is that just for fun?

See, saying there is a God really solves nothing. I begin to wonder about the basic intelligence of the current inhabitants of this Earth.  I mean, they created the concept of God. Now, to be fair, there are really two main purposes to there being a God. First, apparently any serious brain will eventually give rise to the question of Why/How did this universe come into being. I mean, you can’t look around the Earth without at some point, asking yourself, Why? Why does this exist, and why does this exist in its current form?  I mean, even a relatively young child might well look at its parents, or maybe at the dude who owns the apartment house the kid lives in and, say, now they could not possibly have created all this. So, Who did? And then, the inevitable God thing pops into the head.

But, then, after the God thing pops into the head, some creature will inevitably begin thinking . . . hmmm, what if I tell folks that I have met God, and I have developed this special relationship. And I am going to tell folks what God wants them to do.  And then, if they do what God wants them to do, then, after they pass on, they will have a wonderful afterlife with God. Oh, you didn’t know about the afterlife thing? Well, let me tell you.  See, The God wants us to behave in reasonable ways—I know, I know, there are many definitions to “reasonable”.  At any rate, she has informed me that, to encourage reasonable behavior, she created two afterlife entities—Heaven and Hell. If you have behaved, then, when you pass on, you will rise into the heavens, and you will again get to mingle with your past BFFs. Yeah, you can chat with them if you wish. Also, you will be able to peer down onto Earth and see what your family is up to. So, when they talk to you, you will know what they are saying, and you can respond, sort of.

But, then, for those folks who chose to behave badly while here on Earth, she created this kind of nasty afterlife place, where you will live on in pain from the fires down there. Yeah, and you will not be able to chat with anyone. Yeah, boring, huh? Well, to be fair, that is the point.  But see, that’s why she began chatting with me. She wants folks to understand that behaving well while here results in a good deal afterwards.  And she has left me with an understanding of what is or is not good behavior.

But now, back to this beginning thingie. She has not yet told me much about the origins, or why she invented things as she did.  Nope, she says, somedays she may chat it up with me and then, I can pass it on. But for the moment, we have to accept the fact that she exists, she created everything, and that’s all we need to know.

See, so that’s good, huh?  We don’t really need to know how or why this Universe thingie was created, or who created it. Well, technically, she says that she created it. But she will not talk about who created her, or even why she invented everything to begin with. Maybe she was bored?

And so, I am awaiting that chat session when her Almightiness begins to chat with me about origins. Now that should be interesting, huh?  I plan to ask her:

1.       1. Is this Universe the only one that exists, or is there another one(s) out there about which we are unaware?

2.          2. Why did she create the universe to begin with? Was she really just bored, or was there some purpose? And if there was a purpose, what was that purpose?

3.          3. Does she have a mum and/or dad? I mean, how/why does she exist? Does she exist in order to have someone to blame for us?  I mean, we’re a pretty bad lot. Were we just her mistake . . . like she was just fooling around, and she created us without meaning to? And now she’s stuck with us?

4.          4. Did she also create something in this universe that will eventually cause us to disappear?  I mean, that would have been the responsible thing to do, right?

5.          5. Is she answerable to another superbeing? That would also seem reasonable huh?

6.      Since I’m the only one with whom she has spoken, could she tell me how to get rid of those creatures who now pretend to know her? I mean, they are really getting out of hand.

7.      And, lastly, when will she tell me what the hell is going on?  I am getting really tired of holding all this stuff inside and may soon explode. Oh, and how long is she going to keep me stuck in this blind wilderness? I mean, I have been here for a really long time. So, what another 100 years or so?

So, OK, I’ll get back to you later, as soon as she decides to have that chat with me. But for now, behave yourselves. That really is better than the alternative. Trust me.