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Those Who Demand To Know Whether God Exists

Excerpt from the book, The Far-off Event.


..................
Chapter 23

.........When they returned from their trip to the lake, they
found Dr. Singh waiting for them in the classroom. A loaf of
bread was on the table. Amy looked at it hungrily.

They settled down behind their desks and placed their
notebooks in front of them.

“Welcome back,” said Dr. Singh getting up from his
chair. “This will be our last lesson for the day. I shan’t take
too long. I know that you are tired and hungry and want to
get back to your rooms. But the lesson you are going to
learn in a few moments is an important one. Once you
understand it, you’ll be able to see the Truth so clearly that
half of the answer to the mystery of life and death - will be
solved.”

He pointed to the loaf of bread that was on the table. “As
you know - all things are built upon Truth. So tell me -what
Truth is this loaf of bread built on?”

“The Truth that we need to eat?” said Jim.

“Right. Now you also know that all things are built on
reason. Everything is built upon reason. In other words,
there’s a reason for everything. So if we take a look at this
bread over here - we can say with the greatest certainty that
there’s a reason why this bread exists on this table.”

“Now let’s consider this a mystery. There’s a loaf of
bread on the table. It’s a mystery how it got there. So how
shall we go about solving this mystery? Of course - by
asking the magic question why. Why is this a magic question?
Because when you ask the question why - you get to
the bottom of the mystery. You find out the reason behind
the mystery. In this case, we shall know the reason why the
bread is on the table.”

Everyone listened in rapt attention. This was so ridiculously
simple that they were amazed how they never
thought about it that way!

“So tell me my friends, why is there a loaf of bread on the
table?” Dr. Singh had a smile on his face.

The answer to that question was just too easy. Amy gave
the answer. “Because,” she said with confidence. “Someone
put it there!”

“Very good!” said Dr. Singh. “Someone put it there. And
that’s the reason why the bread exists on the table. The
mystery is solved, isn’t it? You know that someone had to
put that loaf of bread on the table. Even though you didn’t
see anyone do it. Now tell me, would you be reasonable if
you said that nobody put this loaf of bread on the table?
That it got there all by itself?”

“That’s not possible,” said Jim. “And anyone who says
that that loaf of bread got there on the table by itself - well
seriously - I think he needs to have his head examined!”

“So all of you agree that nobody would ever come to the
conclusion - that the loaf of bread appeared on the table by
itself - or that nobody put it there.”

Dr. Singh had a way of making things abundantly clear
and the students had absolutely no hesitation in agreeing
with what he said.

“Let me however tell you the reason why nobody would
come to such a conclusion,” went on Dr. Singh. “It’s because
there is a certain law that operates in this universe.
It’s a law that provides us with one of our most important
clues in solving any mystery. A law that leads us to conclude
that everything is built upon reason. What law am I talking
about?”

When nobody answered, Dr. Singh revealed, “It’s the law
of cause and effect!”

There were heads nodding in total agreement. And they
listened intently as Dr. Singh continued speaking. “The law
of cause and effect tells us that if there is an effect, there has
to be a cause. And if there is a cause, there is bound to be an
effect. So when you see this loaf of bread on the table - we
can ask - what caused it to appear there on the table? We
ask about the cause because it was not there before. So if
something exists, then it means that it was caused to come
into existence. In other words, it was created or made. So
what are our conclusions going to be when we see this loaf
of bread on the table? One - that someone put it there. And
second - that someone made it.”

“How right you are!” exclaimed Marie with the greatest
admiration.

“It would be unreasonable to say,” went on Dr. Singh,
“that nobody made this loaf of bread. Agree?”

They agreed indeed.

“Okay now, let us think a little about the millions of
things we make or create. Tables, chairs, buildings, refrigerators,
cars, pots and pans, clothes etcetera. Why do all
these things exist? They exist because we made them. In
other words, they were caused to come into existence. They
are the effect and we are the cause. A thousand years ago,
the car didn’t exist. It exists today however. And the reason
why it exists is because we made it. We created it. We
caused it to come into existence. Got it?”

“This is not all hard to follow,” commented Andrew.

Dr. Singh desired to explain the phenomenon of cause
and effect a little more. He went on with his speech, “Yes, it
is not at all hard to understand how the law of cause and
effect works. For example, let’s say we are walking in the
desert. Suddenly we come across an abandoned truck. We
didn’t see who made it, but certainly we would never come
to the conclusion that nobody made it. Or that it appeared
there by itself. We would never say that it formed itself out
of thin air. There’s also another conclusion that we would
reach. And that is - the truck was made by human beings.
Not by any animal, insect or bird.”

“Oh, but that’s so obvious!” said Marie.

“You’ll be surprised how many people shut their eyes to
things that are so obvious,” said Dr. Singh. “Especially in
this area - about things of the unseen. They would come to
unreasonable conclusions and say things like - nobody made
the truck. Or that it was made by a hyena or an eagle or a
snake!”

“Nobody would say things like that!” said Martha swiftly.

“You’ll understand what I mean in a little while,” responded
Dr. Singh.

Henry could not help chuckling.

---------end of chapter 23------------

Chapter 24

“When we are confronted with a mystery to
solve,” said Dr. Singh, “we usually have to deal
with effects. We identify and observe the effects and then
ask about the cause. That’s how mysteries are solved. So
what are effects? How do we recognize them?”

Dr. Singh wrote down the following on the blackboard:

Effect = Existence or presence of anything which was
previously non-existent

“Any event, happening or occurrence is also an effect,”
he went on. “For example, if you come across a burnt
building - what would you think? Why is the building burnt,
right? You would ask what caused the building to be in that
state. Obviously that building wasn’t like that when it was
built. So we can say that at one time that building did not
exist in that burnt-down state. But now it does. Therefore
the existence of the building in that burnt state indicates that
it’s an effect.”

He paused and then continued, “We’re always asking
about causes. Why do we ask for causes? Because we want
to know the reason why a thing exists - such as this loaf of
bread. We want to know the reason why things happen.
Like a building that gets burnt down. We want to know the
reason why things are the way they are. Our mission therefore
is to find out what is the cause. And if we can find the
cause - we have solved the mystery.”

“Just like when we see a dirty and smelly old man?”
asked Amy.

Dr. Singh raised his eyebrow.

“I mean - we can ask why he is dirty and smelly,” explained
Amy at once, wondering if she had said something
stupid. “We can ask what caused him to be like that - dirty
and smelly?”

Dr. Singh smiled. “You’re right! Certainly we can ask
that. Very good!”

Amy felt very encouraged. “Also what about a messy
room?” she said. “We can ask what caused that room to be
messy?”

“Excellent!” cried Dr. Singh very much pleased. “Can
you think of any other examples?”

“How about an accident?” said Jim. “We can ask what
caused it, right?”

“And murder?” said Andrew. “Like when the police want
to know who is the person who caused the murder?”

“Good,” said Dr. Singh. “It looks like you have understood
the principle of cause and effect well. We are now in a
position to solve our little mystery...the mystery of what
happens after death.” He walked towards the black door
and stood before it. There was a serious look on his face.

“Like I said - I’m not going to solve the mystery for you.
Nor am I going to tell you the answers to the questions you
have on your mind. You’re going to have to come to your
own conclusions. But Truth is very clear and obvious
especially to those people who are looking for it. So in just
a few moments you’ll be face to face with the Truth. The
Truth which you may dislike. The Truth which is very bitter.
I have asked you before and I’ll ask you again - do you wish
to proceed?”

Richard’s face grew pale. The time had come at last. He
knew that he was very close to the Truth. And he didn’t
want to know it. Somehow he felt that it was going to be
something he wouldn’t like. “But I don’t have to accept the
Truth if I don’t like it,” he told himself. “Nobody can make
me accept it!”

“We’re ready to face the Truth!” declared Marie. The rest
of them were all eager to know what Dr. Singh was going
to reveal next.

“Alright!” said Dr. Singh. “All of you went outdoors
today. You were told to make observations. So tell me -
what did you observe?”

Amy went first. “I saw many things,” she said opening
her notebook. “Lots of trees and plants - pretty flowers,
green leaves, green grass - an ant-hill - some termites. I
even saw a big spider-***! There was a spider on it too -
and some squirrels. They had bushy tails!”

“I made some different observations,” said Marie. “I saw
falling leaves and I felt the wind blowing. And I was thinking
about how things fall. Because of the earth’s gravity. I
saw birds flying in the air. They have wings and that’s why
they can fly. Then at the lake, I saw some fish in the water.
They have gills, fins and tails.”

“Very good observations,” commented Dr. Singh.

“I wrote down pretty much the same things that Amy
wrote,” said Andrew.

“Richard? Let’s hear what observations you made,” said
Dr. Singh noting how Richard seemed to be a little withdrawn.
Richard opened his notebook. “I’ve observed,” he said
slowly. “That my legs had grown weak and tired after
walking only a little distance. And that I was feeling thirsty
and hungry. I’m sorry if I’m talking only about myself - but
these are my observations -about how I felt. At the lake, I
sat down and wrote down many other things. I’ve been
thinking about my own death - which is going to be soon.
And then I looked around me and saw that death comes to
all things. The trees, plants, animals - the birds, insects,
fish....reptiles. There are many living things on earth. They
all die. And another thing I’ve noted is day and night. I felt
rather thankful that night was going to come in a few hours.
It’s the time for rest and sleep....which I need very badly.
Lastly I must say that everything in nature is so orderly and
systematic. And peaceful.”

“Awesome!” said Jim looking at Richard in admiration.

“Yes,” agreed Dr. Singh. “That’s deep thinking -observing
how everything around us is perishing. Wonderful!”

Then it was Jim’s turn. He cleared his throat. “Well, I
have made some very obvious observations,” he said. “Like
we’re wearing clothes. There’s no other animal out there
that wears clothes. Then the fact that the earth is round in
shape. And so is the sun. Actually each thing seems to have
a specific size and shape. Including us human beings. We
have two hands, two feet and we walk erect. And also one
more thing. We don’t have tails!”

“Ah, those observations are obvious alright,” remarked
Dr. Singh. “But I love them! People have a tendency to
overlook what is most obvious - and that isn’t good at all.
We need to take into consideration all things, including
things that are obvious - in order to come to the right
conclusion. Nothing must be left out.”

Martha was the last one to speak. “My observation is
this,” she said. “We’re different from the animals and creatures
that exist on this planet. There are many things to see
and observe. But that has been my main observation - that
human beings seem to be special creatures.”

“I’m impressed,” commented Dr. Singh. “All of you have
made some really great observations. You have seen the
existence of many things - living as well as non-living. It’s a
fact that there are many things in this universe. The logical
question to ask therefore is - why do these things exist?
Why are things the way they are?”

“You’ve learnt that the existence of anything that wasn’t
there before is an effect. So the question to ask is - have all
the things you have seen and observed always existed? Or -
was there a time when those things didn’t exist?”

“You see - if there was a time when these things did not
exist - then we must ask the question what caused them to
exist. All the things you have seen and observed are effects.
If so, we should ask about the cause. This is where we
wonder about our own existence. We want to know what
caused us to be here.”

“Nothing caused us to be here,” said Richard at once.
“All things have evolved to be what they are.”

Martha rolled her eyes. “That stupid evolution theory!”
she thought.

“Evolved?” said Dr. Singh. He laughed heartily. “No, no,
my friend! The evolution theory does not have any ground
to stand on. I personally think it’s all nonsense!”

Richard was not very pleased. It showed on his face.

“You’d think it was nonsense too, Richard,” said Dr.
Singh seeing that he had to explain the matter clearly to
him.

“You see, the evolution theory rests on two assumptions,”
and he wrote on the board:

Assumption 1: The universe has always been there
Assumption 2: Life emerged from non-living matter

“The first assumption has been totally destroyed by
recent astronomical discoveries. We have found that our
universe is in a continuous state of expansion. And the
galaxies are speeding away from one another. ****d on this,
scientists have come to the conclusion that at one time the
universe did not exist. It came into existence as a result of a
big bang. What does that mean? It means that it was caused
to come into existence. In other words - the universe hasn’t
always been there.”

“The second assumption is absolutely ridiculous,” he
went on. “Life comes from life. Non-living things never
become alive all of a sudden. Scientists have tried with all
their might and technological expertise to create living
things out of non-living matter. To this day they have not
succeeded. They never will! Just think about it! Can a dead
man ever make a woman pregnant? Can a dead woman ever
give birth to a child? This is an impossibility!”

Martha was extremely pleased. She simply loved the way
Dr. Singh blasted the evolution theory. Marie threw her a
glance and nodded her head in support.

“Let’s get back to our observations,” said Dr. Singh
totally ignoring Richard’s reaction to what he had just said.

They all looked on as Dr. Singh wrote a few things on
the board:

Observation 1: The tails of squirrels are bushy.
Observation 2. Birds have wings.
Observation 3: The sun is round in shape.
Observation 4: Spiders make spider-***s.
Observation 5: We are living beings.

“We’ve learned that the first step in solving any mystery
is observation. These are some of the things you have
observed. And now - what we are going to do is simply ask
the magic question why. So tell me -why are the tails of
squirrels bushy?”

They were silent for a while. Then Jim had an answer.

“Because that’s the way they have been made,” he said.

Dr. Singh wrote on the board:

1. The tail of a squirrel is bushy because that’s the way it
has been made.

He asked the rest of the questions and then wrote down
their answers on the board. The answers were as follows:

2. Birds have been given wings so that they can fly.
3. The sun is round in shape because it has been made
that way.
4. Spiders can make spider-***s because they have been
taught how to do it.
5. We are living because we have been given life.

“Now - we’re going to do a grammar exercise,” said Dr.
Singh with a big smile. “All these sentences are in the
passive voice. Change them to active. What do you get?”

They gave their answers and Dr. Singh wrote them all
down. They were as follows:

1. The tail of a squirrel is bushy because SOMEONE
made it that way.
2. SOMEONE gave birds wings so that they can fly.
3. The sun is round in shape because SOMEONE made it
that way.
4. Spiders can make spider-***s because SOMEONE
taught them how to do it.
5. We are living because SOMEONE gave us life.

The Truth was staring at them in the face. There it was -
as clear as crystal right before their very noses. They
couldn’t deny it. It was after all the only answer that made
sense! But Dr. Singh did not declare that Truth to them. It
was something they had to figure out on their own. However,
Dr. Singh decided to help them a little.

“Who is this someone? Do you know?” he asked his
awestruck audience. “Remember the elimination method?
We must eliminate all those answers which are unlikely and
improbable. So what answers must we rule out? We must
rule out all animals, insects, birds, reptiles that live on earth.
We must rule out all plant life. We must also rule out all
non-living things. And yes! We must rule out human beings
as well. Human beings did not teach the spider how to make
that spider-*** - nor are they the ones who made the sun
round in shape. So who is that SOMEONE - what is the
only answer that is left?”

“Mon Dieu!” exclaimed Marie quite forgetting that she
was speaking French.”

Dr. Singh nodded his head. “I think I agree with you
there,” he said. “He would be known as Dieu in French,
Bhagwan in Hindi, Allah in Arabic, Tuhan in Malay.....and in
the English ********?”

There was silence in the classroom as they waited for Dr.
Singh to finish speaking.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said at last. “In the English
******** He is known as God - the Creator of this universe
and all things in it!

-------end of chapter 24---------

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