Tricky Theological Judgements

There's nothing quite like debating deep theological questions over breakfast. Which is why, on the whole, I prefer to eat in my own Morning Room these days, and join the punters later on.

This morning threw up one of those interesting theological conundrums, however. Golwordf has become convinced, from the beauty of the world and the inherent logic of mathematical physics, that God is a kind, loving left-brained character who will welcome us with open arms when we die into a world of cool, pure mathematics.
Whereas Solbert has been investigating the Ichneumon wasp, the threefold rotational symmetry of the Influenza Haemagglutinin protein and the terrifying power of the gamma-ray emissions from the Crab Nebula. Somehow from all this he has derived the belief that the universe is ruled by a divine gang of vicious killer monkeys who, after the universe has been consumed in gamma-ray fire, will resurrect us simply to torture us all. Then kill us with gamma-ray fire. And then resurrect us. Forever.

Naturally with this kind of disagreement they came to me to share my wisdom. And I told them what I always say. With truth of this kind it's not just either/or but both/and. All truths are the same - there are many routes to the top of the same mountain (although I don't normally recommend the south face - there are some terrifying avalanches going that way). So the Divine is both a divine and loving mathematician, and a gang of vicious killer monkeys.

They went away confused, but at least they've stopped hitting each other. I tell you, I don't know how much longer I can keep this sort of thing up.