The Case for the God of Abraham

Chapter Two- The Setting

This is a tale as old as time, but it's not a love story. At least not in the traditional sense. Our story actually begins before time as we understand it. Based on our current perception, the universe in which you and I dwell appears to be moving in a linear format. Much like the words on this page. However, in our story the words are moving from right to tfel. I mean from thgir ot tfel. Ahem! Sorry about that. Let's just say our story is linear. There are languages that read in the opposite direction that you and I may be used to.

It is very difficult to understand the concept of a story that takes place outside of time. Imagine trying to keep the details straight when you are recalling them in one moment, and precalling them in the next. 'What kind of nonsense is this?' Why am I using words that don't exist like precall. If you are a non-linear being you would need such a word to convey your premory. Then there is the quandary of variation in potential future events. In our world we use words like premonition. However, for a being who is not subject to our "before and after" concepts, a premory is happening right now. Are you confused? So am I.

Let's try this. Imagine you are non-linear. If someone were to ask you: 'What came before you?' you might have difficulty conveying to your enquirer that before does not apply to you. There is no before, because you don't exist inside of time. You may visit from time to time, but it's not your home. Conversely, if someone who lived inside of time visited you outside of time, it would probably be as pleasant to them mentally as our current perception of falling into a black hole. It would literally rip such an individual to pieces.

Now, imagine that such a being who lives outside of time had the ability to influence outside of itself. We might call this influence 'a willing', or an act of creation. Bear in mind, time does not exist at this point, therefore whatever is 'willed into existence', or emanates from this non-linear being would also exist outside of time. If this emanation was also self-aware, then it would be eternal from our linear standpoint, because it too would be a non-linear being as well. This being would be in the beginning (when time comes into existence) with its companion sharing the same nature of eternity. Therefore, from the standpoint of linear beings like you and me, this person would be eternal, but from the standpoint of the one from whom it emanated it would have a beginning, although existing before the beginning as we would understand it.

I hope I haven't lost you in the story. Just to make sure we are all on the same page. This story is not the beginning. For the sake of our finite minds to comprehend, it is before the beginning. Gotta love pretext! This you might say is the preamble of the story.

So, what's with all the mental gymnastics? I guess I could have just said: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God"...but I'm getting ahead of the story again. This story is not about who is, or isn't the master of the universe. I know that is probably what you have always been told, but I'm here to tell you it's not. It's a love story in the truest sense.

Whenever you have at least two individuals you have a potential for a relationship. If those individuals begin to work together as a team, just imagine what they could create given enough time. That is exactly what we are told by both science and faith. Our universe had a beginning.

Two diametrically opposed positions actually agree on one irrefutable fact. Time as we know it had a starting point. The details might diverge after that, but common ground has been established.

As humans we have great difficulty getting along with each other. Despite this detail, have you noticed we also have an amazing ability to overcome this obstacle when we have a common goal? We find a way to put our differences aside when the task is more desirable than the disagreements that divide us.

If we can accomplish so much as a team, imagine what a father and son, or a husband and wife could accomplish with unlimited resources, and limitless eons of time. Then imagine if at least one of those beings became not only a participant but also an observer. What if eventually one or more of these beings came to tell us the story? What if after centuries of struggling with our fellow humans one of these beings sat down in a tent with a shepherd who lead his people out of an oppressive situation and began recounting the story? How do you suppose such an individual would begin the narrative? Now, bear in mind the one writing the story doesn't live in our modern scientifically developed world. He can't tackle concepts like non-linear, and outside of time. The story would need to be simple but understandable to the reader. How would you begin?

Remember, the story doesn't have to be scientifically accurate. There would be room for ambiguity. Also, the moral messages would need to take precedence over precise details. Metaphor would be very useful to such a storyteller. Therefore, what the storyteller conveys would be true from a certain point of view. If he or she chose to tell it from the standpoint of an observer, but the one listening didn't realize this, 'something might get lost in translation' as the saying goes.

For instance the storyteller might as an observer refer to their progenitor as the creator even though all things came into existence through the one telling the story as well. Therefore, this storyteller would begin not with the phrase: 'In the beginning I created', or even 'we created'. The reason for this omission will become clear as we discover the true story. For now the only way to begin would be from the standpoint of an observer of creation as it occurs, but concise enough for the listener to follow. Therefore, something simple like: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Up to this point we have established a setting for our storyteller. Next we need to discover the storyteller's reason for telling this particular story in the manner in which it is being told. Only then can we understand the story. Where are we headed. Turn the page and see.