Post-Theology and/or Pre-Millennium
Now I sure don't have the keys to the kingdom, but I can do simple arithmetic. Given that one universe exists, and that there is no law against it, there ought to exist a non-denumerable infinity of other universes. Now even if only one out of a quadrillion of those universes had as much intelligence (sic) as ours, that would leave us only another non-denumerable infinity of cosmic genii with whom to contend. Now unless there is another law that specifically prohibits these emergent genii from engaging in non-local, intercosmic intercourse, we're talking many, many megabytes of intelligence here, there and everywhere, and everywhen, for that matter.
But if the intercosmic Genie is so smart, well, why are we so stupid? Why are we barely able to keep ourselves from committing nearly constant mayhem on each other? Where is this Genii when we truly seem to need her? Does the world not seem to have more than its quota of evil. Perhaps we are dealing with an evil Genie? You and I are certainly not the first to have wondered about this.
There is really only one answer to this question that has ever made any sense. All is well that ends well. One cannot address the question of good and evil without addressing the eschaton. If you remember Theology 101, you will remember that eschatology has to do with the end(s) of all things. But, wait, isn't the end of the world also something bad, hardly something to look forward to? How can two wrongs make a right?
There is a kind of throwaway answer. The end of the world is kind of like graduating to eternity, after, admittedly, a few hard knocks. It's about going somewhere, nowhere and everywhere. Again, no one has presented me with the keys to that kingdom, not yet. But some of us are sure to find out sooner than others, and despite all appearances I am really not in a big hurry -- only a little hurry. I am a minimalist when it comes to hurry. Thus we have the Millennium. I'll bet you'd thought I was going to forget about it.
5/18/02