Saturday, July 01, 2000

Does God exist?
Now there is a question that has addled our minds for thousands of years! 

We have pondered in quiet contemplation.  Philosophers much brighter than I have argued the dilemma. Our leaders have made laws to protect our beliefs, and condemn our beliefs, and then protect our right to believe.  Indeed, armies of thousands have gone to war over this very thing. Today, still, there are those who would rather die than give up their beliefs.  There are religious leaders who teach from a book a theology thousands of years old.  There are spiritual gurus claiming new found understanding in ancient techniques. There are those who provide a new, modern understanding of the subject. There are those who tell us that we ARE God. There are even those who argue that all this is futile for there is no such thing as God anyway.

There are scientists who believe it is all to do with a mathematical equation.  There are medical professors who have mapped our genetics.  Some say it is God's signature, some suggest it shows that there is no need for a God.

As an average Human Being, I ask:
What about evolution? How does that fit into the picture?  What about our new found ability to clone life?  What about our latest understanding of how the universe unfolds?  What about the big bang?  What about atoms and super-strings?

What about our neighbourhood?  Are we indeed alone?  Do aliens believe in God?  Are they Buddhists? Are they Catholic?  Has Jesus been to see them too?  Or Mohammed? Do they have a Pope?  Are there alien species who have advanced in both science and theology and found answers to these questions?

Do they still war? Do they have government? Do they die?

About two years ago my biological mother (I was given up for adoption at birth, a story I will share with you soon) came out to Australia to visit.  On one of the cold, snowy Sunday afternoons we sat talking about these very things. Now my mother is very religious. She was raised a Catholic, she will die a Catholic. Her beliefs are firmly grounded in the Christian teachings.

My adopted mother is a Catholic too.  I was raised a Catholic.  I spent my high school years at Marist Brothers College in Johannesburg.  As a matter of fact, I was the chairman of our local Students Christian Association when I was in standard nine (the penultimate year of school in South Africa).  At the time I considered, deeply, becoming a priest.  But there were some basic questions that I could not get answers to.  For those things that seemed obvious anomalies, I was told to have faith. Some things are beyond us, they said, and are not for us to understand.

Later that same year at school (1982) I attended a Christian Seminar held in Johannesburg.  The speaker was a dynamic preacher called Pasteur Baunker (forgive the spelling, but that is as close as I can remember his name!). This guy was vibrant and charismatic.  I listened to his words and he made a lot of sense.  Near the end of the session he invited people to go up on stage for the 'laying of hands'.  This is where they put their hands on you and through prayer you accept Christ in your life.  I decided to do it.  I wanted Christ in my life.

I remember being on stage.  I remember Pasteur Baunker putting his hands on me.  I remember the lightning bolt.  I remember nothing else. 

My girlfriend at the time later filled in the blanks...
Apparently she saw me walk off stage, down the steps and out the side door.  Brother Bernard (one of the teachers at our school) went to meet me.  By the time Daniela found me I was on my knees in front of Brother Bernard.  He was sitting holding my hands.  I was staring up at him, beseeching him.  I was talking a language neither could understand.  Then I passed out.

I woke up that day.

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