BOARD GAME Trilogy Part I

What you are about to read is my own particular view and experience of life. It is neither a scientific, theological or philosophical thesis. It might sound silly, maybe shocking. Either way, this discussion does not intent to convince anyone to agree with it. The only outcome hoped for from the audience reading is, reflection and maybe analysis or constructive criticism of the content. You may or may not identify yourself with the context and may or may not, gather some insights from it. Any response is a positive response, if only laughter.

BOARD GAME

Part I

Life is some sort of force, composted by a start and end point in time and is made either from simple or complex structures designing a diverse range of beings. However diversified the environment presents itself as, be it conducive or not, life always finds a way to develop, improve, survive and multiply. Life is also thought to exist within other planets in the universe. Science has already identified some sort of life forms on planets in the solar system beyond Earth. Even so, birth, growth and death define the cycle of life as we know it. Whether a being is on the top or the bottom of the life hierarchy chain, its life goes through the cycle without exceptions. Every single being has a purpose in life: some with simple tasks, others with more complex ones. Either way, all living things have a reason to be. Apparently, humans differ from other animals from one element or 01% on their DNA sequence thus bringing us closer to a similar morphological origin.

The origin of life remains an intriguing subject: a controversial web of speculations, theories, discoveries and faith. It has constantly been researched and explored across the generations as a polemic discussion. It will continue be for discussed for many generations to come until its roots have been finally unveiled. The sheer mystery of all things has left traces and hints of its remains through history, making our endeavours to gain insights even more exciting. Life on Earth is still a new element considering the age of the planet and when life first appeared. Dinosaurs lived about 66 million years ago before their extinction, whereas Earth´s age is approximately 4 billion years old. Then, mankind came along about 2.4 million years ago, and registered its initial evolutionary process from 200,000 years ago. And yet, life is still evolving.

Everything has its own purpose, life in particular. On the life food chain, it is possible to observe how its cycle is literally perfect. Everything comes together in harmony. Some elements of the chain are seen as weak compared to others. Although that is part of the cycle, those which are weaker or stronger by comparison, actually have a purpose to be in that position. They are all essential to keep life in balance. But still, the purpose of each kind of being is unique, including mankind. Humans truly are unique beings. Even identical twins have presented a DNA mutation that distinguishes one from another. The human body is a magnificent machine, functioning through a perfect complex system. Despite its fragility in comparison to other animals in the life chain, it is able to develop itself physically and mentally. It uses on average 10% of its brain´s capacity and yet, it has done amazing things and progressed so far, using such small percentage of its potential. But what exactly is the purpose of all that?

The purpose of being is an individual mission, each of us having our own life journey. Some people may never find it, or when they do, know what to do with it. Some people may have lived according to their purpose without realising it. Some people may know their purpose and have ignored it for some particular reason. Ultimately, this is another part of the whole existential jigsaw that science has been exploring in parallel with religion and thinkers. Some intellectual strands think life and the universe are part of a mathematical matrix. Others think they are an equation of physics and chemistry combined. Different strands also perceive them as a cosmic cycle moved by energy, whereas others believe they are part of a Superior Energy. However they are seen and understood, they are interconnected, both having a purpose to exist. What if, all those theories above are correct? If that is so, the starting point of this exploring endeavour is to put all this tangled information in order.

I see this "pandemonium web" in my own particular way. I believe it has been designed strategically by a Superior Energy. This design contains elements from all those other strands´ theories. Even though I am a Christian, I have questioned and doubted God´s intentions and methods and how God has been managing this whole thing. That is an ongoing process of understanding beyond one´s grasp, endlessly searching for answers. I have made my mind up a zillion times and will change it again. I have come up with my own theory. I assume that the majority of people acknowledge the existence of the Holy Bible, but have never read it. After reading it, divergent thinking will occur. Many biblical events are well-known one way or another, which makes easier to connect with the next theory.

To introduce my own theory, some things must be acknowledged before continuing. Firstly, the Superior Energy is called God. Secondly, all beings are pieces in the game. Thirdly, the universe is the board. Last and not least, life is the board game. This is a God´s board game. For a little while, I have thought this theory was the most feasible I could come up with and still believe that. There was a time that my perception of this game was that I had been played with more than had played as an individual player. The board is a master plan designed with a beginning, middle and end: a labyrinth without scape. The only way to survive in it is to go with the flow, following the pre-stablished rules. If the rules are broken, the consequences will come to the board piece sooner or later. Following this theory is like reading a Marvel comic. Many of them have had the inspiration for their plot from episodes found in the Holy Bible. Bearing that in mind, this theory is neither religious nor is it a conspiracy. It is just another interpretation for appreciation. Anyway, as the game continued, an extraordinary event occurred and completely changed my perception once for all:

Once upon a time, in an endlessly one-dimensional, spiritually timeless and cosmically shapeless kingdom, there God existed. God was bored. Feeling lonely in an immortal existence, God decided to conceive some sort of companions, the Angels. God was pleased with had been conceived. Everything was going according to God's plan, until a rebellion happened. One of God's angels consciously noticed it was not as powerful as God and questioned this. The magnificence of God answered saying: "you are my creation and there is neither one before or after Me, only Myself." The Angel did not accept this and decided to plot a rebellion against God. That brought sadness to the kingdom. God decided to ban the rebel, the fallen Angel. Once the Angel realised it would never be like God, it vowed to sabotage all God's plans and wreak devastation on all that had been created. God magnanimously acknowledged the challenge and imposed limits on the fallen Angel and its legion. After all, the fallen Angel was still God´s creation.

Boredom continued in the kingdom until God had an epiphany and decided to create other dimensions. In one of them, put the universe and life. This particular creation was triggered by a small energy explosion that it has been called "The Big Bang Theory". As God´s kingdom and power are everlasting, what takes a split of second for God has taken billions of years in humankind´s time. And so the whole evolutionary process started. Life had its cycle: beginning, grow and ending. Everything in this dimension had the same fate. The evolution of the universe and life are spectacular events. Every existing thing has come from the tiny particles that gathered together, developing into an almost unbelievable and innumerable variety of beings, perfectly structured to live as long as they were designed to. It is inconceivable to believe such perfection came for no reason. Nothing was the initial point of all, then it has become something. Something is no longer nothing, and nothing has definitively come for something.

Science has illustrated creation pretty well, using probable elements alongside the Holy Bible using metaphors for the same purpose. Having said that, there is confusion when readers ignore the context of this book, its time and place and most importantly, why it exists. It has a reason to be. It does not contain the answers to all questions. Just because some subject has not been mentioned in it, it does not mean it does not exist. For example, the first habitants on Earth and their territory, Pangea, are not mentioned, neither their origin nor extinction and yet, that is a fact. The way events were described in the Holy Bible, does not mean that was literally the way things happened. Believers and non-believers must understand this and accept that these metaphors are not literal truth. The world is amused by a battle between delusion and ignorance. That is why the book has been misread across the generations.

God is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient!

Once the universe was in place, functioning and in harmony, God created mankind. The time gap between mankind appearing and its first evolution was registered is more than a million years. During this period, the primates had a long period enjoying "The Garden of Eden", slowly evolving their race. Then, in a particular moment in time, God chose one specific couple, a man and woman called Adam and Eve, to be in charge of all living things in the Garden. As it was to become human nature, they came to their consciousness realising they were able to do so much more than had been done before. And so the first human misjudgements occurred. Who or what came first, the chicken or the egg is not what this theory is about. It is about how everything comes together. Besides, the state of consciousness was also part of the game planned by God. Humankind were given Free Will, the ability to discern and makes choices. Now, God is no longer alone playing the game. The fallen Angel has taken its place in it. Consequently, the concept of sin was introduced to and acknowledged by mankind.

In the centre of the Garden, there was a tree which held the wisdom of all. God had forbidden the couple to enjoy its fruits, the only thing they should avoid in the entire Garden. As the couple had been given free will, they made a choice contrary to God´s request. Here is when the concept of Good and Evil began. The fallen Angel tempted Eve to approach the tree of wisdom and enjoy its fruit then persuaded Adam to follow her lead. The fallen Angel deceived them saying they would get the same wisdom as God and would become like God. That was why it was a prohibition. As a consequence of their act, a curse came upon them and all generations ever since. Ironically, God knew the chosen couple would act against God's will, allowing the fallen Angel to succeed. It was all part of the plan. Would God really share wisdom with all that God had created? Would that act not be a challenge to God by their own creation once again? Was God´s wisdom stored within a physical element easily reachable by others? Either way, something unexplainable happened in that Garden which changed the course of life forever. The Board Game had begun!

Following mankind´s "original sin", the couple realised they were naked for the first time and felt shame. Was that shame really for seeing each other´s naked bodies or actually a curse showing them their own fragility and imperfection? The curse brought them miserable lives: giving birth through pain, being susceptible to all sorts of diseases, having to provide food and shelter on their own. All animals became part of the food chain, and thus began everything else mankind has worried about in order to survive. It is interesting to observe that it seems there were immortals in existence before this event and that the Garden was designed initially for their well-being to live in harmony without any worries. Sadly, the Garden was no longer a paradise and darkness took over. That is all still part of the plan. How would God enjoy a game without drama and challenges? Therefore, sin (action) had a scale of measurement with terrible punishments and curses (consequences) towards the sinner (actor). Once the game started, more and more pieces came into play, filling the board and moving around it through many paths. This was all for God´s amusement.

Sin was now part of the game. In order to gain God forgiveness, the actors had to sacrifice an immaculate lamb through a ritual, bringing the smell of its pure blood to the skies. That was the law. As proof of that, Cain & Abel, were the first children of the chosen couple. When they offered God a sacrifice as gratitude for all the blessings, Abel, who was a pastor, offered a pure lamb. Cain, a farmer, offered the best fresh crops he had grown. As Cain, in God´s eyes, was not following the laws, his offer was rejected. From this point, Cain felt wrath and slew his brother. God enticed wrath in Cain for not accepting his offering. Cain thought he had offered the best he had learned to do and produce. Was Cain really tempted by the fallen Angel or did God arouse the dark feeling inside Cain´s heart? Either way, it seems that love was not part of the game just yet. Does love exist in God´s kingdom?

As mankind multiplied and spread across the Earth, social gatherings turned into tribes, civilisations into nations. Initially, mankind was a collection of primitives and their social behaviours, with moral codes no longer being acceptable. The notion of morality has changed since then. At first, human beings were low in numbers. The only way to multiply their race was between their common descendants: their own relatives. Even though, that might be seen as incest and debauchery, it was the only possible way. I wonder if the "original sin" really was the trigger of all mankind's consciousness. Conceivably, the Adam and Eve metaphor was the only suitable way to explain the unexplainable. Maybe it was the primates who came across abominable actions before their own evolution. Perhaps, it was performed by Cain, the first murderer in history. The emerging consciousness was that mankind is the only race which does not kill its own kind just for survival but is also guided by emotions. That is really the major tragic mystery known as Genesis. Humankind may have flourished but its flaws are borne of darkness.

Abomination emerged and spread across the first civilisations through mankind´s behaviours and attitudes towards each other. Violence and selfishness became commonplace and were considered acceptable within peer groups. Irrationality became the distinguishing aspect that differentiates mankind from other animals and had become intrinsic in the human nature. Whist animals acted by their basic instinct for survival, killing to feed or defending their herd and peers, Mankind has been driven by the same basic instincts but also triggered by other feelings, such as wrath and envy. Mankind remains very distinguished from other animals due to its twisted nature. The "original sin" was God´s second disappointment though it seems God knew it would happen as part of the game. God decided to start all over again, bringing an improved and enhanced version to mankind.

God is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. Has it always been so?

It seems God has been losing control of the game, as so many traces of failure have emerged. The board game and its pieces seem to have taken control of the whole journey, choosing paths according to their own will. Therefore, God decided to eradicate mankind and chose one specific believer to announce the event that was about to come. God told Noah, one of many well-known biblical characters, that a big flood would wash all mankind from the face of Earth. However, God would give those who were believers a chance to survive and start afresh instead of perishing. In order to do that, Noah was given a task to build a big ark to save all believers and a pairs of all sorts of animals as well. The specific measurements of the ark were divinely given and it was built by humans. It was quite small in comparison to what it would be called an ark nowadays. Nevertheless, it was built and saved as many believers and animals as possible, accommodating everyone in the ark, for 40 days and 40 nights, until the sight of dry land was received through a bird.

Time is relative, especially according to biblical events. Those 40 days are not even relevant, but the content of the ark is. The number of people saved was a tiny fraction of those civilisations, considering the size of the ark. It is hard to believe it would accommodate a pair of every animals in it as well. More likely, those animals were the food supply for days to come during the new beginning. Thus, the new generation had its origin from a quite small cluster of people: Noah´s descendants. Nevertheless, the main goal of this tragic event was to wash away the flaws and darkness from mankind, giving it a new chance to redeem itself into a more civilised way of being. However, the new generation had its origins from the first generations. It had the same genes as its predecessors, whose behaviours were the reason for the flood in the first place. Anyhow, the question is, was the new version of mankind really new and was it worth starting afresh?

Apparently, the Big Flood wiped all flesh, mankind and animals from the face of the earth. The first civilisations were closer to each other, not spread out across the planet. They were in relatively small and specific territorial areas. So that eradication of all flesh might have happened within a small territorial circle instead of the face of Earth. Besides, why would God eliminate all animals, when clearly the faulty creature was mankind? Despite that, the Holy Bible uses appropriate language to describe the event, considering its time and place in history. It also illustrates previous events that still are still current, such as natural phenomena. Whatever the general perception of all these supernatural or absurd episodes may be, disbelief continues mixed with all the believable possibilities that have guided this theory thus far. Science and its continuing efforts to explore, research and discover occasionally, supports a metaphor for undeniable events.

After the flood happened, God made a promise to Noah and his descendants saying all living things would never be consumed by water again. Although that is for certain, bear in mind the world still is susceptible to some sort of destruction and might be destroyed again. It is more likely that it may happen due to the actions of humankind instead rather than a natural phenomenon or by Superior Energy. Nevertheless, God also gave to all people a sign of God's promise: a perpetual reminder, a colourful arch in the skies after the flood:

"Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." (Genesis 9:16)

This sign has been appearing ever since across Earth, always after rain has passed. That was the birth of the rainbow, a meteorological phenomenon, reflecting lights in a half circle seen on the ground and only seen as a full circle from the skies. How this incredible phenomenon is seen by humans, is another spectacular paradox challenging those who believe that all perfection in life comes from nothing to nothing.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Leandro Bernardes, 2022.