Mother Nature

Written by David Barth on February 15, 2001

I present this story to reflect an alternative viewpoint.

My name is Mike. Here is my story. One night I was spoken to by a strange being. It was a beautiful woman's voice that spoke to me. She said, "Mike, I need to talk with you!"

I responded, "Who are you, and what do you want? I can't see you! Where are you?"

She said, "You have never met me."

I asked, "Are you God? Is God really a woman?"

She responded, "Of course I'm not God! Don't be stupid!"

"Well, then, who are you?"

"I am Mother Nature."

"Who the heck is Mother Nature? That woman I see in the margarine ads where the margarine tastes so much like butter it even fools Mother Nature?"

"No. You may simply call me 'Mother Nature'."

Mike thought a moment, then asked no one in particular, "Did I eat too much pepperoni and anchovy pizza last night before going to bed?"

Mother Nature softly said, "No, Mike. It is just you and me here, talking. Now, why do you think I came to you?"

"Well," Mike said, "maybe I pulled the wings off a fly when I was a kid or something like that, and you're here to admonish or punish me."

"No, Mike. I'm here to tell you something bigger than that. Bigger than you've ever known."

"Well, mysterious lady, spill it!"

"Don't get smart with me, Mike! I can make your life miserable."

"OK, OK. Sorry, I didn't mean it. But please tell me what you came here to tell me!"

Mother Nature was silent for a moment, then she spoke quietly, "Mike, I want you to know that there really is a God."

Mike thought for a moment, then said, "But Mother Nature, I don't believe in God."

"Why not, Mike?"

"Because the Bible was written by flesh-and-blood men. Of course, I believe they were very intelligent, but, nonetheless, they were simply men and their writings came not from some superior being, but from their own minds and imaginations."

"Mike, let me come back to that point. In a way, you are right. But there is something you are missing here. You refuse to believe because you are confusing mankind and all of its stupidity, with God. That doesn't make any sense."

Mike was beginning to feel very confused. "Well, Mother Nature, if there really is a God, why is there so much turmoil, hate, war, killing, and all other bad things going on?"

"Mike, you can find that out by reading the Bible. In fact, I bet you've already heard the reasoning for that question, and others like it, that attempt to prove that there isn't a God!"

"Yes, I have. But which is the true God? Is it Allah or Zeus, or any of the dozens of other Gods that the various religious factions of mankind have thrust upon us citizens of the world as being 'The True God?'"

"Mike, let me begin at the beginning. Mankind, that is, intelligent men, are trying to discover what I'll call 'The Truth.' Things like high-energy physics, the big bang, the age of the universe, where it is going, why it is expanding, what is red-shift, and does it prove the universe is expanding at an ever-increasing rate, and so on. The biggest conundrum is, what happens when we die?"

"Yes! I know many people who don't want to disappear into total darkness, forever blackness, when they die. They want to live on . . . forever. And they don't want to be in a place like hell!"

"Remember, Mike, God created everything. Man created religion. Don't you ever forget that!"

Mike considered Mother Nature's statement, then said, "But don't only those people who believe in, and totally accept God, go to heaven?"

"Mike," Mother Nature said, with a frown in her voice, "Who said anything about heaven and hell? I told you that mankind invented all of the many, many religions of the world. That means there is no 'true religion,' regardless of how emphatic the television ministers claim that theirs is the one and only religion."

"Um, I see what you mean, Mother Nature. They just want us viewers to send them money for salvation. Isn't that wrong?"

"Now you're getting the idea, Mike! Religion and money go hand-in-hand. But Mike, you're still missing the point. Let me give you an example. If you have an older, perfectly good car that runs fine, and you go out and buy a new one, that makes you feel good, doesn't it? You have that new car smell, the prestige of driving a pretty, new car, and all of your coworkers go 'oohh' and 'ahh' over it."

"Yes, of course. I bought a new car just a year ago."

"That new car cost you a lot of money, but you did it because it made you feel good, right?"

"Absolutely!"

Mother Nature waited a moment for that concept to sink in, then she said, "That is what religion on earth is all about, Mike. It is good for many people. It gives meaning to their lives, gives them a reason to live, gives them hope for their life on earth, gives them hope for an afterlife."

"But, Mother Nature, what if I don't care about the afterlife? What if I think hell is a funny joke? And what if I don't care about heaven?"

"Then your skinny ass will spend an eternity in purgatory you selfish, stupid nincompoop! Just kidding, Mike. The real answer is that if religion doesn't draw you in right now, then maybe it will, someday. In the future, maybe you will need a belief structure that it provides. As for right now, if you don't feel the need, then you don't need it. You will know if you need it when you feel pangs of emptiness in your soul; when you feel a spiritual need."

"But, Mother Nature, what if I never feel the need?"

"Well, then, bright boy, don't worry about it! This isn't rocket science, right?"

"Mother Nature, you make things sound so clear and simple. But what about my friends who, at some early age, or maybe at a later age in life, are 'born again?' What does that mean?"

"Mike, 'born again' simply means that they have accepted God and all that He is and ever will be. It means that they want to achieve a consistency and stability in their lives. It means that instead of being insane idiots without God, they are productive, happy individuals after they are 'born again;' after they come to believe and accept God as their Savior."

"But Mother Nature, what about Christ? And what is this 'Holy Ghost?"

"Mike, you make me so mad sometimes that I want to punch you out! Let me ask you a question that will answer your own question: 'Didn't I say that religion was invented, nurtured, and cultivated by MANKIND? Mike, do ALL religions accept Christ?'"

"Well, since you put it that way, M. N.!"

"Don't you ever, ever call me anything but Mother Nature! Do you understand, Mike?"

"Yes, I'm sorry Mother Nature."

"Now, do you understand what I've been saying about mankind and religion?"

"Yes, I guess I do. I have heard a lot of TV ministers say that they talk to God all the time and that He even gives them their sermons for the following Sunday."

"That's correct, Mike. It is what we'll call, 'human hocus pocus'."

"But why the hocus pocus?"

"What do the TV minister want most of all?"

"Mother Nature, they want money, some of which they donate to less fortunate people."

"That is correct, Mike. The good preachers, ministers, rabbis, mullahs, and priests give a good amount to the poor and needy who cannot help themselves or need some assistance getting their lives going again. But some of that money provides the religious people with what they need to live, too. That is not a bad thing, unless they enrichen themselves beyond their need and stockpile huge quantities of money in Swiss banks and offshore accounts."

"So, what I believe you've been telling me, Mother Nature, is to try to separate God from man. I mean, to know the difference between what man has created and what God has created."

"I'm proud of you, Mike! Now you are beginning to understand the whole religion concept. God doesn't transcribe or transmit sermons to anyone, including TV evangelists. He is a grand concept that you or, even I, cannot comprehend. When, and if, a time comes that you'll want to embrace Him, you can. But until that time, don't bad-mouth Him. He created everything, including you."

"But, wait, Mother Nature. What if God is simply an alien being who visited earth and passed on some information to people?"

"Mike, your level of thinking degrades sometimes. OK, let me help you again. Here goes. So what if God is an alien? OF COURSE HE'S AN ALIEN, YOU NUT! Anything or anyone who isn't of this planet is an Alien! So, he's an alien! But, remember, he is the all-powerful alien. He created us and all the other beings of other planets in the universe. Oops, I don't think I was supposed to let you know that they really exist out there. Your scientists and astronauts will find them when those other aliens are ready to be found. But God created them. They can travel across space because they are either smarter than we are, or they have had a longer time to work out space travel challenges. But remember, even though God is an 'alien,' he is God to all 'aliens,' including us. After all, we are aliens to those beings of other worlds."

"OK, so I take it that I shouldn't denigrate 'believers' because their beliefs work for them and keep their situation on an even keel. And that I should be ready to accept God when, and if, the time ever comes that I feel the need."

"That's right."

"But what if someone tries to convert me like the missionaries try to convert the indians of South America? And what about the Mormons who travel the world for two years to convert people?"

"Remember, Mike, no one can 'convert' you unless you want to be 'converted.' If you aren't ready, it won't work, and you can't fake it, even if you want to make a Mormon, Jesuit, Jew, Jehovah's Witness, Catholic, Muslim or Christian Scientist happy that he has a convert in you. If a person thinks they can force you to accept God, they are a little off base. And remember what I said about God and religion? They are two, totally different, things. God made everything. Some religions purport to explain how many days it took to create the earth, that the earth is only 6,000 years old, that Christ came back to life and ascended to heaven, and a whole lot of meadow muffins."

"Wait, Mother Nature! Isn't it blasphemous to say that Christ didn't exist?"

"Mike, you've got to get that wax out of your ears! I didn't say he didn't exist, did I? He was, absolutely, here on earth. He was one of the greatest proponents of God, along with Mohammed, John Smith, and a host of others. Let me ask you a question, Mike. Do all religions embrace Christ as God?"

"Of course not. I can name a bunch of them that believe he is an important historical figure, but that's it."

"Yes. Do Christians believe in Christ as God?"

"Well, yes, if I understand their belief in Trinity a little bit. I guess that is why they call themselves 'Christians'."

"Correct, Mike. Do the Christians hate and want to convert or kill those who don't believe in Christ?"

"Of course, not. They want all religions to live in harmony, each one believing in their own beliefs."

"Right, again, Mike. Now let me ask you a question. Who are the missionaries trying to convert? And, please, Mike, try to use your little pea-sized brain before you answer this question!"

Mike waited a moment, then blurted out, "Well, of course, they are trying to convert people who don't believe in anything!"

"For shame, Mike! I take you all this way, and you fail the final test. I am only an inch-worm from saying you are an imbecile! Don't you think that the South American indians, that the Easter Islanders, that everybody, everywhere, believes in SOMETHING?"

"Well, Mother Nature, now that you put it that way, I guess they do have their own supernatural ideas."

"Mike, let me digress. Why do you think the missionaries are out there, competing with each other, trying to sell their religion before some missionary from another religion gets to them?"

"Well, I guess they are trying to enlarge their own religion. They believe in their religion so strongly that they think everyone should. But why don't they try to convert people of other religions?"

Mother Nature's voice took on a soothing characteristic as she said, "Well, Mike, there is an unspoken law in the major religions of the world that they won't tread on each other. This came about after the crusades where one religion pitted itself against other religions, trying to kill the 'infidels:' those who were of a different religion. But remember, Mike, the fighting in the Middle East and the bombings in Ireland are wars of religion; wars where one religion kills the members of another religion. What do you think of that?"

"Well, Mother Nature, I thought religion was in place to make the world a better place to live."

"That is what religions preach, Mike."

"But isn't a religious war against God's will?"

"Yes, Mike," Mother Nature said in a resigned way. "Remember that religions were invented . . . "

"By mankind!" Mike exclaimed. "Religions are the part and parcel of man. But, Mother Nature, I want to know more about missionaries."

"OK, Mike. Religious expansion is the basic tenet of all religions. The bigger the following, the more secure they are. That is why they try to pick off the very small indian religions in South America and other places. These backward people believe in either God or they have beliefs that will, over time, become a belief in God. A belief in God, for someone who wants to believe in Him, is inevitable. Also, why do you think all religions are proponents of the 'right to life' concept?"

Mike thought a moment, then said, "To expand the population so that the religion will have more people to convert."

"Yes, unfortunately, that is at the core of the concept. But, lest you get the wrong idea, Mike, I want to make clear that religious leaders aren't stupid. They realize that they could just as well press for EVERY human egg to be fertilized since every egg, in theory, has a right to life! Are you surprised? You shouldn't be! Why don't they demand that every human egg be fertilized and brought forth as a viable human being? Because they are smart enough to realize the population would expand so fast that the food supply, not to mention other services, couldn't increase fast enough to meet the needs of the population. So, religions keep quiet about the right to life of an egg. Personally, Mike, I do not agree with them. Every egg DOES have a right to life. And life is withheld in most cases. Religions conveniently, and incorrectly, in my opinion, self-servingly decide when 'life' begins. Life really begins in the egg! Science has developed to the level that every human egg could be fertilized and become a human being. Religion is scared to go that far. They want a lot of extra people to join you on earth, but they know the limits. Mike, what do you think the 'number one' problem on earth is?"

"Well, uh, I guess it is overpopulation. There are children starving in many places. We have problems that are, mostly, due to the fact that there are too many of us. Of course, Mother Nature, here in America, we don't feel the problems as much as those who hunger in other, less fortunate, parts of the planet."

"You have spoken well, Mike, and you are correct. The problem is too many people on this planet, and we, even I, cannot save them. Many will die. Someday, there will be a calamity, heretofore unknown on earth, that will bring the death of hundreds of millions of people."

"Oh, I know what you're talking about, Mother Nature! The Second Coming!"

"Mike, you idiot! Who came up with the 'Second Coming'?"

"Oh, I keep getting God and religion confused, Mother Nature. It is only a few of mankind's religions that believe in the 'Second Coming.'"

"Now you're beginning to understand how the beliefs of organized religion are messed up, fractured, and self-serving, Mike."

"Well, Mother Nature, what about purgatory, heaven, hell, angels . . . "

"Shut up and think, Mike!"

"Oh, sorry. I understand. So, the Pope is not all-knowing and all-powerful."

"No human being can make that claim, Mike. Many will say they have God's ear, that they talk to God every night. If they believe, then that is good for them, and you should never question their beliefs. But by the same token, they shouldn't question yours, either. Get it?"

"But what if they think of me as an infidel, Mother Nature?"

"Forget about it. What if they think you're stupid, too? Would that bother you?"

"No."

"OK."

Mike pondered this thought for a moment, then Mother Nature said, "Let me ask you, Mike, what if every religious person gave up his religion? What would the world be like?"

Mike thought for a moment, "Well, I guess that the ideas and concepts that religion provides, the goodness and helpfulness of people, would go out the window. They wouldn't care much about others. The world would probably be a much worse place to live."

"Exactly, Mike. Do not ever question a person's religion. It is their personal, private belief. Just as you respect a person, so should you respect their religion. Do you make fun of a Jew, a Christian, a Mormon, a Hindu, a Muslim, a Buddhist?"

"Of course not. They might hurt me."

"No, Mike. You might hurt them! Remember that a person's very being, their feeling of self-worth, their self-confidence, their very existence, is based on their beliefs. If that is destroyed, they are in trouble, and you would be in trouble too, if your belief structure were destroyed."

"Mother Nature, I would feel very, very sad if I took a person's religion away from him, if it were possible to do it, God forbid."

"Mike, you just used His name in vain, and I don't Ever want to hear you do that again!"

"But, Mother Nature, it was just a, just a saying. Everybody says it, even religious people!"

"That doesn't give you the right to say it, Mike! Let me ask you a question. At this point, do you believe that there was a great, all knowing, all powerful creator?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because there really is no other way to explain everything: the miracle of birth, the miracle of the universe, and so on."

"Exactly. The evidence, for all to see, is right here, beneath our noses."

"But, Mother Nature, you were about to say something about a massive number of deaths on earth. What will that be about, and when will it happen? And is it God's will?"

"As for God's will, Mike, no human knows, or ever will know, what it is. It is beyond human comprehension or knowledge. Forget about God as a manipulator of us in our trivial day-to-day lives. No, Mike, the disaster might be of man's own making. He will not be wiped out, but many will die. There will be pockets of humanity left."

"What will happen, Mother Nature?"

"Even I do not know that, Mike. In a way, it is up to mankind. But, sooner or later, it will happen. It may be due to overpopulation, such as widespread famine. But it could also be disease, melting icecaps to raise the water level of the oceans, impact from a large asteroid or comet, or nuclear war."

"Oh, I know, maybe around Noah's time, there was icecap melting that . . . Oh, yes, Noah's story only appears in religious books such as the Bible."

"Mike, why did you verbally capitalize 'Bible?' It is only one book of dozens, including the Book of Mormon and the Koran."

"I guess I did in deference to one of the most important religions in the free world, and I feel lucky to live in the free world."

"That's OK, just so you don't delude yourself into thinking it is the one and only religion. Remember, you won't see a Christian trying to convert a Hindu! The other Hindus would get together and kick his sorry Christian ass all the way back to Timbuktu!"

"I think I'm slowly getting the idea, Mother Nature. But where do you exist in the context of God?"

"I don't, Mike. I am a figment of your imagination. I am a figment made up by mankind to describe the workings of the earth, which are really God's. Do you understand?"

"Mother Nature, it makes me sad that you don't exist. You've taught me so much. I guess I really always knew these things, but I needed someone to help bring them home to me."

"You may think kindly of me. That is nice. But always remember that the blooming Springtime flower that pokes through the snow, the little titmouse that gathers lichens for its family to eat, the howling wolf, every living and non-living thing on earth, everything in the universe - everything is God's creation, not mine. Nature is God's beauty. Remember that."

"But, Mother Nature, although I now realize that God exists, I'm not ready to embrace Him totally, nor am I ready to bow to Him or go to a church, cathedral, or synagogue in His name."

"I understand, Mike. That is an acceptable state of mind. Just as you respect those who do embrace, accept, and bow to God, so should they respect your feelings and beliefs."

"That is a nice concept, Mother Nature! May I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"For now, may I believe in you?"

"Well, Mike, that is sort of an odd belief, although there are others who do. I guess you may believe in me until the time comes, if and when, that you decide to go in another direction."

"Thank you, Mother Nature. You're the greatest!"

"No, Mike. God is."

"Oh, yes, of course!"