Maybe everything we think we know about the world around us is wrong. A philosopher at Oxford University, Nick Bostrom, says there is a one in five chance that everything in the universe that we've interacted with is no more substantial than the graphics in a typical computer game. In fact, Bostrom suggests that we all maybe characters in such a game.
The philosopher's reasoning goes something like this: If we are on the verge of being able to create artificial life and we are constantly creating ever more sophisticated computers, there's every possibility that some other intelligent life-form has already gotten there.
If true, everything we believe as people of faith would change. Maybe God isn't some all-knowing all-powerful being after all. He might be a sad, middle-aged bachelor staring fixedly upon his computer screen, a half-consumed cosmic cola by his side.
Bostrom premise offers some intriguing alternate theories about the nature of our universe. Maybe the Big Bang was that first surge of electrons coursing through a motherboard when this indescribably powerful computer was powered up for the first time. Maybe evolution did not occur in the same manner that we think it did. Perhaps it was a matter of environment in a way we have not imagined.
In other words, maybe our ancestors were more primitive than we are because someone was playing Sims on the equivalent of a Commodore 64.
What about all the times we hear about God interacting with men? In our theology, Abraham was all set to sacrifice his son Isaac when the sacrifice was stopped by God. A ram was substituted for Abraham's beloved son. Try this out as an alternate ending:
"No, you idiot," a voice from on high thunders. "I wanted you to sacrifice random access memory, not a ram."
Our theology would change in other ways as well. People who lead exemplarily lives and are obedient to God don't necessarily wind up at the pearly gates. They wind up at the pearly Gateway. And, obviously, there is a special place reserved for those of God's people who are disobedient. They wind up going straight to Dell.
The doctrine of original sin would also be altered. When Eve took a bite of that forbidden fruit, do you suppose it could have been a Macintosh?
In all seriousness, the most disturbing part of Bostrom's hypothesis is that it effectively destroys the doctrine of freewill. While this might make fans of predestination happy, I choose to believe that freewill is one of the cornerstones of our faith. Without freewill, without being able to choose what we do with our lives, our lives are effectively robbed of any real meaning or purpose. And the notion that we might be terminated at anytime by an accidental keystroke is equally disturbing.
But there is a lesson to be taken from all of this. If we wish to be treated humanely by whatever superior entity controls our universe, we would do well to treat all fellow members of creation the way we would like to be treated.
Are you listening, Michael Vick?