Choice

There is much discussion about choice these days. As I consider this, I wanted to post some thoughts.

First, choice is something we were created with. Before the world was created, the creator was with his created beings. At that time, they did not have choice in the same sense as we know it. The creator was completely satisfied. The creator was the source - of life, of happiness, of all things. Think of the largest, most complicated thing you can think of and you will not even brush the surface of understanding the creator.

The variety of creation at that time was astonishing. All of creation reflected aspects of the creator but none could contain even a very tiny particle of the whole of the creator. For example, of the created beings, many creatures were created to always follow and agree with the creator in every decision. Yet, some creatures were created to always disagree and oppose the creator. We shall call these the Opposer's. Such was the breadth of variety in creation. The creator was not troubled in the least by this and was free to love every aspect of creation.

The creatures were continually astonished at what the creator did. This was cause for great praise, worship and love by most of the creatures and constant fuel for the Opposer's. All creatures enjoyed their role in creation.

Although the variety of life that existed at that time was wonderfully broad, there was even more capacity for ingenuity available to the creator. Additionally, there was such a deep reservoir of knowledge, love and compassion that the creator decided to share this by adding to the creation.

In a flash there was something very large and brand new. We shall call it the System. So powerful is the creator that at a spoken word, the new System instantly appeared. A new aspect to the System was the idea of time. No other part of creation had this and the the creatures marveled at it. In this System as a result of time, all creatures in this System would be constrained. They would relentlessly move forward in time increments such that events would have linear order. Once an event occurred, it could not be revisited. Likewise, events that have not yet occurred could not be experienced until the proper time.

The limitations of time yielded another limitation called space. With this limitation, the creatures in the System could only occupy one physical location at any time. In order to 'move', a creature had to take time to physically relocate to a different location. As a result, it was possible that creatures in the System would not 'see' or even be aware of other creatures in the system. Space separated them and blinded them from each other unless they were in close proximity.

Among many other brilliant, never been seen before things came a unique creature. We shall call this creature the Newbs. Newbs (to the astonishment of the other creatures) had a deep capacity of choice. The other creatures marveled that the creator would develop such a depth. After all, these Newbs could now choose not to follow the creator. Their capacity for independent choice meant they could decide all manner of independent thought. As the creator is the source of all knowledge, life and happiness, this seemed very dangerous.

Rightly, the other creatures worried that this new creation would destroy themselves. For without wisdom, choice is a very dangerous thing. The creator assured them that these new creatures would be loved and infused with wisdom from the creator. Of course, because they have choice, they could choose not to avail themselves of the love and wisdom from the creator. In fact, they could choose to turn away from the creator completely and so become blind to the creator. This was unique in all of creation as all other creatures, outside the system, could always 'see' and be aware of every other creature.

The creator lived amongst the Newbs - loving them, infusing them with knowledge, teaching and guiding them. The Newbs were given jobs in the new System to tend the garden that was created. There were many other new creatures created in the System but none had this deep capacity for choice.

Shortly after the Newbs first appeared, they were accosted by the Opposer's. Because the Newbs had choice, they exercised their choice by listening to the Opposer's. As a result, they changed the fabric of the System forever. Before choosing not to look to the creator as their guide, it was possible for the creator to be amongst them and visible to them. However, in order to assure that Newbs continue to have choice, it became no longer possible for the creator to be visible to the Newbs.

The creator was not surprised or alarmed at this as it was one of many possibilities that were foreseen and planned for. All possible outcomes were already 'known' and accomodated for by the creator in the instant that the System was first born. Such was the power, wisdom and knowledge of the creator.

In fact, as a result of the Newbs choice, it became impossible for the Newbs to have any persistent link to the creator. Any persistent link would limit the Newbs choice since it would be irrational to choose not to 'see' something that is plainly seen. Or, how could the Newbs rationally choose not to believe in something that they could plainly see, hear or touch? Therefore, it was the will of the creator that the Newbs could no longer perceive the creator via the normal space/time mechanisms. And so the creator sacrificed the ability to commune with Newbs and became invisible in order to give the Newbs the continued gift of choice.

To assure choice, the creator had to enable the Newbs to perceive beyond the System as they had to have the ability to choose the creator. But this had to be based on the choice of the Newb and in such a manner that the Newb could deny it or confuse it with dreams or musings. Otherwise, it would not be the free choice of the Newb. So powerful is choice in the Newbs that it drives their very perceptions.

It is important to note that the choice to turn away from the creator was given as a gift to the Newbs. The capacity for choice was given by the creator but the exercise of that was by the will of the Newbs. Because the Newbs were constrained by both time and space, the choice of walking away from the creator meant that they could no longer 'see' the creator. It was a consequence of their choice that made the creator invisible. Further, because both time and space are linear in the System, once the Newbs chose to turn away from the creator, every generation after that would naturally be turned away from the creator.

While it is possible for Newbs to turn back to the creator, having been born turned away, they find it difficult to remain turned towards the creator. Only through choice can they remain connected to the creator. This is called faith.

Next, why faith is so hard and the blindness is a blessing.....