Friday, March 26, 2010

Layla the Atheist

On a certain unique night, God made someone who does not believe in Him. He formed her perfect in the womb, designed her with precision, made her very intelligent, very beautiful, gave her a place to breath, walk, swim, and live, and most of all loved her as if she was His only created being. He gave her the name "Layla".

Layla knew that she surpassed her peers in almost everything: beauty, charm, athleticism, but mostly intelligence. She observed everything that surrounded her, listened to many sounds and voices, studied many topics, and analyzed many aspect of life with absolute care and intensity.

Often Layla thought to herself: "There is a definite intelligence within everything, that is far beyond my capacity to fully comprehend. There is also in my universe a beauty of simplicity and complexity, of symmetry and a-symmetry, and of order and chaos. A beauty that infuses abundant joy in my being." Layla's senses where saturated with life, yet she was driven for a deeper journey into the infinity of life.

Layla build herself on the solid rocky ground of science. She has genuinely examined and refused to accept the sandy castles of religions and superstitions that never get tired of crossing her path. Through their human followers, she has met all type of gods. The angry selfish revengeful ones, the caring forgiving loving personal ones, the ones made of future higher human beings, the ones made of a collective intelligence, and many more. She simply refused to build her house on the sandy ground or to walk in the darkness of faith. She simply refused to believe in a god that is a lesser god; a god that does not even have the power to exist.

There is a story within Layla's story that no one knew. God would often see her coming from a distance to spend time with him, talk and laugh with him. She would often walk up to him with a small gift in her hands. She would approach him when no one cares and ask him if he needs her help. She would set money aside and secretly send to him. She was very concerned with his well being, his shelter, his food, his surroundings. Layla also would comfort God when he is crushed for loosing a loved one or loosing his job. She would forgive him when he hurts her. Encourage him when he is depressed. She would listen to him when he needs her time knowing she has given all she can give and has no more. The story that no one knew was that Layla was always there for God.

One day Layla died and stood in the presence of God who with open arms spoke within her: "Come to me you whom I have always loved, you whom has loved so much." Layla spoke back with her condemned heart [1 John 3:21]: "My God when did I love you? Much less when did I have faith in you?" God answered: "Amen I say to you whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did it for me." [Mathew 25:40] and he told her she is his child for loving "not in word or speech but in deed and truth." [1 John 3:18] Layla the Atheist smiled with joy and said: "My Lord and My God" [John 20:28].