Chapter 4
Henry and Cherie decided to write the essay on the implications of the divine together. In the library of their palace in Paz the two of them sat with books aplenty and were discussing the nature of the divine and how it relates to the profane.
�It is amazing how many books you have on metaphysics here,� Cherie said.
�The eternal order, and our beliefs concerning that subject, are of great importance to our lives. The foundation of our lives and societies is directly related on whether we believe God created us and what type of Deity He is,� Henry said.
�It is amazing how many people do not realize the implications of their beliefs in God,� Cherie said. �After all, without God, there is no foundation for universal morality nor indeed for dignity of man whatsoever. Indeed, it may be demonstrated that God must exist, though some are blind to that.�
�Yes, that is true,� Henry said. �After all, if we are all created in the very image of God, all of us are equal in the sense that all of us have the potential to be in the God family and are equal with regards to our human moral worth. We may not be equal in intelligence or skill, but we have the equal right to enjoy that standard of living we earn. None of us are to be condemned to slavery due to our being part of an ethnic group. We stand or fall based on our own merits.�
�Yes,� Cherie said. �The belief in a merciful and equitable God is the foundation of all good government. It is not only the desire to help the people, but the desire to be imitatio Dei, the desire of mankind to be like God, that leads to our good behavior. It is only our sense of right and wrong, a knowledge of the principles of mercy and justice inherent in our loving and yet omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Creator, who has nonetheless given us our own free will to choose His way, that allows us to be good. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge.�
�And yet there are many that seek to destroy our belief in God,� Henry said. �These people, like the Athenian fools of old, consider belief in the divine a holdover from ages of superstition, when clerics obscured the minds of the people with lying wonders. Such was the case, but the sins of believers do not demonstrate the falsity of the belief, only in the incompetence of the believers in adequately demonstrating that belief. Indeed, I believe that those who would deny God seek to claim their own deity. After all, it is only among those whose knowledge aids their vanity that seek to deny God, for belief in a God who is all powerful, all knowing, and all seeing would destroy their own prerogative to rule over mankind.�
�And these people, while asserting the freedom of mankind from superstition, have sought to destroy the freedom of mankind to believe,� Cherie said. �For those who do not believe in God cannot merely agree to disagree, but they seek to ban all public demonstration of belief as a threat to their atheistic universe. It is those who are insecure and tyrannical that seek to silence discussion.�
�Whether it is the demand by scientists for the teaching only of the Theory of Evolution, which is false, its conclusions easily falsifiable by those who do not share in that belief, or the demand by atheists that the name of God be removed from all public mention in this great nation, those who are the enemies of God demonstrate that they do not seek a reasoned debate of the existence of God. Instead, they make the irrational demand that all worship before the Temple of Reason, of which they are the self-appointed priests,� Henry said.
�The existence of universal law demands a universal lawgiver,� Cherie said. �The very existence and creation of the cosmos, and the existence of life demand a Creator, for outside of God, nothing can be created or destroyed, only reformed from the constituent parts of nature. It is also true that only life can beget life, through the law of biogenesis. The second law of thermodynamics states that there is no process that is completely efficient, for there must always be some loss. Only non-naturalistic processes can proceed from lesser to greater complexity, for such movements demand intelligent thought and design, which is inseparable from a Creator and designer.�
�It is unfortunate that there are so many fools around, but it is nothing to let fools speak and show their folly,� Henry said. �Such is the case with popular government. It is necessary to let fools speak that the truth may be free to be spoken as well. The problem is when fools seek to deny the right of anyone to speak but themselves. It is when folly seeks to reign undisputed by wise rebuke that freedom is in danger. Atheism is such a dangerous folly. There may be a �wall of separation� between church and state, but that wall is a wall of protection to the church from the interference of the state, not a wall of protection to the state from the precepts of true religion. Good government is impossible unless those who rule are guided by the highest of moral standards.�
�It is the folly of the fools that keep them from recognizing their folly,� Cherie said. �It is the inability to reflect on the consequences of their words and actions that turns people into fools. It is the demand for self-gratification without the acceptance of the responsibility for their actions that has made our entire society foolish.�
�Yes, my dear,� Henry said. �People often harp about their right to choose, but forget the penalty for choosing wrong. For it is true that God made us free moral agents, and does not force us to choose the right way. There were two trees in the garden, and God told the earliest couple not to eat of that tree on pain of certain death, and mankind ate of that tree anyway. He has called heaven and earth before us each and every day, that He has set before us life and death, blessing and cursing.�
�Therefore we should choose life, so that we and our descendents may live,� Cherie said. �Our very survival, both individually and collectively, depends on our making the right choices. If we make the wrong ones, we will be judged for our sins, for if society will not make right judgements, our Father in heaven will.�
�You are such a clever woman,� Henry said. �I am so surprised that you grasp these issues so quickly and so well.�
�You did not think I was that intelligent?� Cherie asked.
�I did not say that,� Henry said.
�But that is what you implied,� Cherie said.
�That is true. I did not think you were an intellectual when we married,� Henry said. He wisely knew that when one has dug a hole the first thing to do is stop digging.
�Just because I do not act like a scholarly person most of the time does not mean I am not intelligent,� Cherie said. �I am glad that you are surprised that I am so intellectual. I hope you will treat me better than your father treated Karen.�
�I will,� Henry said. �What does my father have to do with anything?�
�I fear that unless you are reminded of my capability that you will neglect to give me the respect I am due and that you will take after your father,� Cherie said. �I hope I have given you a sufficient demonstration of my mental prowess.�
�Yes, you have, my love,� Henry said.
�I think we have done a good job to start that essay,� Cherie said.
�I agree,� Henry said. �It will be entitled, �Implications of the Divine,� and we will both be listed as authors.�
�Good,� Cherie said. �I am glad you can respect me as an intellectual equal.�
�A real man is not afraid of a strong and intelligent woman, because he knows he is at least as strong and intelligent. It is only an insecure coward that fears the strength and wisdom of a woman,� Henry said.
�That is very true,� Cherie said. �I am glad that I do not threaten you.�
�Why would you threaten me?� Henry asked.
�I do not know,� Cherie said. �Why does your mother threaten your father?�
�My mother threatens my father because my father got involved in very questionable activities that are now beginning to come to light,� Henry said.
�Like what?� Cherie asked.
�My father places an undue reliance on a certain Lue family,� Henry said. �The father is a crooked opportunist, and the son is a bloodthirsty maniac bent on violence. I have heard the son is coming to the Imperial School this year as a freshman. I hope he threatens people less than he has done before, or he is going to get in major trouble. I have heard he even tried to kill Natonito once, and I am sure my uncle will keep an eye on him.�
�Oh, is that the boy who spent the rebellion drawing beads on enemy soldiers?� Cherie asked.
�Yes,� Henry replied.
�Let us talk about something more pleasant,� Cherie said.
�Alright,� Henry said. �Help me think of something.�
�How about this warm and pleasant summer,� Cherie said with a smile.
�That is a wonderful thing to talk about,� Henry said. �Have you enjoyed this summer?�
�Yes, I have,� Cherie said. �It is a shame it will end so soon.�
�Such is the way with all vacations, though,� Henry said. �And even though we are powerful nobles, there will always be work we are called to do, whether it is a tract in defense of the beliefs that made this nation strong or political office or managing estates, we will always find something to keep us busy and productive.�
�We must earn through our good works the gifts that God has given us,� Cherie said.
�That is very true,� Henry said. �For to those who have been given much, much is expected.�
�Yes, it is only in the service of the many that those few who are excellent find the gratification of their egoism,� Cherie said.
�Those with great ambition are only served by becoming shepherds, and cannot find that inner peace by being wolves,� Henry said. After a pause, he said, �I believe you are a true helpmate to me.�
�Thank you,� Cherie said. �I have always thought the same of you.�
�That is why you were willing to marry me while we were so young?� Henry said.
�Yes,� Cherie said. �When I said we would be together till death do us part, that is exactly what I meant.�
�That is exactly what I meant too,� Henry said. �We can polish this up a little later. We still have a few days left before summer is over. I am sure there will be a few magazines that will be willing to publish our work.�
�I am sure we will be able to find an outlet for our work,� Cherie said. �After all, when aristocrats write learned theses, people are willing to listen.�
�Exactly,� Henry said.
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