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Nathan Daniels walked with other students into the room eager to listen the the final debate between Eve Young and Professor Ross, the last two sessions were interesting, he wasn't interested in religion but listening to Eve talk about God and Jesus, she wasn't afraid that she could fail.
He took a seat and Eve got up from her seat and moved to the front of class to in front of a podium, he looked to the right and the Ross was in a podium. This should be good.
"Suffering is the strongest reason for atheism in the world, cancer, AIDS, HIV and other disease, and they really aren't wrong. Almost everyday someone experiences pain from chemo. But the only reason disease and death exist is because of sin." She spoke clearly into the mic, if she was unsure of herself or worried she sure didn't show it.
"The reason sin exists in this world is because of one simple idea: Free Will. God created that so we would be the one to come to God, of course, coming to him secures of eternal life. That's why he tolerates it until one day when he will eradicate it all. "
Professor Ross chuckled, "Oh yeah that's funny, God says, "Come to me and I will give you life, of course you just have to deal with murder, disease and global warming and everything else that's wrong with the world. And God just tells us all to have a nice life until he choices to eradicate it all. Of course now you shall lecture us all on morality."
"Why not?" Eve asked, Nathan watched the Professor's smirk fall. "You are clearly an atheist, you don't believe in the morality let us say that you would plan to give us an exam and I were to get an very good grade by cheating, well you would start sounding like a christian telling me that it is wrong to cheat and I should know better."
"But what basis is that? If that helps me succeed why shouldn't I do it? Well for christians, everything about morality is a line that will lead right up to God."
"Meaning that we need a God to be moral and a non christian moral can't exist?" Asked Professor Ross.
"Well without God there isn't a reason to be moral, there is no standard. For christians, lying, cheating, stealing are forbidden. Well Fyodor Dostoevsky famously pointing out: If there is no God, everything is permitted."
"Well if that's right, then every struggle and debate is meaningless whatever you decide here is meaningless, our lives and deaths have no more meaning than a goldfish."
"Okay, this is getting ridiculous, after all the debate you giving up, your saying it just waters into believe or not believe?" He asked.
"Exactly, that's all it's ever been," Eve faced Ross now and was getting louder, "The only difference is that you demand that they sign a stupid paper telling them to check the box denying it all. You demand that they choose don't believe without a second thought."
"I am freeing them, religion ruins lives, it's a deadly mental virus that is spread through generation through generation. And christianity is the worst of all, it kills slowly and painfully when we are in need or vulnerable."
"Are you saying that religion is a disease?"
"Exactly, it is the enemy of reason."
"Reason? You left that a long time ago, you ain't teaching philosophy anymore, what you are teaching now is anti-theism, of course it isn't enough that you don't believe, you need everyone else to not believe either."
"Oh please, you are doing the same thing."
"No, I want them to make their own choice."
"Oh I am sure going to enjoy failing you."
"Who are you really looking to fail, me or God?"
She napped her finger as if she was trying to word her thought. "Do you hate God?"
"That is not a real question."
"Why do you hate God?"
"Ridiculous."
"Why do you hate God?!" This time she yelled.
"You listened to the debate sides, you know that science supports God, You know the truth. Why do you hate God? Why?"
"Just answer the question!"
"It is a very simple question," she made her way slowly up to Ross's podium until they were face to face, "Answer the question! Why do you hate him?"
"Because he took away everything!" He yelled. "Yes I hate God!"
There a silence like Nathan had ever experienced. Eve was the first to say something. "How can you hate him if he never existed?"
Eve returned to her podium. "You didn't prove anything." He said.
Eve shook her head, "It's their choice." They both looked up at the class.
The class looked around at each other wondering who would be the first to stand up and decide. Finally a girl stood up, "I choose God."
Another stood up and said "I choose God."
Nathan stood up with everyone else and said, "I choose God.
* * *
I drove as fast as I could tears streamed down my face, every piece of sadness, pain and anger I ever felt in my miserable life would be put to an end. All I needed to do was jump off Manhattan Bridge and it would all be over. I pulled my car over and started up the metal bridge, there were so many cars rushing by and the drivers not even noticing me as I was now running.
I stopped running and lean against the cold hard metal and stared at the water that was rushing under me. No one cared or loved me, they all hated me, and they always will. People say that life will get better but never does, whenever it ever does get good something happens that messes it up again.
I'm done waiting for things to get better and jumping of the bridge was the only thing left. I don't care if people judge me for suicide, they probably won't even miss me. I looked down and saw the huge drop, I prayed that I would be killed instantly and not be stuck in the impact of hitting the water.
I pushed myself up using the railing and put my feet on the holes, I closed my eyes and flipped one of my legs over the bridge so it was resting one railing. I felt myself slowly starting to lose grip but I didn't grip or help myself.
I starting to go forward when I felt something go around my waist. Well it was more the sound of a text coming I don't know what made me leaned back and look at my phone to see a text from my foster parent telling her to come to my social worker's office.
Was this about the DNA test they had me take a few days ago? I don't remember why they had me take it. Something in me told me to get off the bridge. Somehow I got into my car and checked myself in the mirror and for the first time in a long time I saw myself in a different idea. My brown hair was streaked with dark pink highlights and my face was covered in dark makeup. My mascara was stained because of my tears so I wiped them. What was I thinking?
When I pulled into the office I saw my foster parents smiling. "Maddie you are going to get adopted."
Josiah
The minute he saw his daughter he had a feeling that this would take a lot more than hi's and getting to know each other, Madeline's social worker had told him that she suffered from depression and anxiety and wasn't getting care from the grandmother. He could tell that from looking at her, the makeup and highlights.
She didn't seem aware of his fame, he could tell by the way she studied him. She seemed shocked that she even had a father. But she seemed okay with custody of him. The social worker left them alone for a minute and Madeline studied him, "How long have you known about me?"
"Only a few days?"
She stared at him, "You're really going to try to have custody."
"If that's what you want Madeline."
Her smile was cautious but her eyes told Josiah everything he needed to know.
The End
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