2036 The Proof: A Thrilling Science Fiction Novel

by Speiser, Zvi

  This was not what they had expected. Their surprise was absolute. The common assessment had been that the president was about to announce an extraordinary scientific discovery, one that would have implications for all of humanity. The heads of the major media networks had already summoned expert scientists from various fields who were at the ready, prepared to explain the president’s speech. However, none of the scientists agreed to go on the air. They were being cautious, or perhaps more accurately, were stunned by the declarations that had just been made.

  Italian television reporter Alfredo Botteliani was the first to reach Vatican City in Rome, with reporters from other networks streaming in his wake. They were greeted by Archbishop Francisco Salvietti the Third.

  “Yes, His Holiness watched the speech, and his immediate reaction was ‘Well, what’s new here? It has been clear to us for thousands of years that God watches over his children and protects them.’ No one at the Vatican was surprised,” the archbishop continued. “No practicing Christian needed any particular sort of proof. Despite this fact, the scientific proof caused much satisfaction to the Pope and those close to him. This is a major, blessed step for science, which had gradually been drifting away from religion, but has now changed course. From now on, religion and science are one, and as the prophet Jeremiah said in regard to the end times, ‘And thy sons shall return to their borders.’ Science, which had alienated itself, is returning to the arms of religion.”

  “Is this the god of the Christians, the Jews, the Muslims, or some new and unfamiliar deity?” a foreign reporter blurted out in broken Italian.

  The archbishop leveled a long, penetrating look at the reporter, and then turned away, mumbling, “And once again, it all begins anew.”

  Less than twenty minutes after the speech ended, teasers began to air for a special report by MMB News, which would be broadcast at eight p.m. Eastern Time, and would include a broad-ranging panel discussion regarding the significance of the president’s speech, with the participation of representatives from various religions as well as scientists.

  A quick survey indicated that more than a billion viewers were eagerly anticipating the studio discussion. The world was abuzz. Anyone who was awake anywhere on Earth was discussing the president’s speech. The fact that it had taken place on Saturday gave the world’s residents free time to engage in such a discussion. In homes, on the streets, in stores, and in entertainment venues, everyone was arguing with everyone else. In nearly every group, even the smallest among them, there were people with different views: believers in the existence of God, those who were less devout in their faith, and complete atheists.

  The social networks didn’t need any experts; they were storming and raging. The faithful of the various religions were happy to be interviewed, their eyes glowing ecstatically. All of them were reciting the same mantra. No, they didn’t need any sort of scientific proof; faith had guided them in the past, and continued to guide them today. As far as they were concerned, nothing had changed. The scientific proof was intended for the nonbelievers; they were the ones who needed it, and now, they were the ones who had to change and join the believers in order to worship the almighty Lord, a God who had bent the laws of physics that He had created in order to protect the lives of his creations. What higher and more solid proof could they ask for?

  Apparently, the current consensus between the representatives of the various religions had caused them to forget their previous conflicts and the bloody wars they had waged against one another, wars that grew even more intense between various denominations of the same religion, such as the Sunnis and the Shiites in Islam, or the Catholics and Protestants in Christianity.

  Surprisingly, among the more extreme of the believers, certain leaders emerged to reject the material “proof,” which they found to be simplistic. Their God was purely spiritual. He did not leave behind tangible signs of His presence, certainly not ones discovered by humans, using scientific means. He had no need to leave His “signature” in humans, who were commanded to believe in Him blindly, with no need for any sort of corporeal proof.

  Oddly, this blind faith transcended religious barriers. Devoted believers of various religions found themselves on the same side for the first time, united in refusing to accept the new “proof” of God’s existence with which the entire world was obsessed. In an even greater instance of absurdity, they found themselves agreeing with atheists over the utter rejection of the “tangible scientific proof.”

  Ratings for MMB’s evening broadcast neared 100 percent in homes, in the few restaurants that opened their doors to a handful of diners, and in workplaces. Anyone who could find the time to do so watched or at least listened to the newscast, offered on all stationary and mobile media. Even in the half of the planet still in darkness, many tuned in.

  The discussion was hosted by Bob Hill, who had plenty of experience in moderating loaded debates. He had determined that two of the major religions would have two representatives each, one for each of its major denominations, with one representative sufficing for Judaism. Therefore, the panel featured a Sunni representative and a Shiite one for the Muslims, and a Catholic and a Protestant for the Christians. Judaism was represented by a single Orthodox delegate.

  Due to time constraints, the representatives had arrived from various communities all over the United States, and were not familiar to the general public outside those communities. The panel sitting opposite the moderator included several people, two of whom were wearing what appeared to be official ceremonial garb, while the others wore suits or less formal attire. The chosen venue was a small auditorium, seating fewer than a hundred spectators.

  The discussion opened with a rebroadcast of the president’s speech. Bob was prepared for the general onslaught from all directions once the speech ended. With his familiar assertiveness and his booming voice, he immediately hushed everyone present.

  “I’m here with representatives of humanity’s three major religions. Each of them has its own traditions, customs, and belief system. Each of them worships its deity uniquely, and from an outside secular perspective, each of the religions appears to have its own god, one that belongs exclusively to it.

  “This brings me to my first question to each of you: Who is the god whose existence was proved today by scientific findings presented to the majority of the residents of Earth by our president? And which religion or denomination represents him?

  “As a delegate of the largest community of believers, let’s start with the Christian Catholic representative, Cardinal Pietro Modoliense, who, luckily for us, happened to be visiting the States and agreed to come to our studio, despite the short notice.”

  The cardinal was revealed to be a cheerful man wearing jeans, a pink, button-down shirt, a red tie, and a short, casual jacket.

  “Good evening, everyone,” he began, speaking in English with a prominent Italian accent. “I’m sorry for my casual appearance. I’m visiting the United States for personal reasons, and was not planning on any sort of official occasion. I’d like to start by addressing the main points made by the president. As far as we practicing Christians are concerned, there was nothing new in what she said. Our faith is based on the existence of the Lord, and we have no need of any sort of proof; the words of scripture are quite enough for us. However, we’re overjoyed that at long last the world of science, which has generally veered away from belief in God, has been confronted with His existence through the means in which scientists believe—scientific proof that exhibits His actions on behalf of humanity.

  “And now, to answer your question, all Christians believe in one sole God and his emissary on Earth, and all denominations of Christianity agree on this point. The differences between the various Christian denominations are merely superficial, and are secondary to the faith that unites them.”

  “I understand—” Bob’s voice rang out, subsumed by a chorus of shouts from the audience.

>   “That’s wrong!”

  “We disagree!”

  “Hold on a minute,” Bob roared. “I want one of you to tell me what’s wrong. What do you disagree with?”

  “Only God can determine everything. Man doesn’t get to determine anything,” a loud voice rose above the general ruckus.

  “You must be a Protestant,” the moderator retorted. “I suggest all of you continue your long-standing argument outside. Otherwise, we’ll have to throw you out.”

  The threat had its desired effect, and the voices died down.

  “I understand,” Bob resumed, “but is the god that the president was talking about your God? And if that’s the case, who are the gods of the Jews and the Muslims?”

  “The gods of the three monotheistic religions—Christianity, Islam, and Judaism—are the same God. The source for some of the differences between the three religions is their origins, while other differences developed over the years. At the root of Christianity is the belief that Jesus Christ is God’s representative on Earth.”

  “If that’s the case, why did the Christians condemn the Jews and burn them at the stake, although they both believe in the same god?” the moderator challenged.

  The cardinal shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “We’re not proud of that aspect of history, or of Jewish persecution by Christians. The rift between the religions is a result of an unfortunate lack of understanding that was a part of a zealous past which took place two thousand years ago, and which has had terrible implications over the years. Today, these disputes are behind us, and we congratulate and embrace our Jewish brothers, with whom we share one God.”

  Apparently, none of the participants anticipated the applause with which this statement was received. Some members of the audience rose from their seats and clapped enthusiastically, while quite a few others continued to sit in protest. The cardinal, whose jovial face still bore an expression of surprise, bowed deeply and sat down.

  “I don’t believe my ears. If I’m not mistaken, such a clear public statement regarding Christian-Jewish relations has never been made. I have to confirm this. Is that what Your Eminence said?”

  “That’s right, I confirm my statement,” the cardinal replied. “We are sorry and apologize for persecuting our Jewish brethren throughout history and embrace them. And yes, this is the Pope’s opinion as well.”

  “Does the Protestant Bishop Henry de Sully share this opinion?” Bob asked.

  The Protestant bishop straightened slowly in his seat. He was wearing ceremonial vestments, and with a British accent, replied, “Despite the significant differences between the Catholics and ourselves, and in spite of our violent history, when it comes to faith in the Lord, I agree with every word that the Catholic cardinal has said, and I have nothing to add.”

  In contrast to his usual vocal and confrontational nature, Bob did not say a word, but merely gazed slowly from one priest to the other and back, maintaining his silence until the Protestant bishop sat down once more.

  “Such a blissful idyll, such brotherhood of man,” the moderator said, slowly continuing in his booming voice. “What about the millions killed in the wars between Catholics and Protestants, the Thirty Years’ War, Catholic persecution of Protestants, the enlightened Inquisition and the persecution of the Jews, the ongoing terror attacks in Northern Ireland? Indeed, one God for all, with millions murdered in His name. I have nothing to add now that you’ve heard this spirit of peace and brotherhood overtaking the Christians, blatantly ignoring the ugly reality.

  “The next person from whom I’d like to hear regarding the identity of the god whose existence was proven today via scientific means presented to most of the residents of Earth, and the religion that represents him, is the Sunni Imam Ibn al Khattab.”

  The imam’s black cape and large turban formed a contrasting framework to his cultivated white beard. He rose from his seat slowly, nodded at the interpreter sitting at his side, and began to speak in Arabic. Within seconds, the translator’s eloquent voice rang out. “All Muslims everywhere, regardless of the sect or denomination to which they belong, believe in Allah and in his prophet Muhammad, the representative of the God of Abraham.”

  “For thousands of years now, you’ve been fighting and killing members of other religions,” Bob interrupted, apparently unable to quell his raging emotions in response to the imam’s mock-innocent reply. “And if that weren’t enough, you’ve also killed millions of Muslims from other denominations. I wonder what your explanation is for this killing, which continues to this very day, as the news tells us.” He paused briefly, and then continued. “I’m sorry to have interrupted you. Please go on.”

  The moderator’s outburst had clearly disrupted the imam’s train of thought. He could not continue with his relaxed, calm statements in light of what he had just heard.

  “I cannot ignore what you’ve said,” he resumed. “Evil, envy, narrow-mindedness, greed, and a desire for power have always tainted any human society, regardless of religion. There will always be those who exploit the ignorance of others for their own dark purposes. However, there is plenty of common ground among the various branches of Islam.

  “Different interpretations of the Quran, the sacred text of Muslim believers, as well as battling egos and political forces, have led to the divergence of the different denominations. Over the years, the gaps between them have widened, leading to terrible bloodshed. Essentially, Islam is not an extreme religion, but an inclusive one, as indicated by hundreds of years in which a tremendous area, from the eastern end of Asia throughout all of North Africa and up to modern-day France, was under Islamic rule, an area that included many non-Muslim nations and tribes who lived peacefully with the Muslim regime.”

  “According to the Quran, the sacred text of Islam, aren’t all you believers obligated to kill all infidels who don’t believe in Allah, as we often hear from Arab leaders?” Bob asked.

  “The world was a different place when Muhammad received the Quran from the mouth of God. Human culture was essentially different. Initially, Islam had to fight in order to forge a path in a world ruled by myriad Arab tribes, Jewish tribes, and Christianity, which was establishing itself. The value of human life was significantly lower than it is in our time. The heads of tribes and rulers of cities, controlling their subjects solely by brute force, executed many people based on momentary whims. The killing of infidels was appropriate during that time, but is certainly no longer appropriate today. Unfortunately, many ignorant Muslims interpret the words of the Quran literally, without taking into account the period and the conditions under which it was written, and we can all witness the results.”

  “In summary, is your Allah also the god of the Christians and the Jews?”

  The imam cleared his throat and replied, “God chose the Jews to worship him, but they diverted from His path, and therefore, He punished them, and they have been persecuted and exterminated throughout history. Christianity, founded by the prophet Jesus, also did not follow the path of God, until finally the prophet Muhammad, who received the Quran from the Angel Gabriel, appeared, and we Muslims follow the path of God and do not divert from it.”

  Bob’s distant expression conveyed his contempt for what he was hearing. “I want to thank Imam Ibn al Khattab. I only hope our viewers understood him better than I did. And now for Islam’s Shiite representative, Dr. Imam or Imam Dr. Ali Abbas.”

  Abbas was a clear contrast to the expected image of a devout Shiite religious personage. He was wearing an elegant business suit that complimented his athletic form. The only characteristic indicating his faith was a well-groomed beard adorning his cheeks and chin.

  “The Sunni imam described the situation well,” Abbas began in fluent English. “We cannot change the past. As my predecessor stated, the seeds of dissension between the various branches of Islam sprouted during the religion’s early days. It stemmed largely from a strong
faith in the righteousness of each branch’s way, naturally leading to a condemnation of the other, which then resulted in unnecessary bloodshed that has accompanied us ever since.

  “Over the years, two main denominations developed and grew further and further apart until the circumstances we find ourselves in today, where every Islamic country is either Shiite or Sunni. Muslim communities outside the Arab countries zealously maintain this segregation as well. Each community has its own mosques and schools. As a general rule, most Muslims are devout in regard to their religion, and maintain its rules, preserve its original traditions, and do not mingle with members of the other branches.

  “Naturally, rejecting and condemning the other are even more intense in regard to members of other religions, primarily Jews and Christians.

  “I, too, don’t like many people, and even despise some of them. We don’t share similar traditions, and I don’t want much to do with them in general. But I’ve never acted violently toward them, and would certainly never think of killing them.”

  “Which happens pretty routinely in Islam,” Bob burst out.

  “I don’t dispute your statement, and I don’t intend to and cannot justify the violent acts typical of Islam,” the imam replied. “Unfortunately, the ancient traditions still reign in quite a few Muslim communities. Occasionally, a radical, charismatic leader rises up and manages to recruit many people to participate in cruel killing sprees. Look, I’ve been living in the United States for many years, working full-time as a doctor in a hospital in which I faithfully treat hundreds of patients a year. I’ve spent most of my adult life here. In my everyday life, I’m no different than any of the audience members, other than my beard. Beyond that, in my free time, I act as a Muslim, make sure that my food is halal, pray in a mosque and lead my Shiite community in a peaceful manner.”

  “It’s interesting,” Bob murmured. “I’ve never been religiously inclined, and I don’t remember ever having much interest in the subject, but for someone on the sidelines watching these conflicts and wars, and destruction that has taken place and continues to take place, all in the name of religion, it’s hard to buy the theory that Christians and Muslims worship the same god and carry out their atrocities in his name. It’s inconceivable that millions of believers have been murdered in the name of the same god, as we heard here today; it’s simply impossible.