God, dog…..It's in the Stars
"I was wondering Dr Mallard, if you don't mind me asking…..your religion, what do you believe in?" Jimmy asked of his superior one morning.
"Now what I believe in, and what my religion is, are two entirely different subjects. I was brought up Church of Scotland, yes a Presbyterian Church, it is a branch of Protestant Christianity, but adheres to Calvinist theologies. You know that John Calvin trained as a humanist lawyer. The roots of Presbyterianism lie in the European Reformation of the 16th century. While the Church of Scotland traces its roots back to the earliest Christians in Scotland, its identity was principally shaped by the Scottish Reformation of 1560. At that point, the church in Scotland broke with Rome, in a process of Protestant reform, led, among others, by John Knox. It reformed its doctrines and government, drawing on the principles of John Calvin whom Knox had been exposed to while living in Geneva."
"Fascinating Dr Mallard, but what do you believe in now?" Jimmy continued.
"Why may I ask, are you thinking of joining some Sect?" Ducky now asked beginning to look concerned.
"I have been looking at Wiccanism, not the witchcraft side but more the spiritual, loving side….Karma, the diverse set of ancient pagan motifs for its theological structure," Jimmy began to say.
"Back to the theologies again," Ducky smiled, "I have in my life read many Religions, not just my own. You forget I was in Afghanistan and I have travelled widely, but as a child I was forced to read the Bible by my god fearing grandparents. This and the fact Genesis 28, Jacob as he was dreaming, had a vision of a ladder, or stairway, between heaven and earth. Gods angels were on it, ascending and descending."
"You mean could they could be space men?" Jimmy now asked looking surprised.
"There is so much that just doesn't add up Mr Palmer, take the Mayans, the Egyptians and even the buildings of Asia. I do sometimes think that maybe Plato was right, that in fact Atlantis did exist, and it was in fact inhabited, by superior beings, and maybe when the Bible says Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by Fire and brimstone,in Genesis 18, God sends three men, thought by most commentators, to have been angels appearing as men to earth…."
"Again the spacemen, wow never thought of it like that, but the fire and brimstone?"
"Actually I was thinking more a volcano, situated in the area of the Mediterranean. In the middle of the second millennium B.C., a massive volcanic explosion destroyed much of the island of Thera, also known as Santorini. The Thera eruption may have caused the decline of the Minoan civilization on nearby Crete, and is also the possible inspiration for the legend of Atlantis, but what if, Mr Palmer, the Mediterranean had been a super volcano, like Yellowstone and it rumbled and rumbled, and eventually blew."
"You mean….what if the populous dispersed before the super volcano blew and destroyed their civilization, and left the Mediterranean as a huge crater?" Jimmy thought shaking his head.
"Yes, and if you begin to think about it, if these superior beings knew about such things then they could be far away before it blew." Ducky replied. "I have to say Mr Palmer, I have some very interesting theories regarding this subject, mostly initiated by my Aunt Gertrude, my father's sister, she was into Egyptology, and she had a fascinating theory on the evolution of our religions. So I was wondering if you would care to partake of a light supper with me tonight, I could maybe regale you with her thoughts."
"That would be delightful Dr Mallard, yes thank you very much," Jimmy replied smiling quite taken back.
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