Atheism

No. Why would anyone do that? And then just leave them lying buried in difficult-to-reach places? It didn't happen.

Yes, this is possible. But not likely. It is also possible that they were put there by pixies. Or that cats are really highly intelligent and faked them as part of a complex practical joke on humans that they are still keeping quiet about until it is time for the punchline. It is also possible that the whole world didn't exist yesterday, but a mad alien scientist made it appear this morning at 3am: and we all popped into existence, complete with memories of yesterday (and before) and dinasour fossils in the ground and in museums.

It is also possible that a god pulled a similar trick a few thousand years ago (or even this morning at 3am).

However, there is no evidence to suggest that any of these possibilities are true - or even remotely likely. So most people don't give them serious consideration. Because if you gave one of them serious consideration, you'd have to consider all the other possibilities as well, and say that they are equally likely.

But you can never disprove these possibilities, because they are not testable. So as ideas they do not have much value.

It may be possible if you consider that maybe extraterrestrials do exist, and that they may be a form of demon, and that they fabricated dinosaur fossils that appeared prehistoric. If extraterrestrials do exist, we have to take into consideration about how advanced their technology is, and to what extent that they can fabricate specific materials. If the extraterrestrials do exist and they are actually a form of demon, they would do it in order to to fulfill Satan's agenda in deceiving the world. There have been many claimed sightings of dinosaurs all around the world that are still alive today, such as pterodactyls, and even some claimed sightings of tyrannosaurus rex's in some remote places of the world, and the Loch Ness Monster (which is supposedly a plesiosaur), and there's also many other dinosaurs that there's been claimed sightings of all around the world.

If you believe that, you'll believe anything.

Answer 1

Although Gould was often quote-mined by creationists suggesting that Gould thought that the fossil evidence did not support common descent, none of this relates in any way to natural selection, the proposed mechanism for evolution.

Answer 2

No. Stephen Jay Gould said that natural selection was the best explanation for the evolution of species. However, he differed from Charles Darwin in his understanding of the process.

Whereas Darwin appears to have expected that evolution would be a gradual, continuous process, Gould suggested a process of punctuated equilibrium. He said that species were more likely to have remained relatively unchanged for long periods until a period of rapid evolution resulted in the evolution of new species. He felt that this was more consistent with the fossil record.

Answer 3

As a palaeontologist by profession this was Gould's area of expertise. Although revered as a great scientist Gould has received some attention from creationists for parts of his comments on the nature of the fossil record. He is quote-mined as referring to the fossil record in relation to evolution in the following way:

"The absence of fossil evidence for intermediary stages between major transitions in organic design, indeed our inability, even in our imagination, to construct functional intermediates in many cases, has been a persistent and nagging problem for gradualistic accounts of evolution."

Stephen Jay Gould (Professor of Geology and Paleontology, Harvard University), 'Is a new and general theory of evolution emerging?' Paleobiology, vol.6(1), January 1980,p. 127.

"All paleontologists know that the fossil record contains precious little in the way of intermediate forms; transitions between the major groups are characteristically abrupt."

Stephen Jay Gould 'The return of hopeful monsters'. Natural History, vol. LXXXVI(6), June-July 1977, p. 24.

"The extreme rarity of transitional forms in the fossil record persists as the trade secret of paleontology. The evolutionary trees that adorn our textbooks have data only at the tips and nodes of their branches; the rest is inference, however reasonable, not the evidence of fossils. Yet Darwin was so wedded to gradualism that he wagered his entire theory on a denial of this literal record:

The geological record is (here Gould is quoting Darwin) extremely imperfect and this fact will to a large extent explain why we do not find intermediate varieties, connecting together all the extinct and existing forms of life by the finest graduated steps. He who rejects these views on the nature of the geological record will rightly reject my whole theory. (end of quote)

Darwin's argument still persists as the favored escape of most paleontologists from the embarrassment of a record that seems to show so little of evolution. In exposing its cultural and methodological roots, I wish in no way to impugn the potential validity of gradualism (for all general views have similar roots). I wish only to point out that it was never "seen" in the rocks.

Paleontologists have paid an exorbitant price for Darwin's argument. We fancy ourselves as the only true students of life's history, yet to preserve our favored account of evolution by natural selection we view our data as so bad that we never see the very process we profess to study."

Stephen Jay Gould 'Evolution's erratic pace'. Natural History, vol. LXXXVI95), May 1977, p.14.

Gould's commitment to Darwinian evolution followed from an understanding and knowledge of the fossil record that belies the literal text of the quotes lifted out of context by creationists. What the evidence shows is clear from the completestatements of Gould and many other palaeontologists in their proper context, no matter what creationists make of them.

It depends on how you count it.

Almost nobody has ever killed someone by being motivated by the premise that there are no gods, full-stop. This is the same way that nobody has ever killed someone by being motivated by the premise that there are gods, full-stop. However, when you talk about a certain religion, that religion will have an ideology in addition to the simple belief in gods, such as what those gods want people to do to demonstrate belief. Since Atheists do not have gods, no beliefs about what gods want are relevant.

However, most Atheists subscribe to a number of other ideologies, which can lead to terrorism and violence. Probably the most notable non-theistic ideology that some Atheists have endorsed is Communism. (This is not to say that being an Atheist makes you a Communist or more inclined to be a Communist, but since Communism has no divine components, it is perfectly compatible with Atheism, just like Democracy is for the same reasons.) Communist Terrorists are quite numerous throughout history, operating on multiple continents. However, there were numerous Theists in the ranks of Communist terrorism as well, making it difficult to parse out the exact number of Atheists who were involved. Another non-theistic ideology that Atheists have endorsed is nationalism. While there are certainly forms of nationalism which are strongly religious, such as Greek Nationalism and Religious Zionism, there have been forms of nationalism that are Atheist-friendly, such as Secular Zionism and or the OAS in the Algerian Civil War. Most of the members of the Irgun and the Lehi (also called the Stern Gang), which were Zionist terror groups, were Atheists with Jewish heritage. (Thankfully, Israel disbanded these organizations once it was clear what kinds of atrocities they were committing, but the point remains that these were mostly Atheist-led terror groups.)

However, the common canard by Atheists that Atheists have not been members of terrorist groups or repressive/violent groups is not borne out by the evidence.

Reliable statistics are hard to come by. Many atheists do not declare their atheism.

To further complicate the matter, some religions like Buddhism are atheistic, denying the existence of any god or gods, but many 'folk Buddhists' do believe in god. Also, Hinduism has many different strains of thought, ranging from polytheism, through to monotheism, panentheism and pantheism, and even a few atheistic schools. Unless we could ask every single person on earth whether they believe in god or not in a private setting so they'd be honest, we can't be sure how much of the worlds population is atheist.

There is no reliable statistic for the number of atheists in the world due to several factors:

• No one is interested in counting that category.
• Many people are confused by that term thinking there are varying degrees of atheism.
• There are several world-wide organized "religious" groups that do not worship a supreme being.
• There is no umbrella organization that can assist in an accurate count of that category.
• Many people do not wish to identify themselves as atheists because of the inherent prejudice against atheists by leaders and members of various Christian amd Muslim sects.

Here are twelve Logical, Scientific, and real proofs out of thousand proofs explained by Qur'an. A Muslim Scholar explains those in a story form.

Here "God" is Allah (Arabic Al-ilah which means The God) because it is Absolute One, Has no son, father or mother. He is the only One. (Not Jesus, or not The Holy Ghost. Father for Christians)

Evidences of God's Sovereignty

"God sets forth parables for men that haply they may remember." (Qur'an 14:25)

"Those are the parables We set for men that haply they may reflect." (Qur'an 59:21)

ONCE two men were washing in a pool. Under the influence of a mysterious force, they lost consciousness, and when they opened their, eyes again, they saw that they had been transported to a strange world, â world that in its perfect ordering and arrangement resembled first a kingdom, then a city, then a palace. They gazed around in utter amazement. Looking in one direction, they beheld a vast world; looking in another direction, they saw a well-ordered kingdom; looking in yet another direction, they were met by a perfect city; and looking in still one more direction, they were confronted by a palace that contained within itself a splendid and flourishing realm. Traversing the realm, they examined it further, and saw it to be peopled by a species of creatures with their own mode of speech. They did not know their language, but were able to understand from their gestures that they were performing important tasks and fulfilling a valuable function.

One of the two men said to his friend: "This remarkable world has without doubt its orderer; this well-ordered kingdom has its monarch; this perfect city has its master; this finely built palace has its designer. We should strive to make his acquaintance, for it seems that it is he who has brought us here. If we do not come to know him, who else will aid us? What can we expect from those powerless creatures of whose tongue we are ignorant and who pay us no heed? Then, too, the one who has made this vast realm in the form of a kingdom, in the shape of a city, in the mold of a palace, who has filled it from end to end with miraculous objects, decorated it with numerous adornments, and arrayed it with impressive wonders, no doubt desires something from us and from the others that come here. We should make his acquaintance and discover what he wishes of us."

The other man said: "I do not believe that a person exists such as you describe, administering this realm by himself." To which the first replied:

"If we do not come to know him and remain indifferent to him, it will benefit us nothing, and on the contrary cause us great harm. Whereas if we seek to know him, the effort involved will be slight, and the benefit very great. To remain indifferent toward him is therefore unwise."

That heedless man said: "I see my whole comfort and pleasure to lie in not thinking of him. I will not bother myself with matters my intelligence cannot comprehend. All that we see is the result of accident and confusion; it subsists of itself; there is nothing else to be said."

His intelligent friend retorted, "This rebellion of yours will cast me and maybe many others into disaster. It sometimes happens that a whole kingdom is ruined on account of one impudent man."

The heedless one replied, "Either prove to me decisively that this huge kingdom has a sole monarch and maker, or desist from troubling me."

His friend answered: "Since your obstinacy has reached the point of lunacy, you are liable to bring down wrath on us and the whole kingdom. 5o let me show to you with twelve proofs that this world like a palace, this kingdom like a city, has a single designer, and it is this designer who alone administers a11 things. He suffers from no deficiency in any respect; although invisible to us, he sees us and all things, and hears all that is said. All of his deeds are miraculous and wondrous; all of the creatures whom we see and of whose tongues we are ignorant are appointed by him to their tasks.

First Proof

"Come, gaze in every direction, look closely on all things! A hidden hand is at work in al1 of these tasks. For one object lighter than a drachm and as small as a seed is lifting a thousand-pound weight,* and another without a particle of consciousness is performing the wisest of tasks.** They cannot be operating alone; there must be a hidden possessor of power that sets them to work. If all things are autonomous, then all that we have seen in this kingdom from end to end must be a series of unconnected miracles, which would be an absurdity.

[*An allusion to the seeds that bear trees on their heads.

** An allusion to the way in which a delicate plant like the grapevine, which cannot grow upwards and bear the burden of fruit by itself, casts its delicate hands in embrace around a TM for the sake of support.]

Second Proof

"Come, look carefully at all that adorns these plains, squares and dwellings. In each of them there is something indicative of that mysterious being; each of them indicates his existence like a seal or a coin bearing his name. See what he fashions, in front of your eyes, from an ounce of cotton!* See how many rolls of broadcloth, cambric and chintz emerge from it! See too how many candies and sweetmeats, delicious grilled meat are produced there! Thus are many thousands of men like us clothed and fed, and it suffices them all. See too how they take possession of this iron, soil, water, coal, copper, silver and gold, like a prey hunted down in the world of the unseen, and make pieces of meat out of all those elements!** So O foolish man, look and see! A11 of these matters can indicate only a being under whose miraculous power the whole country stands with all of its elements, and to whose every wish all things submit.

[*An allusion to seeds. For example, an opium seed as small as an atom, an apricot pit as light as a drachm, or a melon seed, will bring forth from the Treasury of Mercy and offer to us leaves more finely spun than broadcloth, white and yellow flowers more brightly colored than cambric, and fruits sweeter than candy and more delicious than grilled meat and canned food.

** An allusion to the creation of the animal body from the elements and the bringing into being of living creatures from sperm.]

Third Proof

"Come, look at these precious and skillfully made moving objects!* Each is fashioned in such a way that it is like a copy in miniature of this vast palace. Whatever exists in this palace is to be found in these minute moving machines also. Is it at all possible that one other than the master who designed this palace should be able to compress this wonderful palace into a machine? Or is it at all possible that a machine no larger than a box should function by accident or to no purpose, while containing a whole world within it? All of the precious machines you see with your eyes are then each like a coin bearing the imprint of that hidden being. Indeed, they resemble a herald or a proclamation, declaring through their very mode of being, 'We are the work of a being able to fashion the whole of our world with the same ease with which he created and made us.'

[*An allusion to animals and men. For the animal is like a brief index of the world's contents, while man in his essence is an example in miniature of all of creation; a specimen is present in man of whatever the world contains.]

Fourth Proof

"O obstinate friend! Come, 1et me show you something still stranger. See, all things and objects in this country have constantly changed and are still changing; they do not remain in one state. Look carefully, and you will notice that the solid bodies and insentiate boxes we see have all taken on the form of an absolute ruler; it is as if every object were ruling over all things. Look at the machine beside us: it appears to be giving orders.* The supplies and materials needed for its equipment and operation are brought swiftly from afar. And look over there: that insentiate body appears to be giving orders; it enrolls the greatest of bodies in its service and employs it in fulfilling its tasks.** Compare other things to these. It is as if everything were subduing all the creatures of the world to its own purposes. If you do not accept the existence of that secret being, then you must assign all the accomplishments, arts and perfections inherent in the stones, the soil, the animals and creatures like man found in the kingdom to those objects themselves. In place of the single miracle-working being that your intelligence rejects, you assume the existence of millions of miraculous beings, which are both similar to each other and dissimilar, which exist within each other and yet must remain in harmonious cooperation. In reality, however, if two hands sought to rule over this realm, disorder would ensue. For if there are two headmen in a village, two governors in a city, two monarchs in a country, confusion will reign. How, then, could any exist beside the infinite and absolute ruler of creation?

[* The machine is an allusion to fruitbearing trees. For such trees prepare, adorn, ripen and offer. to us wondrous leaves, flowers and fruits, as if there were hundreds of workshops and factories installed on their delicate branches. By contrast, stately trees like the pine and the cedar have set up their workshops on barreh stone, and are condemned to working there.

** An allusion to grains, seeds and insect eggs. For example, an insect deposits its eggs on the leaf of an elm. The huge elm then converts its leaves into a womb and a cradle for the eggs, a storehouse full of nourishment like honey. It is as if that tree, while not bearing fruit, is thus enabled to give birth to living fruit.]

Fifth Proof

"O querulous friend! Come, look carefully at the inscriptions of this great palace, regard the adornments of this palace, see the institutions of this city, ponder on the works of art of this world! If there were not at work the pen of this hidden being with infinite and miraculous power and skill, and these inscriptions were attributed to insentiate causes, blind chance or dumb nature, then every stone and every grass in the realm would have to be so miraculous an inscriber, so extraordinary a scribe, as to be able to write a thousand books with one letter, and to compress millions of arts into a single design. Look at the design on the stones: each contains the designs of the whole palace, all the ordinances of the whole city, a11 the institutions of the whole realm.* To make those designs is therefore as wondrous as making the whole country. This being the case, each design and each art is like a proclamation and a seal of that hidden being.

"If a letter cannot do otherwise than demonstrate the existence of its scribe, and an artistic design cannot do other than prove the existence of its designer, how could it be that the one who writes a vast book with a single letter, and elaborates a thousand designs from a single design, should not be known from his own book and design?

[*An allusion to man, the fruit of the tree of creation, and the fruit of his tree, which contains, as if were, an index to his being. For whatever the pen of God's power has written in THC great book of the cosmos, it has also inscribed in summary in the essence of man. Whatever the pen of fate has written in the trunk of the tree, as large as a mountain, it has also inscribed in the fruit of the tree, no bigger than a fingernail.]

Sixth Proof

"Come, let us walk on this broad plain.* In the middle of it a high mountain stands; let us climb it so that we can see the land and all around. Let us take fine telescopes with us to bring everything closer. For strange things are afoot in this strange land. Matters our intellects are unable to comprehend happen hourly. These mountains, plains and cities are suddenly changing, and changing indeed in such a way that millions of complex and intertwined matters change in the most orderly way. Remarkable changes take place that resemble the interweaving of millions of different kinds of cloth. See how all those flowers and plants, dear and familiar to us, have disappeared and been replaced by others resembling them in essence but separate in form. The plain and its mountains are each like a plain on which hundreds and thousands of different books are inscribed, without the Least error or mistake. It is impossible to the hundredth degree that these things should take place of themselves. It is rather impossible to the thousandth degree that these matters, infinitely precise and wondrous, should take place of themselves, for they demonstrate their maker more then themselves. The miracle-working being that brings all this about is of such a nature that no task is difficult for him. To write a thousand books is as easy for him as writing a single letter. In addition to this, look in every direction and see how wisely he places everything in its proper place, generously lavishes on everyone the bounties for which he is fitted, and draws back veils and opens doors in such a beneficent fashion that everyone's desires are fulfilled. He provides a hospitable spread in such a liberal fashion that a bounteous tray is presented to all the creatures and animals of this realm, fit and appropriate to each group, hearing the name and sign of each individual. Is there then anything more impossible in the world than this that all of these matters we observe should be characterized by accident; that they serve no purpose and be without benefit; that many hands should administer them; that their overseeing master should not be empowered over all things; or that all things should not be subjugated to him So, my friend, find an argument against this if you are able!

[*An allusion to the earth's surface during spring and summer. For hundreds of thousands of different classes of creature are brought forth together, intermingled with each other, and inscribed on the face of the earth. they are changed with the utmost orderliness, without any error or deficiency. Thousands of banquets of the Compassionate One are spread out and then gathered up: every tree becomes a servant bearing a tray, every orchard becomes a cauldron filled with cooked food.]

Seventh Proof

"Come now, O friend! Let us leave behind these particulars and examine instead the disposition with respect to each other of the component elements of this wondrous world that has the form of a palace. See how general concerns and universal changes take place with so high a degree of order that all the stones, the soil, the trees, indeed everything to be found in the palace, appear to observe the universal order of the world, as if each were a voluntary agent, and to move in conformity with it. Objects distant from each other hasten to each other's aid; it is as if some wondrous caravan were setting out from the world of the unseen, its mounts resembling trees, plants and mountains, and each of them carrying on its head a tray laden with provisions.* The caravan is bringing provision for the different animals waiting here in this world. Look again, and see that the vast electric lamp in the dome of the heavens not only lights the path of the caravan, but also cooks to perfection the foods that it bears;** it is as if a rope were attached by a hand in the world of the unseen to suspend the food that is to be cooked in the rays of the sun.*** Look yet again, and see how two pumps, filled with delicate nourishment have been set up like springs in the presence of these wretched, weak, feeble and powerless animals;**** it is enough for any powerless creature to place his mouth to one of these pumps.

In short, all the objects of this world aid each other and care for each other. Looking upon each other, they extend their hands to each other. In order to fulfil each others tasks, they strive and labor together, All that exists conforms to this principle; innumerable instances could be cited. Now this proves with the same certainty that twice two is four that all things are submitted to the master designer of this wondrous palace, to the lord of this remarkable world. Everything works for his sake; everything is like an infantryman awaiting his orders; everything turns by his power; everything moves by his command; everything is ordered by his wisdom; everything gives help through his generosity and rushes to offer assistance through his compassion and mercy. Now argue against this, O friend, if you are able!

[*By the caravans are meant the plants and trees that carry provision for all animals.

**An allusion to the sun.

*** By the rope and the food attached to it are meant the delicate branches and delicious fruits of the tree.

**** By the two pumps are meant the breasts of a mother.]

Eighth Proof

"Come, O foolish friend, who imagine yourself wise, as does my own soul! While you do not wish to recognize the master of this stately palace, alt things display him, indicate him and bear witness to him. I-how can you deny the witness of all things Why not deny the palace also, and say, 'There is no world, no kingdom, or even deny yourself and disappear If you do not wish to do that, then collect your senses and listen to me. Now see: there are uniform elements and minerals within this palace, encompassing this kingdom.* It is as if all that is produced in the kingdom were fashioned from those materials. Thus it follows that to the owner of those materials belongs also whatever is fashioned from them. The crops that grow in a field belong to the owner of the field, and whatever is to be found in a lake belongs to the owner of the lake. These woven materials and decorated spun cloth that you see are also made of a single material. It is of a certainty the same person who first furnishes and provides the material and then makes it into thread, for this is not a task admitting joint effort. Therefore all the ingenious textiles woven from this material belong to one person. Then too every kind of cloth that is woven and of object that is fashioned is to be found in every area of the kingdom and is disseminated with the other members of its own species; they are woven or fashioned together and intermingled, in the same fashion and at the same moment. Thus it must all be the work of a single being; all things move in obedience to a single command. For such conformity and concord, in the same fashion and at the same moment, in the same manner and form, would otherwise be impossible. Hence each of these ingenious objects displays that hidden being as if it were a proclamation he had issued. Every embroidered cloth, every ingenious machine, every delicious morsel of food, is like a coin, a seal, an emblem and a device of that hidden being, and proclaims through its very mode of existence, 'The chests and the shops in which I am found being to the one who skilfully made me.' Every design proclaims, 'The roll of cloth on which I am imprinted belongs to the one who embroidered me.' Every delicious morsel of food proclaims, 'The pot that contains me belongs to the one who cooked and prepared me.' Every machine proclaims, 'The one who made me makes also those like unto me that are distributed throughout the whole kingdom; he it is, too, who maintains all of us in every part of the kingdom. Hence he is the owner of this kingdom; and whoever is the owner of this kingdom, this palace, is also our owner.' Similarly, to be the true owner of a single bandoleer or button belonging to the state, it is necessary to own the workshops that produce them; and it is always possible to take away and redistribute the equipment of some boastful auxiliary soldier, reminding him that it is state property.

"In short, the elements of this kingdom are the materials that encompass it. Their owner can be only that single being who owns the whole country. All the ingenious objects disseminated over the face of the kingdom, resembling each other through the single imprint that they bear, demonstrate that they are the work of a being who reigns over all things.

"So, O friend! In this kingdom, this stately palace, there is a sign of unity, and a coin of unity is in circulation. Certain things are one and all- encompassing, while others, although multiple, demonstrate a unity of type through their mutual resemblance and omnipresence. Unity implies a being who is one; and therefore the fashioner, the owner, the master and the maker of that which is characterized by unity must also be one. See how a thick rope is suspended from behind the veil of the unseen, and how thousands of lesser ropes are in turn suspended from it. To the end of each rape has been attached a diamond, a decoration, a gift and a present.** An appropriate gift is offered to everyone. Do you not realize what madness it is not to recognize and give thanks to the being that extends these wondrous gifts and bounties from behind the veil of the unseen? For if you do not recognize him, you will be compelled to say, 'These ropes fashion and present the diamonds and other gifts attached to them themselves.' This will imply that each rope has the rank of a monarch, whereas in reality a hand from the unseen fashions the ropes and attaches the gifts to them in front of our eyes. In short, everything within this palace demonstrates that miraculous being even more than it does its own self. If you do not recognize him, you will fall to a rank a hundred times lower than that of the animals, by your multiple denial of all that the world contains.

[* By the elements and minerals are meant the elements of air, water, light and earth that fulfil their functions in disciplined form, hasten to offer assistance to the needy by their Lord's leave, enter every comer by their Lord's command, produce the necessities of life, suckle a0 living beings, end are the source, origin and cradle of the weave and design of God's creation.

**The thick rope is an allusion to the fruitbearing tree; the thousands of ropes allude to the branches; the diamonds, decorations, gifts and presents attached to them allude to different kinds of flower and species of fruit]

Ninth Proof

"Come, O undiscerning friend! You do not recognize the master of this palace, and do not wish to do so, since you regard his existence as impossible and are misled into denying his miraculous skills and his states by the fact that they transcend comprehension. Now that which is truly improbable, and the cause of real problems, genuine difficulties and awesome hardships, is indeed the failure to recognize him. For if we recognize him, the whole of this palace, this world, will become a place of ease and tranquillity for us; its goods will be cheap and abundant. But if we do not recognize him and he does not exist, then everything within the palace will become, problematic, for everything the palace contains is as complex as the palace itself. Its goods will be neither cheap nor abundant, and indeed nothing of all that we see will be accessible to us or anyone else. Look at the cans of food attached to each rope.* If they were not to come from the hidden and miraculous kitchen of the master of this world, we could not obtain them for a whole fortune, even though now they are to be had for a few coins.

"Yes, improbability, difficulties, problems, catastrophes-all these lie in not recognizing him; indeed it is an utter absurdity not to do so. A tree is given life at its root, in a single center and according to a single law. Thus the formation of thousands of fruits becomes as easy as that of a single fruit. If the fruits of that tree were each to be connected to a separate center and root, according to a separate law, then each fruit would become as complex as the whole tree. So too if the equipment of a whole army comes from a single factory, a single center and according to a single law, it becomes as easy to equip an army as a single soldier. But if the equipment of each soldier were to be manufactured and provided in different places, there would have to be established for each soldier as many factories as are required for the whole army.

"Just as in these two examples, when the creation of all the objects in this well-ordered palace, this perfect city, this flourishing kingdom, this stately world, is assigned to one being, it becomes so easy and light a task that the infinite cheapness, abundance and generosity we observe in this world are the result. Otherwise everything becomes so expensive and difficult of access that nothing could be obtained, even if the whole world's wealth were offered in exchange.

[*The cans of food are an allusion to strength-giving melons, watermelons, pomegranates. milk-filled coconuts and other gifts of God's compassion.]

Tenth Proof

"Come, O friend! You are now beginning to demonstrate some fairness. We have been here now for fifteen days.* If we do not learn the laws of this world and recognize its monarch, we will be deserving of punishment. We no longer have any excuse. For fifteen days none has held us responsible, as if we had been given a period of grace. But we have certainly not been left to our own devices. Finding ourselves surrounded by such delicate, ingenious, symmetrical, subtle and wise fruits of creation, we cannot rampage destructively through them like animals; we are not permitted to do so. The punishment exacted by the majestic king of this realm is bound to be awesome. You may understand how majestic and powerful a being he is by the way in which he orders this vast world like a palace and causes it to revolve like a wheel. He administers this great kingdom like a household, without permitting any deficiency to appear. See how from time to time he fills this palace, this kingdom, this city, with the utmost order, and then empties it with the utmost wisdom, just as if he were filling and emptying a cup. From one end of the kingdom to the other, different fruits are brought forth in turn to be eaten, as if different kinds of spread were being laid and then removed by a hand from the unseen, just like the spreading out and gathering up of a tablecloth.** He gathers up one and then brings out another; this you can see, and understand then, if you have any sense, that an infinitely bounteous generosity is contained within that awesome majesty. See too that just as all things bear witness to the sovereignty and unity of that unseen being, so too all the changes and transformations that succeed each other like an unending series of caravans and emerge from behind the veil that is continually opening and closing, also bear witness to his permanence and eternity. For together with all things that pass away the causes that produced them also vanish.

"But after they have departed, those things we had attributed to them are repeated. Therefore the effects we observed are not theirs, but rather of one who does not pass away. The bubbles on the surface of a river depart, but the new bubbles that come after them shine in the same way. Thus we conclude that the one who causes them to .shine is an exalted and eternal possessor of light. So too the swift changing of all things and the taking on of the same color by succeeding phenomena may be understood as the manifestation, the design and the mirror of a single and eternal being.

[*Fifteen days is an allusion to fifteen, the age of legal responsibility.

**The tablecloth is an allusion to the face of the earth in summertime, when hundreds of fresh and separate banquets are brought forth from the kitchen of Compassion. Every orchard becomes a cauldron, every tree a servant bearing a tray.]

Eleventh Proof

"Come, O friend! I will show you now a further decisive proof, as convincing as the ten preceding ones combined. Come, let us board a ship; there is an island in the distance, which is our destination, for the keys to our talismanic world are to be found there.* Everyone's attention and expectations are focused on that island, and everyone takes instruction from it. We travel to the island and disembark. See the great gathering here. All the dignitaries of the realm are assembled for an important ceremony. Look carefully, and you will see that this great gathering has a leader presiding over it. Let us go closer and make his acquaintance. See what luminous decorations he has, more than a thousand in number!** How powerfully and convincingly he speaks! How pleasingly he discourses! In the course of the past fifteen days, I have learned a part of what he is saying. Now learn it from me. See, he is discussing the miraculous sovereign of this country. He says that that glorious monarch has sent him, and he displays such wonders as to Leave no doubt that he is a chosen servant and envoy of the monarch. Be attentive, and you will see that it is not only the creatures of the island that are listening to his words; he is conveying them in a miraculous fashion to the whole of the kingdom. For everyone is straining to hear from afar the words spoken here. Not only men, but animals too are listening; even the mountains are heeding the commands he proclaims, for they remain immobile in place, and the trees go wheresoever he commands. He brings forth water wherever he pleases, and he makes of his finger a fountain from which the water of Paradise gushes forth, and gives men to drink of the water of Life. The lamp in the lofty dome of this palace is split into two at his command.*** All this shows that all the beings in the kingdom recognize his mission. As if knowing him to be the chosen and veracious spokesman of a hidden and miraculous being, the herald of his sovereignty, the uncoverer of his talisman and the messenger entrusted with the promulgation of his commands, they hear and obey him. Every word that he speaks evokes acceptance from all reasonable beings around him and exclamations that 'Yes, yes, it is true!' Indeed, the mountains and trees of the kingdom, and the great lamp that illumines all kingdoms,**** each bows it: head before the commands and orders of that person and confesses, 'Yes, all that you say is true.'

"So O distraught friend! Is it possible that there should be any kind of error or crookedness in the mention of miraculous being, the description of his attributes and the promulgation of his commands, made with all of his strength by that luminous, dignified and most earnest of men, adorned with a thousand decorations from the treasury of that monarch and verified by all the dignitaries of the kingdom If any untruth should be possible here, then one would have to deny the palace, the lamp, and the gathering of dignitaries, and reject both their material existence and their inward essences. Now raise the finger of objection, if you are able, and see how your finger, broken by the power of proof, will instead be thrust into your eye!

[*The ship is an allusion to history, and the island to the blessed age of the Prophet, upon whom be peace and blessings. From the dark shore of this age, laying off the garment in which we have been clothed by this savage civilization, we may enter the sea of time, and embarking on the ship of history and narrative, depart for the island of the Blessed Age and the Arabian peninsula, there to visit the Pride of the World, upon whom be peace and blessings, while engaged in his work. That exalted one is so brilliant a proof of the Divine unity that he has illumined the face of the earth from end to end, as well as past and future, the two faces of time, and dispelled the darkness of misbelieve and misguidance.

** The thousand decorations are the miracles of the Prophet, upon whom be peace, a thousand in number according to those who have investigated the matter.

*** The lamp is the moon, which split into two upon his command. As Maulana Jami said, 'That unlettered one, unable to write, inscribed an alif on the page of the heavens with the pen of his finger; he made of a forty two fifties." That is, the moon before being split resembled the letter mim which has the numerical value of forty; after being split, it became two crescent moons, each resembling the letter nun, which has the numerical value of fifty.

**** The great lamp is an allusion to the sun. Once the Prophet, upon whom be peace, was asleep in the arms of Imam Ali, may God be pleased with him, and hence Imam Ali was unable to perform the midafternoon prayer. But the earth turned back from the east, east that the sun became visible again, and Imam Ali was enabled by that miracle to perform his midafternoon prayer.]

Twelfth Proof

"Come, brother! Now that you are beginning to show a little more sense, I will show you one more proof, as powerful as the eleven that have preceded it. Look at the luminous edict that has descended from on high and at which everyone gazes with the utmost attention, on account of admiration and respect!* That envoy adorned with a thousand decorations stands beside the edict and proclaims its meaning to the totality of mankind. The expressions in the edict shine in such a fashion that they attract the admiring gaze of everyone, and it treats such grave and important matters that everyone is compelled to listen. For it proclaims one by one the states, acts, commands and attributes of the being that administers this realm, that fashions this palace, that manifests these wonders. Just as the total form of the edict is like a supreme seal or device, and in the same way that in each of its lines and sentences there is an inimitable sign and signature, the unique seal of that being may also be seen imprinted on all the meanings, truths, commands and fragments of wisdom that the edict contains.

"In short, that supreme decree demonstrates the Supreme Being, just like the sun; anyone who is not blind may open his eyes and see it.

"So O friend! If you have come to your senses, his should be enough. But if you have anything left to say, then say it."

That obstinate man replied: "Faced with these proofs you have brought, all I can say is, 'Praise be to God, I believe.' I have come to believe in a fashion as bright as the sun and as clear as the day, and I accept that this kingdom has only one Perfect King, this world has only one Glorious Master, this palace has only one Beauteous Maker. May God reward you for delivering me from my former obstinacy and aberration. Each of the proofs that you mentioned was enough to prove this truth by itself. But I listened to each proof as it came in succession, in the expectation of more lucent and luminous, more pleasing and perfect, layers of knowledge as the veils of cognition were drawn back, and the windows of love thrown open."

Our parable demonstrating the supreme truth of the Divine unity and the faith that is implied in saying "I believe in God" is now complete.

[*The luminous edict is the Qur'an, and the seal or device that it bears is its miraculous inimitability.]

Is there any argument left for God's existence??? If so say it and I will try to find that out for you.