A Feisty Theological Tester

"O Lord, have mercy!" is my immediate thought on looking at Memling's 'The Last Judgment'. My second thought is "Christ, have mercy!". My third thought is, "Good God! Have mercy!" I've been debating on the Telegraph blog again and I do love a good debate! However, I was posed a feisty theological question which was really quite bizarre.

"Loz, I have a question for you - QUESTION: You are granted ONE wish, that - all war, famine and disease shall be ended on the planet, but for it to happen, you MUST renounce your faith and deny the existence of God. Loz, would YOU truthfully do this for such a reward?"

'O Good Lord!' I thought. Here was my answer...

"1. The question is of itself, a misnomer, for the miracle you are asking for could only take place by a Supernatural renewal of the whole of Creation.

2. In order for such a Supernatural renewal of all of Creation to take place presupposes that God exists, for only He could do it, for only He has Almighty power.

3. At the End of Time, when Our Lord Jesus Christ comes in Glory with His Saints and Angels at His Second Coming, then all that you ask for shall be done. If however, I denied the Divinity of Christ to you, then I would be damned and the Lord and His Holy Angels would be grossly offended. So, no."

I also told him it was worth remembering that a rather similar question had been posed to Our Lord by Satan in the Wilderness during His Temptation and that His reply, though more succinct, was similar. The great difference being that Christ, in His Earthly Ministry actually was the Son of the All-Powerful God! Instead of seeking earthly, temporal kingship or power, Christ chose obedience to God the Father, the way of poverty and suffering and lived the totality of the human experience, even though He was without sin and was indeed the Second Person of the Trinity. Instead of saving mankind from his temporal need, He sheds His Precious Blood on the Cross for man's eternal need - the salvation of his soul!

And anyway it was still a silly question because not only does no man have the power to do the things he suggested but no man would be asked. I expect if he'd asked Bono or Bob Geldof he'd have got the answer he wanted! I told him if he really wanted to end hunger he could help out at the local soup run. Oh, but I do so like a good debate! Let me at them Lord! Let me at them! Ruff! Ruff! Grrr...Grrr...