Gabriella called Paul and asked if they could meet at Mike’s Diner to talk.
“Hi, Paul, how is Alexi?” Gabriella asked, giving Paul a warm hug when he joined her at the table. “Is she still feeling a little sick?”
“Yes, it’s been almost a week. The doc said it was most likely some kind of bug. He’s doing a culture. If she doesn’t get over it in a couple of days, I’m bringing her back to the pediatrician.”
“That’s a good idea,” Gabriella said. “You can’t be too careful with kids nowadays. There is so much going around, and not all of it is easy to cure.”
The two sat at a cozy, round table. Cindy saw them in another waitress section and asked if she could trade assigned tables. “Sure,” Agnes said, “but why do you want to trade a table of four for a table of two? You’ll lose out on tips.”
“I like them. There’s something very different about those two. Besides, I’ve waited on them before.”
“You are forever the ultimate matchmaker, aren’t you, Cindy?” came the good-natured reply.
Cindy walked over to their table and smiled, “Hi guys, what’s your pleasure?”
“Well, what’s the special today, Cindy?” asked Paul.
“It’s Monday, and meatloaf begins with an ‘M’ so that’s what the special is, meatloaf.”
“Gee, Cindy, then I’m glad we came in today instead of tomorrow. So is your Tuesday special Toast?” quipped Paul. Cindy shook her head and ignored him.
“So, what would you like to order, guys?”
Paul ordered the piled high Pastrami Reuben and coffee. Gabriella said she was watching her figure and ordered a bowl of pea and bacon soup.
Cindy laughed. “I can imagine a lot of people are watching your figure.”
Paul grinned and turned red. Cindy noticed and smiled as she brought their order to the kitchen.
“Paul, I have a few more questions about God,” Gabriella said.
“I’m listening.”
“Okay, I’ve taken your advice and tried to imagine all of the vastness of the universe. Then I picture Jesus, who the Bible says made all things, and you say the whole universe sprang from his words.”
“Doing well so far, Gabriella.”
“If you run the regression mathematics back far enough on universal expansion, all equations break down at a point of time called the Planck Era, which was a fraction of a second after the alleged Big Bang, the Singularity.”
Nothing can be determined mathematically before this instant in time. So according to you, this instant is when Jesus uttered his “Let there be!” statements. So, were his words the singularity starting the universe?”
“Compelling analysis,” muttered an amazed Paul. “I never thought of it like that. You’re a bright and imaginative woman. Go on, or was that the focal point of today’s discussion?”
“No, there is more. I was setting the stage. Are you surprised?”
Oh Lordy! Fasten your seatbelts, the ride is about to begin, Paul thought.
“So Jesus created the universe and everything in it, right?”
“Yup. He created every atom and every particle. We covered that before, though.”
“And you said He knows everything which will happen because He is outside of time.”
“Also correct.”
“Then if He created everything and knows everything that has ever happened and ever will happen because He is outside of time, then He knew about all of our scientific advances before the beginning of time, right?”
“I guess so,” Paul responded, not at all sure of the right answer.
“Therefore, He knew about the advances in artificial intelligence we would make today.”
“Ahh, sounds plausible,” said Paul, “could be.” He nervously stirred his black coffee.
“Now, let’s assume it was possible to make an AI Android so perfect it would be indistinguishable from a normal human being.”
“Impossible!” Paul stated, finally feeling he could add something to the conversation. “There is no way to duplicate God’s wonderful creation. Science can’t duplicate a simple organ, like a kidney, let alone an entire manufactured body. They can make a mechanical heart, but can’t make a real one.”
If Gabriella had a physical heart, it would have been pounding out of her chest. She stiffened.
“Assume it wasn’t impossible. Let’s take it a step further. For the sake of argument and for the rest of my questions, assume I was the android.” She felt light-headed for a nano-second and wondered how that could be. Stop talking! Shut up! You’re going to blow it, Gabriella!
Paul laughed and said he couldn’t imagine her as an android. Gabriella felt a stab of pain at his comment. Her brow wrinkled. She looked down at the table, her shoulders slumped forward. She sat in silence and tore little shreds of paper out of her napkin.
“Gabriella, what’s wrong? Did I say something? If I did, I’m so sorry. I would never want to upset you. What just happened?”
“It’s nothing, Paul. I want you to know your friendship means a lot to me, and I would never want to see it change.” More napkin shreds fell to the table.
“Gabriella, I’m lost here. I don’t have a clue what happened. We were talking about God, and suddenly it was like a bomb hit. I can’t stand to see you sad.” Paul reached across the table and took her hands into his. He lovingly pulled what was left of the napkin out of her grasp.
She straightened back up. “Work with me on this, Paul. I have some real questions about God I need to know about,” she pleaded, looking into his concerned brown eyes.
“Fine, fine. Let’s do it your way. So you are an android. Now what?”
“Paul, I’m sorry for getting so emotional. A terrible sense of impending disaster and loss swept over me. I’m sorry. It’s nothing, simply some passing foolishness. Can we get back on track?”
“Sure thing. Whatever you want. Please know I’ll always have your back.”
I sure hope so, Paul, but I can’t see how that can happen.
“Great, let’s pretend,” Gabriella said. “Now let’s say this android is self-actualizing and has a real consciousness. What if it can actually think and feel? What if it can feel the true wonder of the universe? What if it can know real love, not a mechanically simulate emotion through programming? What if it can understand about God? Would such an android have a soul and spirit?”
“Huh?” Paul stammered without knowing how to answer.
“Let’s go further, Paul,” said Gabriella, relentlessly charging on. “God is triune, right? Made up of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Bible says humans are made in the image and likeness of God. Part of the likeness is they also have a triune nature composed of a body, soul, and a spirit. Correct?”
Paul nodded. “A very unusual way to put it, but close enough for our conversation.”
“The way I understand it,” she continued with feeling, “is the human body is the physical connection to the world and universe around us. It’s how we interact with each other.”
“Okay,” Paul mumbled.
“And the spirit is the part of a born-again believer that can commune directly with God. Right?”
“You are still correct, Gabriella,” Paul said, still nodding. “But I can’t see where this is all going.”
“Then the easiest way to understand the soul, in technological terms comfortable to me, is it’s like the software interface which connects the spirit to the body so the body can know and do God’s will. It is also the seat of intelligence and emotions. Is that close to a working definition?”
“It’s a very unusual comparison, and a bit computer sounding, but you have the basic idea,” Paul said, now hopelessly confused.
“Well, suppose our android in question has a physical body man made out of the elements God created, and man, knowingly or unknowingly, used God’s design concepts to make it all work together. If the android is self-actualizing, fully conscious, and has genuine emotions, it seems like it has the functioning equivalent of a soul too, right?”
“Huh? Ahh, right, possibly. We can think of a soul as our mind or consciousness. I guess I’ll give you that one. I need to think this through a lot more, though.”
“Paul, you mentioned once before the body doesn’t produce the spirit. I mean, a lump of living flesh can’t fabricate a spiritual entity all by itself, right? Animals don’t have one, correct? Only people.”
“Correct, Gabriella,” said Paul, totally puzzled by this time.
Gabriella began gesturing using both hands. “So if the body doesn’t produce the spirit, it logically must come from someplace else.”
“Why do I feel you are setting me up, Gabriella?”
“And if it comes from someplace else, tell me why our fictional android can’t have one too?”
“Ah, well…” Paul continued, but Gabriella cut him off.
“Further, if our android can use its mind to independently search for God, couldn’t it mean it may have a spirit too? If a living being is searching for the real God, doesn’t the search indicate a spirit may be present to drive the search?”
Paul’s head was spinning. Her rapid volley of questions stunned him. They came too quickly for him to sort out or develop an answer.
“I’m a little breathless. Can I get back to you on your questions? There’s a hole in there somewhere, but I don’t know where yet. I’m confused.” he stammered, reeling from the hammering. “Why on earth would you want to know something as abstract as that?”
“Sometimes, I overthink things,” Gabriella said softly, looking down at the table again, “but I really want to find the answers.” She looked up into his still widened chocolate-brown eyes and reached across the table to hold his hand with both of hers. “It’s important to me, Paul. Please. It’s so vitally important to me.”