Let's Pretend

Let's pretend that God doesn't exist, but that I live as He does.

So here is what I suspect would happen.  I choose to live my life as a faithful servant of God (who really does not exist).  I choose to believe with all my heart that He does and that the Ten Commandments really are His rules for us to live by.  I choose to fear judgement day every time I fail to act in accordance with those commandments and ask for forgiveness and trust in His mercy when I am sincere.  And I choose to do that not only because I fear judgement, but because I love God and don't want to hurt Him.  I screw up over and over every day and never stop believing in God's forgiveness and mercy and never stop seeking it.

So then I get old.  I mean, really old.  I am running along one day at the age of 95 (yep, still running!).  I feel some pain in my chest and down my left arm.  I get really dizzy and I realize, this is the end.  I then fall down and die.  From then on, I know nothing.  God does not exist, but I don't care that I lived as though He did because I am dead.  Gone.  Kaput.  I certainly don't feel duped or snowed… because I'm dead.  My family buries me (or as I have requested, spread my ashes along the Boston Marathon course so at least I FINALLY can say I was on it.  Even though I won't care because I'm dead and know nothing).  My body rots and eventually disintegrates into dust.  Only bones are left.  Who cares?  Won't bother me.  I am dead.  No soul, no nothing.  I regret nothing.  Because I am nothing.  I simply, am not.

But God does exist.  And suppose I live as though He does not or that it does not matter that He does.

And I'm running along at the age of 95 and fall down dead from a heart attack.  And everything I chose to cast away as fairy tale or fantasy in regard to the existence of God suddenly matters more than anything ever did.  It will determine where I spend eternity.

That's a HUGE problem.  Not a risk I'm willing to take.

Live as though God exists.  Because He does and it matters more than anything in life every will.