Again, said Ponter, what was that?
Mary lifted her shoulders slightly. A church service.
Ponters Companion bleeped.
Church, said Mary. A, um, a hall of worship.
Another bleep.
Religion. Worshiping God.
Hak spoke up at this point, using its female voice. I am sorry, Mare. I do not know the meaning of any of these words.
God, repeated Mary. The being who created the universe.
There was a moment during which Ponters expression remained neutral. But then, presumably upon hearing Haks translation, his golden eyes went wide. He spoke in his language, and Hak translated, using the male voice: The universe did not have a creator. It has always existed.
Mary frowned. She suspected Louiseif she ever emerged from the basementwould enjoy explaining big-bang cosmology to Ponter. For her part, Mary simply said, Thats not our belief.
Ponter shook his head, but was evidently willing to let that go. Stilclass="underline" That man, he said, indicating the TV, talked of everlasting life. Does your kind have the secret of immortality? We have specialists in life-prolongation, and they have long sought that, but
No, said Mary. No, no. Hes talking about Heaven. She raised her hand, palm out, and successfully forestalled Haks bleep. Heaven is a place where we supposedly continue to exist after death.
That is oxymoronic. Mary marveled briefly at Haks proficiency. Ponter had actually spoken a dozen words in his own language, presumably saying something like thats a contradiction in terms, but the Companion had realized that there was a more succinct way to express this in English, even if there wasnt in the Neanderthal tongue.
Well, replied Mary, not everyone on Earthon this Earth, that isbelieves in an afterlife.
Do the majority?
Well yes, I guess so.
Do you?
Mary frowned, thinking. Yes, I suppose I do.
Based on what evidence? asked Ponter. The tone of his Neanderthal words was neutral; he wasnt trying to be derisive.
Well, they say that She trailed off. Why did she believe it? She was a scientist, a rationalist, a logical thinker. But, of course, her religious indoctrination had occurred long before shed been trained in biology. Finally, she shrugged a little, knowing her answer would be inadequate. Its in the Bible.
Hak bleeped.
The Bible, repeated Mary. Scriptures. Bleep. Holy text. Bleep. A revered book of moral teachings. The first part of it is shared by my peoplecalled Christiansand by another major religion, the Jews. The second part is only believed in by Christians.
Why? asked Ponter. What happens in the second part?
It tells the story of Jesus, the son of God.
Ah, yes. That man spoke of him. Soso this this creator of the universe somehow had a human son? Was God human, then?
No. No, hes incorporeal; without a body.
Then how could he ?
Jesus mother was human, the Virgin Mary. She paused. In a roundabout way, Im named after her.
Ponter shook his head slightly. Sorry. Hak has been doing an admirable job, but clearly is failing here. My Companion interpreted something you said as meaning one who has never had sexual intercourse.
Virgin, yes, said Mary.
But how can a virgin also be a mother? asked Ponter. That is another and Mary heard him speak the same string of words that Hak had rendered before as oxymoron.
Jesus was conceived without intercourse. God sort of planted him in her womb.
And this other factionJews, you said?rejects this story?
Yes.
They seem less credulous, shall we say. He looked at Mary. Do you believe this? This story of Jesus?
I am a Christian, Mary said, confirming it as much for herself as for Ponter. A follower of Jesus.
I see, said Ponter. And you also believe in this existence after death?
Well, we believe that the real essence of a person is the soulbleepan incorporeal version of the person, and that the soul travels to one of two destinations after death, where that essence will live on. If the person has been good, the soul goes to Heavena paradise, in the presence of God. If the person has been bad, the soul goes to Hellbleepand is torturedbleeptormented forever.
Ponter was silent for a long time, and Mary tried to read his broad features. Finally, he said, Wemy peopledo not believe in an afterlife.
What do you think happens after death? asked Mary.
For the person who has died, absolutely nothing. He or she ceases to be, totally and completely. All that they were is gone forevermore.
Thats so sad, said Mary.
Is it? asked Ponter. Why?
Because you have to go on without them.
Do you have contact with those who dwell in this afterlife of yours?
Well, no. I dont. Some people say they do, but their claims have never been substantiated.
Color me surprised, said Ponter; Mary wondered where Hak had picked up that expression. But if you have no way of accessing this afterlife, this realm of the dead, then why give it credence?
Ive never seen the parallel world you came from, said Mary, and yet I believe in that. And you cant see it anymorebut you still believe in it, too.
Once again, Hak got full marks. Touche, it said, neatly summarizing a half dozen words uttered by Ponter.
But Ponters revelations had intrigued Mary. We hold that morality comes from religion: from the belief in an absolute good, and from the, well, the fear, I guess, of damnationof being sent to Hell.
In other words, said Ponter, humans of your kind behave properly only because they are threatened if they do not.
Mary tilted her head, conceding the point. Its Pascals wager, she said. See, if you do believe in God, and he doesnt exist, then youve lost very little. But if you dont, and he does, then you risk eternal torment. Given that, its prudent to be a believer.
Ah, said Ponter; the interjection was the same in his language as hers, so no rendering of it was made by Hak.
But, look, said Mary, you still havent answered my question about morality. Without a Godwithout a belief that you will be rewarded or punished after the end of your lifewhat drives morality among your people? Ive spent a fair bit of time with you now, Ponter; I know youre a good person. Where does that goodness come from?
I behave as I do because it is right for me to do so.
By whose standards?
By the standards of my people.
But where do those standards come from?
From And here Ponters eyes went wide, great orbs beneath an undulating shelf of bone, as though hed had an epiphanyin the secular sense of the word, of course. From our conviction that there is no life after death! he said triumphantly. That is why your belief troubles me; I see it now. Our assertion is straightforward and congruent with all observed fact: a persons life is completely finished at death; there is no possibility of reconciling with them, or making amends after they are gone, and no possibility that, because they lived a moral life, they are now in a paradise, with the cares of this existence forgotten. He paused, and his eyes flicked left and right across Marys face, apparently looking for signs she understood what he was getting at.
Do you not see? Ponter went on. If I wrong someoneif I say something mean to them, or, I do not know, perhaps take something that belongs to themunder your worldview I can console myself with the knowledge that, after they are dead, they can still be contacted; amends can be made. But in my worldview, once a person is gonewhich could happen for any of us at any moment, through accident or heart attack or so onthen you who did the wrong must live knowing that that persons entire existence ended without you ever having made peace with him or her.