What if God exists and his name is Fred?

(Prepared long ago - Away at a mini-conference - Send food)

Suppose, for a moment, that some all powerful entity definitely (as opposed to possibly) exists that created the universe and that his/her/its name is Fred. Does the name make a difference? Well, if the entity in question calls itself Fred, that is a massive difference, because a familiar/understandable name makes things smaller. An omnipotent being called Fred is intrinsically less frightening than one with no recognizable name at all. All unknown things become less frightening with some self-definition (or even just a nickname!).

More importantly, is this a silly question? Probably it is, but the sillier ones are always the better ones, and lost causes are often more worth fighting for than the others. (It's amazing what you can learn from 'Star Trek' novels.) How many of the greatest mysteries in the universe are considered impossible just because we can't name them yet? Is science ridiculously richer for classifying relativity, or just for naming it and reducing it to something knowable? And does knowing that contribute more to our awareness than 'Joe Versus The Volcano', 'Detective Comics 775' or 'Yes Man'? And is any of it worth more or less if the Big Bang was kicked off by some bloke called Fred? Obviously it is more important to know about relativity in a science-driven world than the others, but more by choice than necessity. The world has chosen to compete via science and warfare, so we have to keep going or be conquered. Also, science is fascinating when done well.

Whether or not there is some being (called Fred or Ethel or StarAsterisk), it doesn't really answer a fundamental question. Doubt still remains. Why? Well, if there is some creator, then how did that creator come into existence? If there isn't a creator then what started everything into action, and if there is no starting event to the universe then how did this all come into existence to begin with? A Big Bang with or without a creator still leaves the same question of first causes, that long infinite chain of events, which must all have been caused somehow in our own perception of reality. First causes... Somewhere outside this dimension, this universe, there could be a whole other realm where causality doesn't exist and first causes don't have to exist. Ultimately there might have to be, otherwise the chain will go on forever. Then the universe would be caused by the universe which would then be caused by the universe and so? It's as good a theory as any other, and it still allows the possibility of some creator, even one called Fred.

O.

Note: The game 'Forbidden Desert' is almost impossibly difficult. Dreadfully impossible. Or we might just be doing it wrong. Mutter.