Good to catch up again Steve
Yes, must be a year since we last met up for a coffee
I hear congratulations are in order
How’s that?
Haven’t you just made it to eighty?
Oh that! - Yes I’m now an Octogenarian – A real old man!
Well I’ll be joining you next year
I reckon being eighty’s like playing extra time in a football match. Just waiting for the final whistle
Don’t be so morbid!
Been thinking a lot recently about what happens after you pop your clogs
Do you believe in an afterlife?
Not sure. After all, how can we be certain?
We can’t – there’s no evidence that we go on to exist after death. Maybe it just all ends like switching off a light
Doesn’t bother me either way but so many religions believe we go on somewhere. Some say a better place if we’ve earned it or a worse if we’ve sinned
Do you believe in a god Steve?
Not really Ron and if I did what god should I choose – there are so many. Who’s to say which is the real one?
I know what you mean – It all depends on when and where you were born. If we’d lived in Roman times we might have worshipped Jupiter
Exactly – and Odin if we’d been a Viking or Zeus if we’d lived in ancient Greece
I’ve come to the conclusion that the religion we choose is really influenced by where we are born and the religion adopted by our parents. I was brought up a Christian but had I been born in the East I might have been a Muslim or Hindu.
I agree – Who knows which is the real god and does he or she exist at all
Perhaps we’d all be better off without religion of any kind … After all its been the cause of so many rivalries and wars
However, if there were no god or creator what could have produced our universe and the great variety of life on earth?
Didn’t it all start with the Big Bang ,whatever that means
Maybe life just evolved and got more complex according to Darwin’s theories on evolution
Who knows? – It’s hard to believe though that the great complexities and variations of living things happened without some divine intervention and master plan
All this is getting very philosophical! But it’s good to chat about it.
How’s about another cappuccino and then we can talk about that other contentious subject – politics! Who will you vote for at the next election?
Not sure yet Ron – Like religion, there are too many to choose from and they can’t all be right!
Exactly – By the way I’m buying you a birthday present
Really … What is it?
The cappuccinos are on me!