thinktoomuch.net

On Friday, 26 October, I had a little vision. I thought I should share it. Now bear in mind, visions are strange things. A vision is usually highly enigmatic, not set in stone. A lot of it may be metaphorical or maybe even warnings about a potential future that will never happen…

I had written a book. I saw the back cover. The title of the book was “Science God”, apparently inspired by Rob Bell’s most recent book Sex God (amazon, kalahari).

On the back cover of the book, the following was written:

“Hugo van der Merwe has an M in Electronic Engineering, Digital Signal Processing. How is his education at all related to the subject matter of this book? - It took him an extra two years to finish his M. During that time, he went mad. He became a mad scientist. He believes he found inspiration, he found “God”. In this book, he shares his delusions with the world, drawing from most of the great religions, and from that apparent enemy of God, known as Science, illustrating in what might either be genius or complete madness, how everything fits together so perfectly. In his deluded mind at least.”

• “I… I… I don’t know what to say…?” (Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion - amazon, kalahari)
• “LOL!” (Rob Bell, author of Sex God - amazon, kalahari)
• “Pull up a chair, let’s discuss it over a glass of wine.” (Theo Geyser, mentor, role model, and pastor to Hugo)
• “How does Hugo come up with all this stuff?!” (Maud, supposedly atheistic behavioural ecologist, and virtual muse to Hugo - we have not yet met)
• “Hugo neatly expresses what I’ve always been wanting to tell him!” (Anneke van der Merwe, Hugo’s sister)
• “So Hugo finally destroyed that fence, it seems…” (Zach, Microsoftie. ’nuff said.)
• “If I were ever nuts enough to join a little ‘bible study group’ (for lack of a better word), it would have to be with someone insane like Hugo” (Stefan, who tried his best to keep Hugo sane. Despite what it may look like, he was mildly successful)
• “Hey man, easy on that caffeine!” (Wendy Lee Oldfield, co-author of Caffeine for the Creative Mind)
• “So Hugo never gave up…” (Marianne A, a prophet, according to Hugo’s delusions)
• “Just as long as Hugo finishes his M first, for his own sake” (May van der Merwe, Hugo’s dear mother, who made all of this possible)
• “I always wanted to write a book…” (Jac van der Merwe, who lives on in our memories, may he be proud of his deluded son.)
• “Ambidexterity is cool, no?” (Elsa, who must also be a little insane to have so much patience listening to Hugo’s ramblings)
• “So it was that simple after all?” (Jakkie, Hugo’s step-father, who was prepared to be a very cooperative guinea pig, bless his soul.)
• “But what about… I think Hugo missed this: …” (Steve Kroon, a free thinking Christian, or something, and man, does he think!)
• “No I’m not converting, dammit!” (Pieter, Hugo’s running mate - Sorry about my silly ankle, man… it’s letting us both down! And you really don’t have to convert. Really…)
• “Great! Let’s go watch a movie!” (Freddy Fliekvlooi at Kinekansel)
• “…three things so beautifully written in Afrikaans or Dutch, that it cannot be translated into English…” (Bertus! at Salige Rus, Johan Swarts and Right Said Reverend, who together pointed Hugo in the right direction, and kept him on course.)
• “HEY, RELIGIOUS GUYS!” (Real Live Preacher, who planted a mustard seed…)
• “Yea, you tell them. What’s this nonsense about me not being a religious man?” (Einstein)
• “Blasphemy! You shall burn in hell for all eternity!” (Some pentecostal preacher. Can’t remember which one. Who cares, anyway?)

I think I’m getting WAY ahead of myself here… in SO many ways… take this all with a pot full of salt. No, grab a bag. Or seven bags. Ask Sannie, she can provide you with them, and be glad to be liberated of them at last.

We’ll see where it goes, but a man must dream, dammit! (Oh, and what’s a nice non-swearing equivalent for “dammit”? I’m happy going with “baloney” instead of “bullshit”, but I’m still struggling with “dammit”…)