CREATION AND CHANCE

FROM THE REALM OF THE ABSURD

In the beginning (Chance) brought forth the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and (Chance) hovered over the waters.

And (Chance) brought forth light, the light was good, and (Chance) separated the light from the darkness. The light became known as “day” and the darkness “night.” That was the first epoch.

And (Chance) brought forth an expanse between the waters to separate water from water, the water from above became known as “sky.” That was the second epoch.

And (Chance) brought forth the separation of the water below collecting it one place so that dry ground appeared. The dry ground became known as “land.”. Then (Chance) brought forth vegetation on the land: seed-bearing plants and trees that bear fruit with seed in it, according the their various kinds. That was the third epoch.

And (Chance) brought forth lights in the expanse of the sky separating the day from the night serving as signs to mark the seasons and the days and the years. And (Chance) brought forth to great lights–the greater light governing the day and the lesser light governing the night. And (Chance) brought forth stars in the expanse of the sky giving light on the earth. That was the fourth epoch.

And (Chance) brought forth great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the waters teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And (Chance) made it possible for them to be fruitful and increase in number and fill the seas, and the birds increased on the earth. That was the fifth epoch.

And (Chance) brought forth living creatures on the land according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kinds Then (Chance) brought forth man capable of ruling over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. And (Chance) made it possible for man to be fruitful and increase in number; to fill the earth and subdue it. And (Chance) made it possible for man to eat every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with the seed in it. And (Chance) made it possible for all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground–everything that has the breath of life in it–to eat every green plant for food. That was the sixth epoch.

By the seventh epoch (Chance) ceased to operate. Man investigated the earth upon which he found himself and discovered amazing laws operating with precision that explained the mysteries of his world, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the universe. And man said, “ And to think it happened all by (Chance)!”