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So I’ve touched on it before, however I don’t think I’ve ever gone into further detail on why the number 42 is my favorite.
That’s “favorite”, not “lucky”.
When it comes down to it, the number is part of a running joke throughout the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series of books. In the storyline, the premise is set forth that millions and millions of years ago, a civilization on some distant planet created a computer in order to come up with the answer to life’s most important question. After pondering it for another few million years, the computer came back with the answer “42”. The problem was that no one really knew what the question was.
The building of a second super computer was commissioned to determine what the question was. Before it could cough up the answer, it was destroyed to make room for another project.
By the way. That second computer was Earth.
Towards the end of the series, we learn from the books’ main character that the question is encoded in his skull. They are able to divine the question with homemade Scrabble tiles.
Using the tiles, the life’s most important is revealed to be a math question on what the product of six and nine is.
All of that effort to build the computers and program them, all of the waiting and wondering, and all of the strife and conflict to find the answer and even the question were rendered completely moot.
Looking at the entire incident and the means in which life’s most important question is found, the real theme here begs to scream about the flaws of humanity.
Ya darn tootin’ humanity is flawed. Of course, given the events of this last Friday and today (Monday) which involved me sitting at the DMV in optimistic anticipation that I would not only get called to the front of the line, but barely pass my vision test, and strike a visually aesthetic pose for my license pic pretty much drives it home for me that I’m throwing rocks from within my glass house when I discuss this matter.
The late Douglas Adams was the author of the series. Among his own character traits were housed what I can only assume was a brilliantly dry sense of humor (excuse me while I swoon), and an ability to weave an entire universe of history and subtext around a whiny little bitch of a man who has just lost his planet.
Adams was also an atheist, and dedicated some plot development around the mockery of God too.
So how is it that I as a Christian can cleave to a premise set forward by an atheist when it comes to selecting my favorite number?
Once again, notice I said “favorite” and not “lucky”. I don’t really believe in luck.
The answer is easy.
Humanity is flawed.
It’s not because we were created that way either. It’s because the free will we were given drives us to make some pretty bad decisions. Those decisions lead us toward breaking rules given to us by God.
You know which rules I’m talking about, don’t you? The rules in question are typically prefaced with King James English words like “Thou shalt” and “Thou shalt not”.
Had those words been written in Texas, they would have started with “Y’all oughta be..” and “Y’all shouldn’t oughta be…”
Non sequitur aside, the rules and commandments we’ve been given aren’t only limited to those featured in a Charlton Heston film. There were plenty more ranging in a variety of subjects from dietary laws to managing your finances responsibly through good bookkeeping software.
Back in the day when these laws were handed down, things were pretty absolute. Break a law and you were generally screwed in the eyes of the Lord with no chance for reprieve.
Thus the trappings of exercising free will.
Certainly we had a choice to do anything we wanted, but there was no lack of consequence for our actions. God didn’t like it when rules were broken.
Seeing that there was obviously a problem, the Lord gave us an avenue in which to obtain salvation for our perpetual screw ups.
That’s right people. I’m talking about a Messiah.
A Savior.
A sacrificial lamb of God to stand in line with us at the velvet roped entrance to the Kingdom of God in order to make a comment to the bouncer about you: “Yeah this one is with me. Let ’em in.”
So what’s in a number that some dry witted author once wove into a tale?
Nothing if you adhere to the confines of the story.
Absolutely nothing. Humanity is flawed as a result of a colossal screw up on the part of some alien race trying to create a planet/computer designed to determine what life’s most important question and it’s answer are.
On the other hand, you can take the poor math answer of 42 as a reminder and affirmation that we are flawed; and that there’s only one way to escape the muck and mire created by our bad decisions.
Take your pick.
Anyone up for a times tables refresher?
