Wouldn't It Be Lovely?

If tomorrow, every Muslim father went to his daughters, lovingly lifted their veil and said, "You require this no longer. You are beautiful, and this is good"

If somewhere in Africa, missionary's renounced religion, yet continued to help the afflicted, for no other reason than it is the right thing to do.

If in America, politicians no longer had to play the religion card in order to stand any chance of standing for office.

If theologians acknowledged that verbosity does not equal veracity, smiled gently in the direction of the skeptic and confessed, "The game's up. I've been trying to square the circle for too long. Forgive me, let's stand as brothers and make this a world worth living on."

If Creation scientists came clean and acknowledged, "The Bible has nothing to say about science. I am wrong. Help me to understand how the world really is."

If the Christian woman, weighed down with heavenly self loathing looked skyward and saw only the sun and said, "I don't need this grief. I don't need to please a figment of my imagination. I am a good and decent person, and where I'm not I'll just try harder rather than ask a non existent God to help."

If the Christian man abandoned the daily battle to repress their perfectly natural sexuality, and instead just laughed and said, "Oh heck, this thing in my trousers doesn't half send me barmy sometimes."

If the religious parents of a sick child ceased to rely only on prayer and instead sought medical help, not fearing diving wrath.

If nations ensnared by millennia of religious in fighting said to each other,  "No, the light of reason must illuminate the way. We must not let doctrines of old poison us and reduce us to living in enclaves of fear and mistrust.

If the citizens of Africa were taught about birth control and condom use, ignoring the preacher or the Imam who insists that such practices lead straight to a fiery hell.

If young girls were spared the torture of genital excision; those performing the rituals hanging up blunt tools and saying, "My ways are evil and no longer will I mutilate and rip asunder."

And finally, if one day we could admit honestly to ourselves that whilst we are so imperfect, we are also precious and unique. And moreover, we are a remarkable chapter in what is perhaps the greatest story ever told.