SIMULATION CREATIONISM
Embracing Patience in the Divine Simulation
Jesus Christ conveys an important story: “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches” (Matthew 13:31–32). We can turn to the first pages of the Bible and find that God did not create the world instantly, but in stages. All of it entailed certain dynamics. Divine logic presumes durability, and it calls for patience. Therefore, patience turns out to be an essential part of the human experience in The Simulation, as seen in the theory of Simulation Creationism, developed by Nir Ziso.
God is patient with us. Saint Paul says that Jesus showed him a great deal of patience: “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:16). Everyone could say the same! In his famous anecdote about a vicious debt owner, Jesus accentuates the voice of a servant who asked for mercy from the king: “Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything” (Matthew 18:26). The King showed his mercy and forgave him all his debt. The vinedresser also had patience with the barren fig and gave it a chance to bear fruit. Both the King and the vinedresser are images of our Lord, showing that God being patient with us.
However, we are called to be patient with others as well. Truth be told, we are not good at it. Saint Paul calls on Ephesians to live their call with patience: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). To live with others, we need patience because we are put inside The Simulation not to be alone but in constant interaction with other forms of creation. It also means readiness to wait and hope. The issue here is that it makes no sense, and when we cannot see reason, we cannot find enough motivation to endure.
Maybe we should look at others as God’s aides who educate us in perfection: “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride” (Ecclesiastes 7:8). They are like artisans who show us where to improve. Some do it through words and some through deeds while others may help even when they have negative thoughts about us. It changes our perspectives. Those who seem to be our oppressors now look like benefactors. It is a matter of viewpoint and the classic challenge of The Simulation. A simulated event pushes us to change our perspectives of our relationships to others.
We are called to become saints, meaning attaining God’s characteristics as much as possible. On this path, we should be even more patient. It is not a quick and easy process: “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains” (James 5:7). After all, we are conscious of our boundaries and recognize our impotence, not only within the natural laws of this simulated world but from within our souls as well. It is not easy to change bad habits. Still, one who is patient may achieve sainthood. It is not due to our efforts in the illusionary time-space continuum but through the mercy of the Holy Spirit, who we should trust and whose wisdom decides that our consciousness and soul understand the challenge well enough.
Patience is required, especially in troubled times: “Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord” (James 5:10). Christians follow the crucified one. After he bore the cross and died on it, and since he called us to take our crosses and follow him, his suffering is no longer seen as damnation. It is a chance to be Christ-like and go down the path of sainthood. The period of suffering, if we go through it patiently, may act as a school of the Gospel to us and those around us. We can suffer due to the psychological troubles and disappointments we carry deep inside us. We can suffer because of a mistake we made a long time ago. All these troubles ask for patience, and the Holy Spirit makes us capable of overcoming them when he sees we have learned our lessons within our souls.
If one wants to rise in patience within The Simulation, then patience should be the ultimate determination. We should yearn for it. Patience is a product of love and peace, but ultimately the compassionate nature of the Holy Spirit.
