The Day We Killed God [Short Prose]

Do you remember where you were when they announced it? I do. I was at university. On my laptop in the library writing an essay on the Korean War. Listening to the BBC; I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was amazing, phenomenal. The joy, the cheers and the elation. We'd conquered one of the worst things to afflict the human race and now there was no stopping us. Because of that day, there wasn't anything we couldn't do?

Go to Mars? Let's do it.

Underwater cities? Let's do it.

Solve world hunger? Let's do it.

Self-tying shoes? Let's do it.

The day the announcement came was the day that the human race really found its feet. In this amazing moment we were united as a planet. The potential lives of every person on planet Earth grew exponentially and families would never be torn by disease again. Sure, there were other diseases that were around that we still intended to tackle but we'd found the freaking goldmine.

"All test trials were successful. Scientists moved onto human testing 5 years ago, testing over 100,000 sufferers and the results are conclusive. We've found it. We've found the cure for cancer". The UN Secretary General announced proudly. "This is truly a wonderful moment for mankind. This is the day we celebrate the human race moving forward into a new age and a new social-medical paradigm. This truly is the time to be alive".

And, while we had achieved something amazing, there was obviously a lot of cynicism as well. Mainly from religious groups who claimed that the cure was proof that the human race was 'playing God' and that this cure would only lead to more death and misery. Others claimed that perhaps the cure could only work on certain people while others would get worse and, as some people claimed, cancer would mutate to fight the cure.

All we knew was that this was a time of amazement. A time of wonder and a time of hope. Nothing could stop us now. I remember one of the scientists who synthesised the cure went on television to give an interview and I'll never remember the last thing he said during it.

"Today is the day we rose to the challenge, took on mother nature, and won. We took what's been given to us on this planet and we've used it to the best advantage. Now families won't have to go through the agonising pain of watching their loved ones deteriorate and become a shell knowing there's nothing they can do except stage a heart-rendering long goodbye. Nor will people with cancer have to worry about whether the day they wake up will be their last because now, if it is, it won't be due to the cancer. This is the day we took on nature and won. And this is the day we killed God".

That's an interesting statement, isn't it. "The day we killed God". Doesn't sound right, does it? How can you kill something you cannot see? Well, I suppose the cure for cancer taught us you can but even so, how can you kill something you cannot see? Especially something as grand as God is presented. But that's the question. Where is God?

A Christian will tell you that he's always with us or that he's always around us at once. But is God...a tree? Is God a car? Is God an iPhone 6? Is God a man? Is God a woman? Is God a cockroach? Who knows. That's the thing, no-one knows.  Because if God is this omnipotent being somewhere in the sky then we cannot logically kill him but curing cancer? But if God is the ultimate metaphor for the universe in general then how are we killing him by cure? Or is the cure the weapon itself? Lucifer's trident if you will?

If God exists, and I'm not saying he does or doesn't here, then the cure for cancer cannot logically 'kill God'. It merely removes an aspect of the idea of God. But then, by Bible logic, if God creates us and plans our lives our for us before we're born then he obviously planned the cure eventually? No?

It's just a strange and fascinating statement to make. A bold statement. One that annoyed the religious communities for sure. I remember the protests and the riots because of that statement and the hate that came from it. People of all faiths ganging up on this guy all because he denounced a deity that we,debatably, cannot see. Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews and others all condemning this one man despite what he helped give to society. He helped give us the holy grail of modern medicine and the world started to turn on him. It's like that guy and the probe that landed on that comet a few years ago. His team made an amazing achievement, pushing the boundaries of human technology yet the world concentrated on his tacky shirt covered in scantily-clad women. It's the same principle, only with lexicon.

And that's what God is to me. A word. This is why I have a problem with that scientist's statement. Because, if God is just a word, you cannot kill a word. Just as you cannot kill an idea. I'm not saying the scientist was right to say what he said, nor am I saying he was wrong to. But that's all an idea is. Words. An idea is a hypothetical that becomes real once you bring it into reality yourself. If it never comes into reality then it only remains a thought of words in your head or words spoken out loud.

So maybe the cure for cancer was the day we killed God for some. But it could also be the day we brought God into existence for others. For some people, religion is a justification for their actions but for others it's a form of hope and belonging. And that's what makes this event so significant culturally. While the scientist's comments brought about some terrible repercussions, the cure also brought hope for many others. Who were thankful. Who believed that the cure and the scientists were a gift from God.

I'm not sure I believe either to be honest with you. But here's what I believe.

I believe that we have the cure for cancer now. That is fact. It may have been sent by God. This is an idea that many try to make real, to their credit. But what I also believe is that we didn't not kill God that day as a race because, as I've said, we cannot. But what we did do is create a common ground between everyone. And the future will hopefully look back on today will fondness and the start of a brand new era in human thinking. Forget religion. Forget God. Forget Atheism. Perhaps the future will look at this day and this event and go "this isn't the day we killed God. This was the day we created humanity".

There is one thing we haven't considered though...what if the cure itself is God?