I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. My husband, sister, brother-in-law and I trekked back up to the Texas Hill Country to marvel at the scenic landscape, visit a winery, feast on the German cuisine of Fredericksburg, visit Bandera, the Cowboy Capital of the World and enjoy live music at Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas. Gruene Hall is definitely worth a visit if you’re ever in the Austin area. It’s smack dab in the middle of Gruene, Texas (duh), very small, modest with rickety floors and a lot of spirit. This is where George Strait, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson and others cut their teeth and launched their musical careers. Saturday night, the honky tonk featured Jason Boland and the Stragglers, and the house was beyond packed.
Now, as per popular request, Erik brought forth self-proclaimed atheistic, Carl Sagan. You might be a bit surprised by some of his answers!
Me: Okay, Erik, let’s take a short break from the pop culture icons and interview someone else. What about Carl Sagan? You know, he was an atheist. Do you think you can find him for us?
Erik: On it!
He disappears, then returns moments later with Carl Sagan.
Jamie: Hey, is he’s the—god he just looks so familiar. Don’t tell me, don’t tell me!
(Pause)
Jamie: Did he do those space things, those shows about space?
Me: Yes, he did!
Jamie: I didn’t recognize the name, but now that I see him, I remember he had some show back in the seventies or something.
Me: I think it was called “Cosmos.”
Jamie: Yeah, my dad watched it all the time! I remember he had the most identifiable voice.
Me: Yes.
Jamie: You know, because he would narrate the show. Oh, he wants to talk. Hi!
Me: Hello Mr. Sagan! Or Dr. Sagan? Is it doctor or mister?
Carl: Just call me Carl, please.
Me: Okay, then. Hi Carl. I’ve had so many blog members request you for our list of interviews. Many of them wanted you to be interviewed above just about anybody else, and that says a lot since I have a list of over 300 people!
Carl: Oh, thank you so much!
Me: So, what I want to ask you is this. You were an atheist for most if not all of your life. How do you feel about that now?
Carl: I have to stand here and say—
Jamie (with a gasp): Oh! That’s not what I expected him to say! I’m sorry. Can you repeat yourself?
Carl: Well, I have to stand here and say that I am still an atheist, but I am a believer in the afterlife. As for atheism, for me it was more centered in the belief that there is no God rather than no life after life. I will revoke some of my statements I’ve made in my life, because there IS more than just our human energy, our human beingness.
Me: What about Source energy?
Jamie: Yeah, Erik is right on it!
Erik: Well, how can you explain then the God Source?
(Long pause)
Jamie: Um. My brain just went numb. So, I’m going to stumble through this, and I apologize. He’s explaining that the God Source energy contains a consciousness that we all have, so to give a separate identity to God Source—that’s not the appropriate way to label or identify it. He says we’re making it separate from ourselves.
Me: That makes sense.
Carl: This is not the truth. The truth of the matter is this: when you leave your world—
Jamie: God, I just love his voice!
Carl: —and you come to this world, the truth is revealed to you that you are part of the whole, and being a part of the whole, we have a belief in our own selves.
Me: Yeah. It’s almost a matter of semantics here. I think we both understand that there is no God with a long white beard sitting on a throne and that the God Source is all-inclusive. We are both a part and the whole of it. God is not a separate entity, because God is everything. I get what you’re saying. Now, reflecting on your life, do you think you’ve accomplished your spiritual mission?
Carl: Yes, yes. I feel that my spiritual mission was to create conflict in others so that they, in return, can discover who they are.
Me: Ah, interesting!
Carl: The importance of inner war, I believe, is that it gives you the result or product of your character.
Jamie gets a bit overwhelmed channeling him and spurts out a string of unintelligible syllables: “blubablubabluba!”
Me: Wow that is so cool. (I clearly show the limitations of my own intelligence with witty responses like this. Sigh.)
Now, Enjoy the characteristic voice and brilliance of Dr. Carl Sagan:
For those of you unable to play embedded videos, here’s the URL for it:
