Daughter: Dad, Dad, I built a robot today.

Dad: Wow! Did you really? Where did you learn it?

Daughter: I learnt it by myself. It wasn’t that difficult.

Dad: I am so impressed. I did not know you to be such a genius. Can I see the robot?

Daughter: Dad, I present to you U-Man. Just an H away from being a human

Dad: Wow. It looks impressive. What does it do?

Daughter: It can do a lot of things. It can talk, move around, sing songs and the best part is that it can even assemble other robots like itself.

Dad: I do not believe you! Are you serious? Let me see it talk.

U-Man: Pam is intelligent. Pam is beautiful.

Dad: Brilliant. Let me hear it sing a song.

Daughter: It will now walk around the house and sing a song.

U-Man: Pam is intelligent. Pam is beautiful
Pam is a genius. Pam is so cool
Pam is amazing in so many ways
Pam is my master. I’ll do what she says

Dad: This is exceptional. Show me more.

Daughter: Oh it has an ability to learn as well.

Dad: Artificial intelligence?

Daughter: Exactly. It can construct other robots like itself. Soon enough there will be an army of robots singing this song and following me around

Dad: Oh no, Pam! That is so wrong. You built a brilliant robot and you could have done so much more with it.

Daughter: I like it this way.

Dad: No, my little girl. You do not understand. It makes you seem very arrogant and self-centered.

Pam: Don’t you want to see it assemble other robots?

Dad: If it makes more robots like itself then I am not interested in seeing it. You are a genius but you are also egoistic.

Pam: But Dad if Okto expects us to create more of our kinds only to sing his songs then why can’t I expect the same from my creations?

Dad: I am going to tell you a story today about a girl who grew up to become a wise and a beautiful queen. Do you want to be a queen when you grow up?

Daughter: I have made up my mind. I will start my own religion. That will be my career.

Dad: You can’t just wake up and start your own religion.

Daughter: Well then what do I need?

Dad: Religion and faith is a very personal thing. It is not a career option.

Daughter: But so many people have made a career out of it. Why can’t I do it?

Dad: Because it is wrong. I don’t want you to use people’s beliefs and faith for your selfish motives.

Daughter: I am not being selfish. I have my own set of beliefs and I want to preach the world about it. I want to see how many people I can connect with.

Dad: Really? Who shall be your God? You?

Daughter: Mine will be a religion without any God.

Dad: Well what will it be about then? What will you be preaching? What will your followers believe in?

Daughter: Kindness. My religion will be about kindness and nothing else. I will preach kindness and my followers will believe in kindness.

Dad: Oh I think you are a little late… because all religions already do that.

Daughters: Yes, they do but they also are so complicated that people forget that they need to be kind. People remember to be offended — like you do — but they never remember to be kind.

Dad: I’m not offended. I am just having a conversation with you.

Daughter: Oh really? Then why don’t you support me?

Dad: My girl, you are so innocent. You should really be playing with your friends instead of thinking about all this. Imagine you did go and try to start your own religion. Who do you think will believe in you? Who do you think will follow you? Why will people leave their existing faith and put it in your hands? How will you feel when your plan doesn’t go as intended? Plans fail. Hardly anything ever goes to plan. Your plan is already so whimsical that something or the other is bound to go in a way you cannot expect.

Daughter: Oh we shall see. I will go play with my friends and I will have my followers. We will be kinder than followers of any other religion.

Dad: Is this some sort of a competition?

Daughter: Not at all. If others can claim their beliefs to be better then even I have the right to do so.

Dad: You sure are a stubborn girl

Daughter: It’s strong-willed.

Dad: So let us go back to the story about the queen, shall we? Once upon a time in a kingdom by the sea…

(To be continued)

Daughter: Dad! Dad! I heard another story today at school.

Dad: About how the world came into existence?

Daughter: Yes! It goes like this. There was once an almighty being: Zyx.

Dad: There always is

Daughter: Shush, Dad. He had lots of sons and they were all blessed with special powers. Zyx created a simulated world for his entertainment but it wasn’t entertaining enough. So he asked each of his sons to suggest an improvement. His sons, however, were not interested. Seeing their reactions he offered a special power to the one who would come up with the best suggestion.

Dad: How many sons did he have? And didn’t he have any daughters? And what kind of a name is Zyx?

Daughter: Shush, Dad. I don’t know all that. Let me complete the story first. So his sons came up with lots of ideas to improve the simulated world. For instance, Zyx had a son named Fire who suggested that the world should have volcanoes, candles, flames and sparks. Then there was Water who suggested that the world should have seas, pools, rivers and oceans.

Dad: Then there was Grass who suggested that the world should have plants and shrubs and trees.

Daughter: And flowers too! Have you heard this story? Do you know who won?

Dad: Go on! Go on! I haven’t heard this one.

Daughter: Then there was Light who suggested that there should be stars. Earth suggested soil and mud. And they all came up with lots of wonderful ideas. Zyx liked them all and said that he would incorporate all these ideas in his simulated world.

Dad: So everyone was the winner?

Daughter: No, no. I totally forgot. When all sons had suggested their improvements the youngest son stepped up to provide his idea.

Dad: What was his name?

Daughter: Chaos!

Dad: Chaos? What did he suggest?

Daughter: He said that all the ideas suggested were very impressive but a little bit of disorder and confusion was missing. Once that would be added to the world then the world will become a very entertaining game.

Dad: And he won the contest?

Daughter: Yes he did! And that’s why our world is so chaotic despite all the wonderful elements in it.

Dad: And what special power did he get?

Daughter: He can play with the world as he pleases.

(To be continued)

Daughter: Tell me, Dad. If Okto is the supreme being and everything is his will then why is there evil in this world.

Dad: Evil is necessary so that people can see the good. Without darkness there can be no light.

Daughter: No, Dad. I am serious. If someone steals or lies or cheats or kills then is he responsible? Or is it Okto’s will?

Dad: Okto cannot be held responsible for evil deeds. Humans have a tendency to be evil.

Daughter: Why did Okto create us this way? Surely he could have created an ideal world with ideal beings.

Dad: We do not have the right to decide whether this world is ideal or not. We may not see this as ideal but it may actually be so.

Daughter: Really, Dad? Do you really think so?

Dad: Who are we to question this great universe and its creator?

Daughter: But if you don’t ask you will never know. You limit your own potential by accepting your beliefs as truths.

Dad: Okto surely created you very differently.

Daughter: Oh! How come I never thought of that before?

Dad: Of what?

Daughter: If Okto created me then I wouldn’t be questioning Okto and his ways. How can Okto create someone who would question him? Moreover there are others who don’t even believe in Okto. Surely Okto could not have created them either. That means Okto is not the supreme being. Dad! Dad! I have found the truth. I feel enlightened!

Dad: Hate to ruin your moment but I think you have to go to bed now.

Daughter: I don’t think I will be able to sleep tonight.

Dad: It never takes you more than two minutes to fall asleep once I have tucked you in.

(To be continued)