I've got to start writing this shit down...

A few days ago, my nine-year-old asked "Mom, who invented this "god" concept?", on the way to school. This was something akin to her oldest sister's third grade query of "Mom, what's abortion? And why are people so mad about it?"

Fortunately, it was afternoon when her big sister asked that question. I could answer then. At 7:30am, I'm lucky to remember my name. So I did what any mother would do first thing in the morning: I told her to ask me later, when I was awake.

So, tonight, when she announced that she "really wished they'd never made up this 'god concept', I had to give her credit for not letting it go. The child has perseverance. So I asked her "Why's that?" And she replied "Well, what if you were friends with somebody who believed in the 'regular god' (Annie's interpretation of Christianity), and you believed in a different god, and they decided they couldn't be friends with you anymore because you didn't believe in their god? What if you were BEST friends, and they quit being friends with you because of what you believe?"

Wow. I didn't see that coming. The child just summed up the major issue of most religions, as I see it, in one sentence. So I asked her if this had happened to her. She said "No. But I only believe in the Egyptian gods." Okay. "Well", I said, "you have a right to believe in whatever gods you want, as do they. But if someone rejects you based on what you believe, I think they're wrong to do so."

I then explained the concept of tolerance. And from there we touched on the history of various religions: Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Muslim, ancestor worship, advaitism, dualism, etc. I then tried to explain the difference between tolerance, and intolerance. Acceptance v. Righteousness.

But that wasn't enough for Annie. First, she wanted to know why there were so many different branches of Christianity. And why they couldn't get along and just form one branch. So we talked about how people get different ideas of right and wrong, and develop different values. About how it wasn't right to condemn somebody just because their beliefs differed from yours.

"So, are they all wrong?" she asks. "Well, no, they aren't wrong. I mean, that is, either they're all wrong, or they're all right. You have to allow that all beliefs are correct, or none of them are. Because what right does a person of one belief have to say that what another believes is wrong? But for that to work, everyone has to tolerate the others' beliefs."

We talked a LOT more. It was wild, and weird. I've never had this conversation with a nine-year-old. We talked about values, and right and wrong. At one point she asked "So, you believe we're all god?" So I said "Well, yes, in a way. I believe we're all connected by the energy we put out, by the decisions we make. We can do the right thing, or we can do the wrong thing, and hurt people."

So she asks "But, what if you can't tell the right thing from the wrong thing?" So I said "Then you do the thing that will hurt people the least. You go with that feeling in your gut that tells you what to do." It was the strangest conversation I've ever had with a third grader.

I have got to start writing this kid's questions down. It'll make a heck of a book someday. When I'm writing about her life, after she becomes a "famous book illustrator." That's her goal. And I'd be shocked if she didn't do whatever she wants to with her life. She's got spunk, this one - and a fascinating intelligence to go with it.