“Coincidence.” Kismet’s voice lacked the weight of certainty.
“Perhaps not. We are electrical beings, and what are radio broadcast waves but electrical signals? In any case, I only ask you to hold an open mind on the subject, as it relates to the broader discussion.
“Are you familiar with the precepts of quantum physics? One of the most basic theories is that something becomes real only if it is observed, and that the observer cannot help but influence the outcome by his presence. I’m oversimplifying, but this has been proved on the subatomic level. Now, employing the inverse of the alchemistic method — as below, so above — let’s apply this to the visible world. Do we influence our reality simply by experiencing it?”
“Think happy thoughts, is that it?”
“On a small scale, yes. But what about collectively? If enough people believe in something — not just wishful thinking, but ardent acceptance that something is true — does it become so?”
“Or if enough people believe in God, does He become real?” Kismet shook his head. “We could debate this forever and never prove any of it. But we sure as hell aren’t going to find the answer under a ton of dirt in the middle of Babylon. Which begs the question, what in God’s name are we doing here?”
“Nick, you have jumped ahead of me. I don’t know if collective faith in God is enough to will Him into existence, but I have seen compelling evidence to suggest that we humans do influence the physical world, not just with our bodies, but also our minds. We are all broadcasting and receiving, every minute of every day. We exchange a torrent of low frequency electrical energy that once in a while becomes coherent — a precognitive event, a premonition — but it is always there.”
Chiron paused to drink from a water bottle, giving Kismet the impression that everything he had posited was merely prelude. The old man did not disappoint. “Now, as you have asked, what does any of this have to do with our activities here?
“You know my heart, Nick. You know that I have long doubted, even in the face of Collette’s belief, but it wasn’t until her death that I began to desire a definitive answer. I cannot bring myself to accept the divine revelations of her church or any other. Would that I could, for then at least I would know that her belief was not in vain. Yet I realized that I had erred as a scientist by automatically refuting these belief systems. I had applied Occam’s Razor to the matter, imagining that if some element of the argument for God failed, the inverse was automatically true. But as Hamlet said, there is more in heaven and on earth than is dreamt of in our philosophy.
“What I am about to tell you is by no means an original concept. It exists in one form or another in many cultures, notably in Taoism, but I arrived at my conclusions quite independently. I have come to believe that our world, perhaps our entire universe, is part of a great organic entity, and that we are its brain cells. Our thoughts and perceptions collectively become the mind of this organism, and this interaction occurs in tandem with the Telluric currents — earth’s own electro-magnetic field. Now, like any force of nature — the wind or the sea — we are powerless to control this…this spirit, if you will…but we can harness it and use it to our advantage. That I believe, is what the great miracle workers have done, whether consciously or otherwise.”
Kismet offered a conciliatory shrug. “Okay, it’s a little wacky, but I’ll take that under consideration.”
“But you’re still wondering: why here and now?” Chiron seemed pleased that Kismet had not dismissed the subject following his revelation, and took a moment to compose himself again before continuing. “Let me tell you another story, one pieced together from papyrus codices discovered in Egypt and presently buried in the UNESCO vaults. It’s about an Egyptian high priest named Thutmosis who lived about 3,500 years ago. Thutmosis was well-versed in all the mystic arts of the ancients, and by that I mean the chicanery used to convince the general public that gods were real and very much involved in the affairs of men. We imagine that we understand how Egypt’s magic-practicing priests used sleight of hand, smoke and mirrors, to deceive the masses, but we don’t know the half. These men, of whom Thutmosis was likely the last, were able to tap into the global spirit I have been describing. Now, this was no simple task. There is evidence to support the idea that the pyramids were erected for the sole purpose of channeling these currents of energy. Or it may have been the other way around. Perhaps it was this power — geomancy or earth magic — that enabled them to move the massive blocks that formed those monuments. I suspect it may have been a little of each, but in any case, the foundation for Thutmosis’ power was laid millennia before his birth.
“Thutmosis was highly intelligent and very popular among the upper echelons of Egyptian society, but the ruling class and especially the Pharaoh became fearful. To discredit him, they circulated a rumor that he was a foundling, cast up on the shores of the Nile and likely the bastard offspring of slaves. As the rumor began to take on a life of its own, Thutmosis twisted it to his own advantage and began looking for support among that lowest of classes, ultimately fomenting a slave rebellion that shook the ruling dynasty to pieces. But this was no mere popular revolt. Thutmosis convinced the slaves that he was the messenger of a god more powerful than those of the Egyptians, and to prove it he performed fantastic acts of magic such as transforming his staff into a snake or changing water into blood—”
Kismet raised a hand to interrupt. “Okay, I’ve seen this movie. You’re telling me that Moses wasn’t a Hebrew, but an Egyptian priest? That’s a pretty bold assertion.”
“And it would be very inflammatory if revealed today. Now you understand why the ancient records which tell of these things have been suppressed by UNESCO. However, it matters little. Thutmosis, or Moses if you prefer, quickly won the hearts of the slaves. Through a clever combination of magic tricks and actual manipulation of the Telluric currents, he convinced them that an unnamed God had chosen them to be His holy people. As their collective faith grew, so did Moses’ power, culminating in a series of fantastic plagues that devastated Egypt.
“As the revolt gained strength however, Moses realized that the framework for this new belief system would not be sustainable if he remained in Egypt. There was too much evidence laying around to expose his secret. Additionally, there remained the possibility that another priest might use the same machinery of magic to overpower him and cast down his new God. Or perhaps he simply got so caught up in the role of demagogue that he lost the ability to distinguish reality; maybe the God he had invented actually began speaking to him. In any event, he decided that his supporters — a new nation of them — should set forth on an expedition to capture the fertile lands of Palestine. This exodus from Egypt culminated in the most fantastic display of his power yet: the parting of the Red Sea.
“Now as you may know, Biblical scholars who can’t quite bring themselves to believe in the power of God have opined that a coincidental volcanic eruption on the Greek island of Thera may have cleared the sea floor temporarily, allowing this nation of people a few hours in which to make the crossing. It is a plausible explanation, but a little too convenient…unless Moses himself triggered those geological events in order to part the sea.”
Chiron paused and waited for Kismet to weigh in. “Okay, it might have happened that way. I’m familiar with some of the fringe theories about pyramid power and ancient Egyptian science as magic, so I know you’re not just making all this up. But what does it have to do with us?”
“If you will for the moment accept that this version of events is more or less true, then ask yourself this question. How did Thutmosis defeat the other priests who were also tapped into the Telluric energies? And how did he sustain his own connection to this power once removed from close proximity to the pyramids?”