Let's suppose for a moment, that you had the esteemed privilege of meeting God. And with his benevolent presence and all-knowing mind he allowed one single question. In which he would of course answer truthfully and honestly.
Being the curious fellow you are, you ponder and ponder until your brain almost chemically explodes. And after much thinking you ask him this:
"If you had to say. What was the biggest mistake in all of creation?"
What do you suppose he would answer? Humans maybe? Lucifer maybe? Or maybe the divine apple? Nae. Nae! NAE!
Here's what I think.
Without a moment's hesitation he'd glare you straight into your eyes and answer:
"God. Without a doubt… God."
The Legend goes as such:
There once existed an omnipotent and all-loving God. First, he brought forth time, space, beauty, and justice into existence. Then, with a mere flick of his wrist, he fashioned three distinct realms:
The Celestial realm.
The Spiritual realm.
And the Physical realm.
To inhabit these realms, he crafted three races, each reflecting different aspects of his essence.
In the image of his power, he created Angels, and adorned them with magnificent wings and halos that accentuated their grace. These beings were the epitome of obedience, existing solely to serve their divine creator.
In the image of his skill and technique, he created Spirits, and blessed them with beauty and grace unlike anything in this world. These beings were independent creatures, and rarely interacted with the other races.
Finally, in the image of himself, he created humans -social beings who reveled in playful camaraderie. They delighted in the messiness of life, whether it was frolicking in mud or engaging in friendly contests. In other words, barbarians. But do not let them fool you. Amongst all the races, they were by far the most dangerous.
After creating the myriad realms and their many wonders, God made a grand proclamation:
"I shall grant each race a single wish. However, to receive this wish, you must offer something of equal value in return. I have expended considerable power to bring you all into existence, so I require a catalyst to fulfill each desire."
The Angels appeared indifferent, pondering what more they could possibly desire when they had already been blessed with the gift of life. Similarly, the Spirits continued their training, unfazed by the announcement. But the humans… they discussed.
"Did you catch that?" one exclaimed.
"Yes, he said he'd grant us a wish!" another replied, eyes wide with anticipation.
"Do you think he meant any wish?"
"Absolutely! He is God."
"Kyah-kyah! Well then… Shall we?" Their expressions twisted into something almost feral, revealing a hunger that seemed to transcend mere humanity.
Without hesitation, they offered the thick skin from their backs and a few bones to the divine being, kneeling in earnest supplication. "Please, God, grant us companions to love and nurture!"
"Hmm…" God went as he pondered for a moment. Then with a voice resonating with regal authority as he replied:
"I suppose there's nothing wrong with that."
With a mere snap of his fingers, he transformed their offerings into a diverse array of animals.
The humans erupted in joyous celebration, showering him with gratitude and vowing to share tales of his generosity with future generations.
Thus, they began to establish places of worship across the lands. Though the names varied among different groups, each served as a sanctuary to honor his grace and initiate the practice of prayer.
But in a comparable way -a very comparable way- another practice began to spread.
You see, within the Garden of Eden, food is not only plentiful but also unbelievably delicious and nutritious. Truly a utopia. So, you can guess why, the angel, spirits and even God himself grew a cold sweat once humans began slaughtering and feasting upon the animals they wished for.
But the humans' insatiable appetite did not end with mere consumption…
They adorned themselves with the skins of their prey, soon morphing the act of hunting into a sport, a twisted game of domination. They treated these animals as mere toys, oblivious to the growing unrest among the creatures of the earth. The other races observed in silence, unsure of the humans' motives, and ultimately, they chose to look away, believing it was not their place to intervene.
As time passed, the animals started to adapt, group, and fight back. In no time at all they crawled and crept onto the top of the food chain. And with humans no longer at that peak, they started to worry.
In their desperation, they sought a second wish from God, who raised an eyebrow in disbelief at their audacity.
"I could've sworn I said ONE wish!"
The humans, trembling with fear, pleaded for another chance, citing their newfound terror of the animals they had once desired.
"Well, I did appreciate those "churches" you all have created. So, I'll grant you one more."
God, intrigued by the churches they had built in his honor, reluctantly agreed to their request, but only in exchange for something of equal value.
In a moment of reckoning, they offered up their ability to coexist peacefully.
With a snap of his fingers, God stripped them of this gift and bestowed upon them the power to mimic other species. Of course, with it, language was divided, and conflicts soon broke out. The term "World Peace" became a fairy tale, and the sight of blood soon became as common as dirt.
And it was in such desperate times that some humans fully realized their newfound "gift".
While God had originally intended for humans to mimic other animals, they took it a step further.
In exchange for their most beautiful, divine-like animals, they and the spirits would engage in "bonding". During that bonding, they would show the humans how they craft, how they fight, how they harvest. How they live their lives. And the humans? They simply watched. Watched as the fools taught them everything they needed to know. They laughed and they laughed some more.
But this wasn't enough. They wanted more.
So, they returned to God for a third wish.
"Oh almighty, all benevolent God. We know we mustn't ask for more, but please; We wish to see heaven and bond with the angels!"
This angered God greatly.
"What a preposterous request! Have you gone mad!? Do you really sit there and expect me to grant you a third wish? Such greed is unspeakable! Don't you realize the more you want, the more you'll eventually need?! When will it be enough? When will you people be satisfied?!"
The God shunned them for their never-ending greed, but the humans simply bowed their heads. They were confused at God's inquires. They just couldn't fathom what had angered him so. Because at the end of the day... they were only made from his image.
And as God bared witness to this, one cold an eerie thought echoed in his mind:
(Humans are terrifying creatures.)
So, he divided them.
He took every plant, fruit, animal, and man withing the Garden of Eden and scattered them among infinite stars.
This time, he vowed to make them right.
"I'm afraid that humans are a problem... so I shall send you two, my most trusted angels to guide them down the right path. Michael and Lucifer."
"Yes, Sire."
"As you command, Sire."
"Ensure such an event NEVER happens again."
And so, he sent his two most trusted gods, to teach the humans how to live fulfilling, virtuous lives.
One day, however. Not only was he betrayed... He was run through like grilled skewers.
Not by the humans he feared, but by the very angel he trusted. The very angel he created.
And in his dying moments, as he gazed upon his figure from below, he came to a revelation.
"I see... So, God was the problem."
And so, he was reincarnated.