So my unhesitating opinion is that the next step in the evolution of mankind is the translation of this interpenetration of two minds from the world of strict military discipline, where its virtue has been recognised for long enough, into the civilian world of equally strict self-discipline. And I see nothing wrong in calling the ease and grace of the mutual understanding that should follow “metaphorical immortality”. It is still man’s point of view; and I may be wrong. So now let us look at the cosmos from a different point of view.
Suppose our speculation that there might be a Creator is correct, what would His view of the cosmos be? How would He view his own creation, and in particular its beginning and its end? My answers of course are speculative; I would not claim for one moment to have any inside knowledge. But these questions were the concern of the Old Testament prophets too; and they all knew that the Rule for prophets was that they must prophesy truthfully. The moment they falsified their prophesy, and indulged either in egotism or in soothing words, which would please those listening to them, the penalty was death. However parochial some of their prophesies were, they spoke the truth as they saw it. Yet they had no hesitation in putting words into the mouth of God. At the beginning of Chapter 35 of my book, “Man’s Relationship with God”, I express the view that the solution to the apparent irreconcilability of the temporal and the eternal is to look at things through the eyes of a creator. So imitating the prophets’ boldness, what does speculation reasonably impute to the Creator.
The Creator would have a purpose in mind, when he began his creation. When you consider the extent of the Universe, when you consider the complexity of it, when you consider the time it has taken this Universe to mature, nobody would have created it without some clear purpose in mind. One does not take all that trouble, simply to indulge in a hobby. Nor does one create something so vast, inhabited by stars some of which have terrifyingly high temperatures, and others terrifyingly high densities, unless one intends to impress somebody. Particularly one would want to impress any little creatures who were inquisitive enough to seek out knowledge. So the odds are, He would want his Universe to evolve into consciousness; that is to say He would want little creatures to appear who were able to reflect, not only that they knew certain things, but also that they knew that they knew. And he would want to ensure that the more these little creatures knew, the more they would be impressed. He would create a Universe so unbelievably complicated, that the deeper man delved, the more it was obviously beyond the human mind to grasp. It might be possible to sketch some of its harmony mathematically; but the moment man thought he had more or less got the measure of it, new worlds would unfold more complicated than ever.
He would of course also have an end in sight. This would entail his keeping the strings of power ultimately in his own hands; so that if the whole of mankind rebelled, they would ultimately be compelled to submit to his omnipotent power, and consent to be put to death.