And so it came to pass that, after a day of snow-related fun activities in a big fridge, my niece was having some chicken pasta broth as we awaited her mother’s arrival.

Out of the blue, she asked, “You know Mary’s son?”

“Which Mary, Auntie Mary has two daughters.”

“No. You know Mary who’s married to Joseph, her son.”

Oh no! Please don’t take me there, Con!

“Right, what about him?”

“Well, how can he be God and Jesus?”

Fuck! I’m an atheist! How can I answer this one? I could go all hard-assed Dawkins on her six year old, beautiful, innocent ass. I despise Dawkins and his radical atheism though. There is nothing wrong with hope and belief so long as people live with their feet firmly on this earth. And kids? Kids thrive on hope and fairy tales and wonder and amazement. I will never take that beauty from them. It’s like stealing Christmas or cooking the Easter Bunny in a casserole. Shooting Bambi in the head and letting all the wicked witches win.

So how can God be Jesus?

Why the hell didn’t she ask this of this of her mother? Why Me?

I thought for a while, trying to find some inspiration from orzo pasta and cappelletti.

“Well…” I said, “God wanted to come to earth and show himself as a person, so he came as Jesus. And although God is Jesus’s dad, Jesus is God (oh please help me….). Is that pasta nice?”

“Yeah, it’s lovely! I still don’t get it though.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“OK”

Phew.

The day will come when she might ask if it’s ok not to believe in God. If that day doesn’t come, when she’s old enough, I’ll tell her my philosophy of humanism without any particular desire of her accepting my view of her own. In the meantime, I’ll nudge my philosophy into her life as much as possible.

That philosophy? Respect the planet, the animals, plants and people. Have time for people, treat them as you’d like to be treated yourself. Listen… to others, to the sounds around you. Look… there’s so much beauty before our eyes. Believe… in yourself, we’re all amazing and unique. Love… because this is a very miserable life without it. Laugh at yourself and with others, share your smile and it will spread more than you will ever imagine. Give time… even if it feels like such a terrible chore, those ten minutes might count for days with somebody. Share… with those who need. Be happy. Be fair. Be just.

In my view, you don’t need a god to tell you how to live your life; what’s right is just right.

I’ll tell you what though, those Christians have some bloody good songs.