A Theoritical Question - My Answer

Some time ago, someone asked me if I could ask ANYONE one question,
who would it be and what question would I ask? Knowing me as well as
this person did (and does), they probably assumed I'd ask something
religious. But those questions - the whole messiah thing included -
isn't a matter of fact as much as it is a matter of faith. So, would
it be something currently in the news like global warming? Or
something more historically mysterious like who really shot JFK and
the possible conspiracy theories that have been raised? Would it be
something political?
I ended up refraiming the question, because I couldn't narrow it down
to one question. The best I can do is narrow it down to two people.
The first one is obvious for true American historical scholars, or so
I believe. I would bet most of you are thinking President Washington,
but you'd be wrong, but in the right era. I'd love to sit down for
even just dinner and talk with Thomas Paine, who in his day was
revolutionary in his thought processes and beliefs that many thought
he was TOO revolutionary. I think even if he was alive today, he'd
still be one of the most revolutionary thinkers. In this time of
divisive politics and social issues, I think we as a country need a
strong patriotic voice like his to bring us back to the core of what
it means to be Americans. We need a rallying cry to unite us against
true enemies and off of those that aren't true threats.
So who would my second choice be? Would it be Washington? Lincoln?
Franklin? JFK? This is going to surprise a LOT of you... Especially
Walter I bet!
I'd love - and this goes back even to when he was alive - to have had
the chance to sit down and talk to the late Pope John Paul II. I know
we might not always agree on religion, but that's ok, and he knew that
too. But to even be in the presence of a human who so earnestly and
genuinely believed - and lived - what he preached is rare. Add on all
the work he did, uniting Christian denominations, starting the healing
of two millenia's pain between Christians and Jews, being a major
force in the end of the Cold War... The man was a giant amongst us,
and though I have my complaints against certain Catholic tenants
(heck, as I do with most organized religion), I truly believe the
angels welcomed him in a fashion rarely done for us mere humans. His
impact will carry on for generations, to the degree that few other
humans have ever done. Few have changed the world, even fewer changed
it so dramatically.
So what would I like to discuss with the late Pontiff? I'd start with
current world issues and how he would suggest dealing with the
terrorists, and then going into how to start mending fences with those
in the Islamic community who aren't bent only on death and war. I'd
listen as he talked of his struggles against communism and
anti-semitism. I'd ask him what in his life inspired him the most to
do what he did. Anyone can talk TO God, he was one of the few that
talked WITH God. There is no doubt in my mind, there was constant
two-way communication there. His faith was so strong and pure, any
person of faith should admire that. He was one of the few in his time
that recognized that Jews and Christians worship the same God, the
differences only go back a couple thousand years (that's not that long
in historical context).
But heck, if we're going to go on this theoretical trip, let's go with
my version of a roundtable. We'll go with seven chairs (seven's always
a good number). My seven guests would be:
1. Pope John Paul II
2. Thomas Paine
3. George Washington
4. Benjamin Franklin
5. Abraham Lincoln
6. Albert Einstein
7. Job (Biblical)
Did that surprise you? Now do I need to give reasons? I'll skip
numbers one and two as I already discussed them.
3. War strategy and nation-building.
4. Constitutional issues and treaties.
5. Nation healing.
6. Science, math, history. Need I say more?
7. Overcoming obstacles.
Wow, that's quite a list!
So who would you love to sit down to dinner with?