100 People in 100 Days:x. John Johanson

The class: Philosophy 405R; Senior Topics in Philosophy of Religion.

The professor’s topic: The Mormon Concept of Deity.

The university: Brigham Young; Provo, Utah.

The professor asked the question. “What does the it mean to omniscient? What does it mean when we say God knows everything?”

Red raised her hand and answered, “I don’t think he knows everything everything. More that he knows everything he needs to know to do His work.”

John Johanson raised his hand. The professor recognized him. John slightly titled the screen of his Powerbook so his profile was not obstructed by the laptop screen. “I must disagree. God must know everything. All the little details.” John brushed his right hand over his hair, just in case any strands had broken loose from the slicked-back hair-do. “That is simply the definition of God—to know every grain of sand, every hair on our head.”

The professor spoke, “Two views of omniscience. Raise your hands if you believe that there are things God does not know; yet he knows what he needs to in order to bring about his work.” Red and twelve of the twenty-seven students rose their hands. John looked around the room, his lips slightly moving has he counted those with raised arms. “And the other view? That God knows all the details, every single fact that there is to know,” The professor continued. John and thirteen of the students raised their arms.

John laid back in his seat, arm raised straight, a slight smile on his face.

“So, about fifty-fifty on the issue,” the professor observed. “Anyone else wish to make a statement.”

Ryan raised his arm. “I just think it is ridiculous to think that God knows at what time I’m going to brush my teeth today. Or even if I’m going to brush my teeth. I just think that is absurd that God with bother trying to figure such things out.”

John had closed the top of his laptop. He called out, “Professor Sorenson, can I illustrate my point with a diagram?”

The professor agreed and John walked down to the board in the middle of the class. He picked up a piece of chalk and drew a dot in the middle of the board. John cleared his throat and again smoothed back any potential loose hairs. “God is progress. Progression comes through the acquirement of knowledge.” John drew another point on the board, and continued to create dots in a pattern on the board as he spoke. “We know God is where he is because he progressed in knowledge. He could only become God until he had all knowledge to ensure His plans are carried out. Now we know that this knowledge can decrease as well as increase. Satan’s knowledge had decreased since he fell from heaven.” John then began connecting the dots into a spiral shape. “If God has not increased in knowledge to know everything, as you say there are things he can’t know, then he must be decreasing in knowledge.” He traced the spiral shape from the out circles to the small point in the middle of the spiral. “Therefore, you,” he said looking at Ryan, “Are claiming that God is digressing to that level of Satan. We know this cannot be true. Therefore,” John rested the piece of chalk on the ledge of the chalkboard, he raised his right arm into a right-angle, staring at Ryan, and said, “Get thee behind me Satan.”

Ryan began sobbing. He grabbed his book, notepad, and backpack, and ran out of the room crying. Jim, who was sitting next to Ryan, gathered his belonging and stood up. He looked right back at John and said, “That’s a bunch of crap.” Jim looked at the professor, who seemed to him like a lost animal. Jim then exited the class as well.

John stood standing in the middle of the class. No one, not even the professor spoke. Finally the professor cleared his throat and asked John to sit. John walked back to his seat, brushed his hair back with both hands, and raised the screen of his laptop. He began typing. He took a moment to stop typing and look around the classroom. No one was looking at him. The professor began to speak, but John only heard to furious typing of his fingers. The clickity-clack of the keys spoke to him and he smiled as he typed the words I Am over and over again.