"The deluge that is coming"
This was a musical I saw when I was a child. I saw it maybe 8 or 10 times. I just loved it; everything about it. I have seen many other musicals in my life, and although I have loved many of them (others not so much), "El diluvio que viene" has always been my favorite.

Why? Well... I could never put my finger into it. But I guess the idea of shaking the standards that don't make sense was what got my heart, even at a young age.

The story is, basically, that the world was full of wicked people. Against all odds, God decided to send another deluge. He decides to save one priest and the people who will follow him from a small town with normal unsuspecting citizens, who are about their daily lives wondering about their love situation, dealing with the visits of a wordly prostitute and the possibilities of severe droughts that threatens them.

The priest, Silvestre, starts to build an ark; the only one who does not mock him and follows him, is Clementina, a young girl that is (not so) secretly in love with him. Even knowing that it is a forbidden and impossible love, she can't help but to go with him. They go up into the ark, and the rain starts... and Silvestre starts an interesting and very respectful discussion with God, asking him why he has always learned from Him to love, and to forgive, and now he must stay and watch his people die, those that he loves, and whom he has forgiven in his name so many times!!

So he says (in a rough translation): "I have learned everything from you, and this is love, so, NO, I must stay, united with this people because I belong to them, and I have to accept them with everything they are and because of everything they are, the good, and the evil, because THAT is love, which I learned from YOU".

So Silvestre goes down the ark, showing God he will die for them! So God decides to take the waters and forgive the world from their wickedness, give them another opportunity. He even sends a rainbow.

Also interesting, somewhere along the way, God gives Silvestre and Clementina the news that He had never prohibited priests to marry, which makes them very happy, of course! Actually, when in the ark, they were set to be the new first couple, to multiply and fill the earth. The prohibition to marry did not come from God, but from the human side of their Church.

I think that the main message of this story is this complicated relationship between men and God. Just when a good man of God, who has dedicated his life to Him is about to obey his strong, harsh order, Silvestre opens his mouth and speaks of the contradiction he's facing: how can he leave his people when he's been taught forgiveness and love, even towards his enemies!!!

So, he chooses to speak and disobey. Isn't free will the best gift he's been given? Isn't it what it is all about? And what is God to do? It's not like He can't deny Silvestre's words are true. Denying him the right to make his own decision would be denying His own plan... and in His mercy He allows Silvestre to live among his people again.

I really think this is the way God is. Free will is free will. He gave it to us. It is ours to use. Like it or not, it makes ALL OF US free to do pretty much whatever we want. Laws are given, we are warned of the consequences, but still we do as we wish.

One of my main concerns when I was growing up and trying to decide if I did believe in God, was that I thought that sometimes we have our reasons for deciding to do something that did not please the crowds or something that could actually be scary for the crowds. And I decided to think that if God existed, he would have the intelligence to understand our reasons... MY reasons. And sure, he would take into account my actions, but also the actions that had been taken upon myself, those that cause me to make certain decisions. Thinking like this, everyone has his or her own reason for doing something, right? And in an ideal world he/she would be respected --as long as Cesar's laws are followed too, of course ;)-- to do as he/she wishes, because... who knows what each one of us has had to endure? who knows why we choose what we choose? who knows what knowledge we have and we don't have?

And from there, who are we, as people, to judge the choices others make? We should be working on ourselves, preparing our arguments to talk to God and tell him our reasons, and not pretending to help Him decide about others. Really... who are we?

Who are we to point a finger at others free will? Who are we to smash other people's free will when not even GOD would do it?

Nobody. That's who.