Chapter 432: Theology Debate
“Hold on, don’t rush,” Yuliya interrupted the slightly panicked Wales. “Why did you say I have potential in this area?”
Wales calmed down, sat back straight, and smiled. “When you all entered, we were halfway through the ritual.”
“At that time, everyone here, including the two behind you and me, were clearly affected to some extent. But you were completely unfazed, which shows your receptiveness to this kind of power is really impressive.”
Yuliya thought back for a moment.
Those guys in black robes looked pretty weird, Kaise was nearly frozen in fear, and even Inif was silently speechless.
And then there was her… surging forward to whip the curtains open.
Talk about normal, but she was a bit off-normal at the same time.
“And besides, though it’s a bit forward of me, I saw something,” Wales pointed at the eye on his forehead.
“What did you see?”
“Riya is particularly favored by the Divine Being. You may have received a blessing from them at some point.”
Yuliya squinted a bit.
In this world, some special races have abilities that shouldn’t be underestimated.
Did she receive a blessing from a Divine Being?
Of course, she did.
Twice, actually.
The first time was from the Goddess of Life in the Ruinous Country, and the second was from the original Elf spirit.
“But I’m sorry, Wales. I really don’t have much interest in theology. I’m just planning to get a slight understanding of your little secret reading club.”
“Oh no, what a shame!” Wales stood up, getting rather animated. “Yuliya, please believe me, your talent can definitely shine here!”
But it was clear he was trying to keep his cool.
Dealing with someone who comes off as a bit of a religious nut was giving Yuliya a headache.
The most troublesome thing was being targeted by these types.
It’s like the Buddhist monks, always talking about fate and enlightenment, and they have the patience of a saint!
So, Yuliya decided to go all out.
“To be honest with you, senior, you know I’m Human.”
“Human doesn’t matter! We have Humans here too; it really doesn’t affect anything.”
“But there are huge differences in beliefs among Humans. I don’t have much reverence for so-called Divine Beings, nor do I plan to develop faith. Doesn’t that make a big difference?”
That was indeed a big issue.
While the theology at Saint Felis Academy was pretty legit, unlike those bizarre wild paths outside that often involve sacrifices, they definitely had to stick to basic principles.
To receive a blessing from a Divine Being or use their power, one must believe in them and follow them.
Asking Yuliya to have faith in some god was simply a dream.
Why should she believe in you? Why don’t you come and believe in me instead?
Wales fell silent for a moment but quickly picked up again with a smile. “Junior, perspectives can change. You’re still young; anything is possible!”
“Oh? So how do you plan to change my perspective?”
Yuliya perked up a bit.
She wanted to see what this head of the theology department had to say.
“Your current view on Divine Beings is too one-sided. This is a result of Humans being non-theistic; many Human students have faced this dilemma. But once you experience the greatness of a Divine Being, awe will naturally arise in your heart. From awe, you will yearn, and then you will believe.”
“How do I experience this? Are you going to summon a Divine Being directly?” Yuliya smirked.
“Of course not! No one can do that. Although it’s impossible to experience personally, we can catch glimpses of the Divine’s greatness from ancient texts that have been passed down through history.”
“God created the world, God created everything, God gave life, God set d*ath as the boundary, God is omnipotent.”
“What you just said is basically speculation.” Yuliya began swinging her feet from her chair, something Kaise couldn’t even manage.
“Let’s keep the previous points aside for now, but on the last point, I want to challenge it. Omnipotent? Can He create a stone so heavy that He can’t lift it?”
“Ah?”
That question left Wales, along with the other members of the reading club, utterly baffled.
And they should be!
If that question could be answered, then you really would be impressive. I might even consider believing in your so-called god.
Wales stammered out a few words but ultimately dodged the topic. “There are many Divine Beings, and each has its own direction of power. You can’t lump different abilities together.”
Yuliya continued smiling. “So what you’re saying is, in their respective powers, Divine Beings are omnipotent?”
“Exactly.”
Seeing Yuliya’s smiling face, beads of cold sweat began to trickle down Wales’s forehead.
“Okay then. Let’s say in terms of attack and defense, the attack is meant to break through the defense, while the defense is meant to withstand the attack. That can be generalized, right?”
“…”
“Then, if a Divine Being’s attack clashes with its own defense, what will the final result be? Will the attack be defended or will the defense be broken?”
When Yuliya finished her sentence, Wales had already realized what she was hinting at.
And indeed, that question was also unanswerable.
Come on! They’re comparing Divine Beings with others, and you’re just pitting one against itself. How does that even work?
Seeing Wales silent, Yuliya shrugged. “Alright then. Let’s assume two Divine Beings get into a fight, using their best skills to attack each other. Obviously, there has to be a distinction in strength, right?”
“What you call omnipotent actually has huge limitations, or perhaps doesn’t exist at all.”
In fact, this was a conclusion that could easily be reached with a bit of deep thought.
But these people never considered it that way.
What they needed was an all-powerful god.
“There are ways in which Divine Beings relate to each other that are different from how they relate to us; you can’t gauge them with our perspective,” Wales still wouldn’t relent.
In translation, that meant, when faced with an inexplicable problem, it’s just because we haven’t reached that level of understanding yet.
Once you reach the level of a Divine Being, these issues resolve themselves.
But no one on the ground can become a Divine Being.
So, the question just remains an unknown.
That’s the usual tactic of religious enthusiasts.
Yet Yuliya smirked mockingly. “Does your earlier answer mean that you’ve tacitly acknowledged what I said?”
Wales frowned. “What did you say?”
“That in a battle between two Divine Beings, there will definitely be a distinction in their strengths.”
The others widened their eyes in surprise as well.
This was a logical deduction, and it truly counted as an acknowledgment.
Everyone turned to look at Wales.
After a moment of silence, Wales nodded. “So what if I acknowledge it?”
“You all agree? Well then, let me share a widely circulated view among Humans.”
Yuliya stood up suddenly, still smiling. “So-called Divine Beings are just powerful individuals. The essential difference between them and the various races on the ground is simply the strength of their power.”
