How Many Beers?

Two old friends are sitting at the bar, and the subject turns to religion.

Tom asks, "So you don't believe in God?"

Rick admits, "No, actually I see no reason to."

"Well, then, who or what created the universe then, if it wasn't God?"

Rick thought for a moment. "I have a cooler in my garage. It's large enough to hold two cases of beer. How many beers are in it?"

"Changing the subject? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just tell me how many beers are in it. I'll bet you $50 you are wrong."

Tom decides to play along. "Ok, sure. There are... 27 beers in the cooler."

"Wrong, there are 41. Pay up!"

"Wait! How am I supposed to just know there are 41 beers in there?"

Rick explains, "I bought 2 cases on Wednesday and stocked the cooler full. I drank 2 on Wednesday night, my brother and I drank 3 on Thursday. And my son stole 2 on Friday afternoon. It's simple math, you can't deny that. 2 + 3 + 2 = 7, 48 - 7 = 41. Pay up!"

Tom is incredulous. "You think I'm a fool? I'm not paying you $50 just because you say I am wrong? That's hardly proof enough for me to pay you! You'd have to show me the cooler before I'd even think of settling up."

Then Rick looked him in the eye. "If you can't part with $50 based on my word, how do you expect me to believe some god created the universe based on yours? I asked you a question with 49 possible specific answers, you asked me one with millions. And you had as much evidence as I did to answer the question. Whatever I say caused the universe that isn't the same your answer, you will say it's wrong.

"The difference is simple - I can actually take you to my garage and prove to you I am right. There is a way to settle this bet. But unless I do, you have to either take my word or reject it. So, really, what's the only answer you can give to my question? How many beers are in the cooler?"

"Well, I can only guess, I can't know for certain!"

"Exactly. And that's the only answer I can give to your question as well."

Defensively, Tom explains, "But I believe in my answer! I have faith that God created the universe!"

"And I believe there are 41 beers in my cooler. But I could be wrong. Maybe someone is drinking one right now. Maybe the cooler was stolen. That doesn't mean I am wrong to believe there are 41, it just means I can't be 100% certain.

"As strongly as people believed that the Earth was circled by the Sun thousands of years ago, it was still wrong. A few thousand years later we found out. But there was simply no way to know back then!"

Tom asks, "So you're saying I'm stupid for believing what I believe?"

"Not at all. In a few thousand years maybe we will know enough about the origin of the universe to be more certain how. In twenty minutes I could be more certain how many beers I have in the cooler. You are no more stupid for believing in an idea about how the universe came about than I am stupid for believing there are 41 beers in my cooler."

"Well, that's fair."

"Now, if I expect you to simply accept that there are 41 beers in my cooler, then I am a little stupid, though."

"Hmm... we could go to your house and check...."

Rick smiles. "We could. The beer here is a little pricey anyway. Let's go."

"Sounds good!"

"Oh, do you have your ATM card with you? You might want to take out $50 on the way there."