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16 September 2011

It's the Friday Night Question! Taken at random from The Book of Questions.[More:]

#217: If you were guaranteed honest responses to any three questions, who would you question and what would you ask?
I'd question God, I think. If S/He answered, that would deal with my first question -- you're there, right? Question 2: Why is there so much cruelty and pain in the world? Question 3: What happens when we die?
posted by bearwife 16 September | 18:25
Are we limited to one person = three questions, or can we ask three questions of anyone?

If it was 1 person = 3 questions, I would ask of God: 1) What happens to all the children who disappear and are never found? 2) Why fleas, ticks, and mosquitos? 3) How many other planets in the universe have folks like us?

If it were 3 questions of anyone, I would ask:

My paternal grandmother: What were you going through when you decided to shoot/kill your husband (my biological grandfather)?

The late Mr. V: What was it you were trying to tell me during your last hours? (he was mumbling and couldn't be understood)

I honestly can't think of another, so I guess I'd go with the first question to God again.
posted by redvixen 16 September | 18:41
Everything seems too trivial to waste on such a resource. I could say that I would press Bush for what happened from 2002 to 2008, but I think that if given such an opportunity, I would rather risk punching the fucker in the mouth.
posted by Ardiril 16 September | 18:44
I would ask John Andrew Boehner: "WTF, dude?"
posted by Doohickie 16 September | 18:51
I would ask William Shakespeare, "Did you really write those plays or was it Christopher Marley?"

That has really been the only question that has ever plagued me since childhood, which the Nuns told me would be answered upon my ascendance into heaven.
posted by msali 16 September | 19:20
1. God. Do you exist?
2. If the answer is yes then the second question would be: Why evil?
3. Also: How can I have free will if you created me knowing everything I will ever do, and indeed created me to do it?
posted by Splunge 16 September | 19:48
Huh. I guess this means I'm a down-to-the-bone atheist. I have no questions for any God or god. And off the cuff, I'm having trouble coming up with two of the three questions. As others have said, it's a lot of responsibility and pressure.

But there's one thing I would ask: years ago, someone I loved mustered up what little energy he had to start telling what promised to be an absolutely filthy joke... and then his grandmother walked into the room. He waved his hand and muttered, in his sick creaky voice, "I'll tell you the rest later." He died a few days later.

So my question is "Hey, sweetie, what was that joke? Tell it to me. Take your time."
posted by Elsa 16 September | 20:41
I'm an atheist as well. Thus the first question.
posted by Splunge 16 September | 21:14
Oh, I getcha, I was just surprised how my (usually open) mind absolutely rejected the idea of asking questions of God. I thought of it and then some loud portion of my mind immediately nixed it.

I understand why an atheist might do so; it just didn't speak to me at all. That says something (and not necessarily something flattering) about my own belief system or lack thereof.
posted by Elsa 16 September | 21:19
I'm definitely a theist but I really don't have questions for god, either. It interests me a lot that lots of people do, but I really don't.

I like the idea of questioning my grandparents, all of whom are now gone, about the stuff they did and choices they made. There are things I'll never have the chance to learn, since this opportunity won't really happen, and they're just lost to family history.
posted by Miko 16 September | 21:29
Yeah, I have the same conundrum as Ardiril. Down to the mouth-punching.

(Actually, I suspect that the reason I couldn't ask someone like GWB a question is that I strongly suspect the answer would be something along the lines of "because I could" and that would just depress the shit outta me.)

Not a believer in a god, but I'd be interested to question Paul, or one of the early Christians. I haven't thought about what I'd ask them, though.

I might just confirm with one of those Limbaugh/Coulter/Beck types that it *is* all just a performance piece, right? Just for my peace of mind.

argh. I'm not very imaginative.

posted by gaspode 16 September | 21:39
Question one: Why does every society which is technology advanced think it has the right to decimate, conquer, or be superior or impose its values on those societies which are not as advanced?
Question two: Why do racial and religious prejudices exist?
Question three: Did Vivaldi write 600 concerti or one concerto 600 times?
And as Shakespeare said (he did write the plays) Why are some people born great?
Why do some people achieve greatness and why do some people have greatness thrust upon them?
posted by Macduff 16 September | 21:43
I'd ask my Dad: Tell me about yourself. He died when I was 20, would have been nice to know him better.
I'd ask Fermat: What was your proof of the theorem?
I'd research lost treasure, and ask the last person to see it where it is.
posted by theora55 17 September | 12:47
I can't handle the truth and, in any case, I just don't want to know anyway. So, no questions for anyone thanks.
posted by dg 18 September | 01:53
I'm of the same mind as Splurge. Ask God "Do you exist?"
'Cause, for me, if I actually get an affirmative response, that changes a whooooole lot of things in my life.

I'm not exactly an atheist, though I definitely don't subscribe to any religion. It's just that I've experienced enough odd things throughout my life to keep me from outright discounting any possibility of the supernatural.
posted by Thorzdad 18 September | 07:29
Whatcha reading? Quote a paragraph. || Mrs. Partridge!

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