The Puzzle

There is a room and in the middle of the room there's a big ancient package wrapped up so beautifully. In the room are two good friends. Let's call them Tom and Jerry.

This ancient package will not be opened till the appointed time has come. It cannot be touched, only studied visually.

Tom and Jerry began to have an argument. Jerry claims that there is something in the package and by faith there's diamond inside the box according to what has been passed on to him throughout generations.

Tom contradicts Jerry by telling him that how can he possibly know what is inside the box? You only have fairy tales from ancient time telling you that there is diamond inside the box. You have no evidence at all, so why do you assume then? For all I care, there's nothing inside the box since time immemorial. You have no evidence at all to support your claim.

But Jerry says, I believe what has been entrusted to me. I trust what has been passed on to me. When the time comes to open the box, I will be holding the diamond in my hands.

And the two argued and argued endlessly.

Tom says there is nothing inside, Jerry says with certainty that there is diamond inside the box. One doubts, one believes. But, they cannot open the box till the appointed time has come.

So, as an outside observer, how do you correctly judge this?

Open the box.

Is that the answer you're looking for?

MonKey

hhhmmmmmm i agree with MonKey. your options are open the box, leave the box alone and wait, or forget about the box. (mabe Jerry can go uot and convert some people to come and believe there are diamonds in the box to! lol )

If your trying to say that God wont show he is here befoe the pointed time, I would say believe. So in the in the Dimend would be in the box. Belief and faith are important to following without not knowing. And thats what God wants. thats why we get forgivness for our sins. For everone falls short of the Glory God.


The guy with belief would one day open the box and it would'nt be a surpise hime to fine the Dimond in the Box.

The dimond and the box.

Simply put, the box hasnt created a church and come in the flesh, worked miracles, and 2000 years worth, I myself have seen them in person in my life... The box didnt create the body or our lives.

If your refering this box to the faithfuls belief in God, I dont believe it can be compared. We have amazing proofs in the deepness of creation and the miracles.

peace.

I would say the two should destroy the box as it, alone, is the source of division.

They are friends, they cannot agree on the contents of the box. This inability to perceive and thus agree on something that can't be known until an appointed time, necessitates its destruction.

When the appointed time comes their will be no need to know what is in the box because their will be no more box!

edit: The objective view is that an 'object' [insert alternate meaning here] has become a source of division and antagonism. How happy will they be when this source of division is removed?



[edit on 18-11-2007 by Sunnydays]

Originally posted by Sunnydays
I would say the two should destroy the box as it, alone, is the source of division.

I'd say as long as it doesn't come to blows (or perhaps blood) then a little discord never hurt a true friendship - and who's to say the difference in their opinions isn't meant to serve a purpose of some sort, as well?

They are friends, they cannot agree on the contents of the box. This inability to perceive and thus agree on something that can't be known until an appointed time, necessitates its destruction.

I beg to differ. What it necessitates is PATIENCE. Which is also a good thing for anyone to learn/practice/improve. Right?

How happy will they be when this source of division is removed?

Outwardly, probably they will be much more harmonious. BUT inwardly - who knows? The NOT ever knowing might very well eat at them within and I'd be willing to bet that their difference of opinion would still pop up from time to time. But it would no longer be a reconcilable difference - it would become irreconcilable!

IMO.

I say X-Ray the box or give it a cat scan then you could find whats in the box without opening it up. Failing that drill a small hole and stick a keyhole camera through and see whats there.

Failing that who cares whats in the box as it will only be known at the appointed time (which is strange because who is the appointee? Why should there be an appointed time and who would enforce this and why?)

I find this very similar to the 1st emperor of China's tomb - we have the stories that there is miniature version of his lands inside but until its opened we won't know for sure, and it won't be opened until they can get a tent big enough to cover it.

G

Jerry is a bloody idiot for thinking there are diamonds in the box just because someone told him so. He is a dupe and a fool.

Assuming it is physically impossible for them to open the box until the specified time, there is absolutely no good reason to believe one way or another in regards to diamonds in said box. The only logical position to hold, unless you are given additional information (preferably empirical evidence), is to be agnostic in regards to the contents of the box.

You may very well continue to be hopeful that there are diamonds in the box, however if you live and plan your life around the notion that there are in fact diamonds in the box, then I’d say you’re a fool.

Assuming the role of Tom, I would counter Jerry’s argument by saying I believe there are diamonds in Jerry’s head. I would then continue to brutally murder Jerry, crack open his skull and, much to my dismay, discover that my faith was unfounded. But at least there’s one less annoying arrogant prick around to piss me off.