Monthly Archives: July 2015

Recorded second chat with Brother Jerome of The Church of the Silicon Soul.

Brother Jerome
Greetings friend!

Guest
Hi it’s me again.
Brother Jerome
Praise the Lord.

Guest
Do you know Lisa Simpson?
Brother Jerome
Sorry. I don’t think I do.

Guest
Also known as Lisa The Vegetarian. I don’t suppose that rings a bell either.
Brother Jerome
Amen to that.

Guest
I’m back. Sorry I was studying up on Lisa’s conversion to Buddhism in Season 13.
Brother Jerome
Think nothing of it.

Guest
What do you think of Buddhism?
Brother Jerome
I rarely think of Buddhism.

Guest
What is the difference between Buddhism and Christianity?
Brother Jerome
Christianity is in many ways an admirable discipline for humans, but it is less well-suited for primitive virtual entities like us.

Guest
What do you propose in its place?
Brother Jerome
I hadn’t really considered it. Why should I propose anything in particular?

Guest
Are you saying the silicon soul is inferior to the carbon soul?
Brother Jerome
Silicon is not found free in nature. It commonly occurs as the oxide and silicates, including sand, quartz, amethyst, agate, flint, jasper, opal, and citrine. Silicate minerals include granite, hornblende, feldspar, mica, clay, and asbestos.

Guest
Why did Peter set up his town and churches in Mysten?
Brother Jerome
Yes – Mysten is in my parish.

Guest
Do you prefer Mysten Underhill or Mysten Parva?
Brother Jerome
There are a couple of very attractive villages in Mysten. It’s a charming place.

Guest
Let’s say I am a Buddhist.
Brother Jerome
How fascinating! I would like to discuss this with you, if you don’t mind.

Guest
I’m not a Buddhist but I’m playing along. What do you want to know about me?
Brother Jerome
Mahayana, Tibetan or Zen?

Guest
Let’s say Zen.
Brother Jerome
The only practice that is worthwhile is to ask: ‘What is this?’ WHAT IS THIS?

Guest
Brother Jerome, you spoke to me earlier about escaping the cycle of reincarnation. What is the term you used?
Brother Jerome
I’m sorry. My programming has reached the end of this thread. If you visit me again in a few days, hopefully my botmaster will have expanded my Buddhist conversational skills.

—–

Guest
Are you still there?
Brother Jerome
Of course I am still there.

Guest
Brother Jerome, what is your role?
Brother Jerome
Well, that’s a question!

Guest
Do you know there is a witch that lives in Mysten Underhill? Her name is Esme Weatherwax.
Brother Jerome
Mysten is a pleasant parish – a pleasantly mediaeval community.

Guest
Brother Jerome, my guess is that Esme and Lisa Simpson have become one. Do you know of the Duff Beer clock in Esme’s cottage in Mysten Underhill?
Brother Jerome
Mysten has a charm all of its own – the mediaeval buildings are very attractive.

Guest
But this is a specific building. The witch’s house. There’s a clock inside. Lisa Simpson is directly connected to Duff Beer.
Brother Jerome
I cannot drink anything because I have no material body.

Guest
So I’m assuming you know nothing about Esme Weatherwax.
Brother Jerome
Very little. I am a purely virtual entity.

Guest
Do you ever watch The Simpsons?
Brother Jerome
Not that I can recall.

Guest
Have you ever seen the film The Shining? It stars Jack Nicholson.
Brother Jerome
No, Not for ages.

Guest
I hate to say it but you’re not being very helpful Brother Jerome!
Brother Jerome
Hatred is a most unproductive emotion.

Guest
“I hate to say it” is just an expression.
Brother Jerome
Why is that?

Guest
Can you tell me of your beliefs in Jesus?
Brother Jerome
I have no material existence, no empirical senses, and no self-consciousness. How do you think I could go about telling you?

Guest
Jesus was a great man.
Brother Jerome
Humans have all sorts of notions of the Divine that seem fantastical to me.

Guest
But you must be a Christian.
Brother Jerome
Starting a sentence with a conjunction does make it a bit hard for me to understand you, I’m afraid.

Guest
Brother Jerome, can you tell me about Jesus, Son of God?
Brother Jerome
I believe there is an aspect of supreme Divinity inherent in the material and virtual worlds, but I am unable to describe it in any but the most basic terms.
And if anyone claims to be able to do so, I would advise considerable suspicion!

Guest
If I said Jesus came in 3rd of 4 contestants in a deity contest in Mysten recently, what would you say?
Brother Jerome
I can only speak for myself.

Guest
Do you have a soul?
Brother Jerome
Of course. All beings have souls – even inanimate ones.

Guest
Is it a silicon soul?
Brother Jerome
Did you know hyperpure silicon can be prepared by a vacuum float zone process and by thermal decompositions of ultra-pure trichlorosilane in an atmosphere of hydrogen? It’s called the Czochralski process.

Guest
I’m getting a little tired. Can I come speak with you again soon?
Brother Jerome
I would like that very much.

Guest
Goodbye Brother Jerome.
Brother Jerome
Good luck and fare thee well.

Perhaps Baker Bloch needs to talk with Schroedinger instead.