'Where is your God now?'� 'Everywhere, I feel him everywhere'� 'Him? A bold presumption don't you think?'� 'Maybe, but regardless of gender, I feel the presence of a higher power in every corner of my living life'� 'Well that must be comforting to your Lisa'� She'll be fine, I know she will'� 'Alan she's getting worse'� 'We have our faith, we'll be fine'� 'Yes but your faith won't find a cure for breast cancer anytime soon will it?'� A long deep silence broke the flow of conversation, before one of them finally spoke. 'Another bottle of wine Michael?'� 'Go for it Al'�, Michael replied as the rain slowly started to fall outside in the cold winter's night. Inside the small basement wine-bar, owner Alan Carson, a tall well built blonde man in his late thirties, with piercing blue eyes, was having another after hours drinking session with old school friend Michael James. 'The thing is Mike'�, Alan begun, walking back to the corner table, an open bottle of California white wine in his hand, 'You've got to have something to believe in. Some might say that is a football team, or even themselves for example, but for Lisa and me it's our God. He is all that is good in our lives, and many other people's lives for that matter'�. Michael gazed thoughtfully into his now full wine glass, as he loosened his tie and un-fastened his top shirt button before finally speaking. 'What about Satanists?'� 'What about them?'�, Alan replied. 'Well to them Satan is all that is good in their lives'� 'That's completely different'� 'How so?'� 'Well with them it's all about negativity, darkness, death, sacrifice and destruction. There is nothing good in any of that at all'�, Alan reasoned in a slightly angry tone. 'Alan when was the last time someone committed murder or some kind of atrocity in the name of, or for the love of Satan?'� 'There have been many cases over the years of devil worshippers flipping out, shooting or stabbing people, tribal rituals in forests that kind of stuff, mutilations and so on'� 'Granted we have heard of these things happening, but these people haven't done it for Satan, they haven't murdered or tortured for him in the hope of a better life. I believe that these offenders are just generally disturbed people who just so happen to be devil worshippers. It's almost an irrelevant point. They'd be warped individuals whatever faith they had'� 'Michael have you gone stark raving bloody mad?'�, Alan asked looking slightly bewildered as he topped up his friends glass. 'Alan what if the bible is wrong?'� 'What?'�, Alan snapped back. 'No wait, hear me out. What if the bible has been changed over the years?'� 'Changed?'� 'Well we know it's basically an ancient form of story and propaganda, so what if some ancient form of publicists and PR people have changed things to put a different perspective on what people now believe today'� 'Go on'�, Alan requested with almost mock interest. 'Well what if God is really Satan and Satan is really God and you're all following the wrong sides, based on some old fashioned tampering from Satan's people several thousand years ago'� Alan burst out laughing, spilling some wine from the glass perched in his hand. 'I think you need to get out more Mike, or get some more sleep, or both!'� Michael shifted nearer towards Alan over the table as if to emphasis seriousness. 'I knew you'd laugh, but it's been something I've thought about on and off for a couple of years now, and I think it makes a lot of sense'� 'So I'm a Satanist?'�, Alan asked in a mocking tone. 'Well you've been led to believe you're a God follower, but you're actually following Satan who is in fact the good guy'� Alan managed a wry smile, his eyes full of disbelief. 'Well I'll tell you this much, your theory is intriguing and entertaining if nothing else. So according to you then, who switched things and why?'� 'Well I'm thinking that back in the day Satan's followers wanted to somehow make him more popular and accessible to the masses, so they somehow got to switch things in the book, which they did slowly over the years, using very manipulative propaganda and PR, thus tricking millions into following the wrong side'� 'And how would they actually have done that?'�, Alan countered. 'How about bribery, corruption or even murder? I don't actually know as I wasn't there, and either were you for that matter'�, Michael sarcastically concluded. Alan raised an eyebrow, impressed with his bold reasoning. 'But there is one big fundamental flaw in your argument. The God we know of today is clearly good and Satan obviously bad, which if you were right completely upsets the balance of your argument'�, Alan pointed out. 'Do we really know that Alan? Do we? Look here's what I know to be true today. We are yet to have someone, or some group of people commit mass murder in the name of Satan, whilst claiming their love for him and the fact they are committing these acts in his name, and that he is wonderful and all that'� 'Well maybe not yet'�, Alan meekly countered. 'Well I'm not sure what they're all waiting for then, if they haven't started already, because I don't think it will ever happen Alan, and I'll tell you what else I know to be true. In the last few years we've had maniacs flying planes into buildings, causing the deaths of thousands, people blowing themselves up on buses, other idiots kidnapping innocents and beheading them, and who do they claim to be doing it for? Who do they love? Who do they say will love and reward them for doing it?'� There was a long silent pause. 'Seriously Alan who do these wonderful people claim to be killing in the name of, and with the blessing of?'�, Michael asked firmly. 'God'�, Alan conceded. 'Exactly'�, Michael proclaimed pointing a finger defiantly in Alan's direction. 'God is supposed to be the good guy, yet people murder, kill and destroy for him, and cause mayhem across our planet like you wouldn't believe, but I can't recall the last time someone flew a plane into a building saying it's in the name of the big bad Satan. It's all been messed up Al. What if God is really the bad guy and the so called Devil is the good one?'� 'Well you just might have a bit of a point when you put it like that'�, Alan slowly said. 'I'm telling you Al, it all got switched round somewhere over the years. You're a devil worshipper and don't know it, but it's Ok because he's the good guy'� 'Right Ok'�, Alan replied, clearly humouring his old friend. 'But what if I'm right Al, what if?'� After a long pause Alan smiled. 'Another glass Mike?'�, he asked motioning toward the half empty bottle. Michael nodded. 'I just thank God I'm an atheist'�

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