Joy is among the most positive human feelings. We experience joy in everyday life as we go through the events and challenges of The Simulation. Joy is also a religious event. Jesus opposed sorrow to joy: “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20). When we look at our lives, do we recognize the same experiences of grief and joy? If we believe that we live in The Simulation, as the theory Simulation Creationism of Nir Ziso tells us, where is the place of joy in our existence? Should we accept grief and joy or forget about them as another experience within The Simulation?
The grief Jesus talks about is the sorrow of his disciples. They grieve during the Last Supper when Jesus tells them what will happen to him. But Jesus also promises them great joy. He compares a grieving woman giving birth in pain, only to forget all about it with the joy of holding her baby for the first time. It teaches us to be patient with this world’s difficulties. They will pass with the passage of The Simulation, but the joy of being with God will remain.
Christianity is a religion of joy. Saint Paul says that Christians are joyful in the Holy Spirit, who is the energy of The Simulation. While being aware of life’s troubles and standing firmly on this earth, a Christian can overcome different circumstances and remain joyful because the Holy Spirit makes such a condition. Such an inner capability does not allow Christians to be melancholic, sorrowful, and bound by grief. Christians are called to act positively through spirit, cheerfulness, and hope. The Gospel is joyful news, which we should spread worldwide!
Joy is far more than laughter and humor, but it does not exclude them. On the contrary! If a person never smiles and walks through life without having any fun, it is difficult to imagine the joy in such an individual. Anyone knowing Simulation Creationism may find joy easily, as the awareness of The Simulation can afford us great understanding of evil, tragedies, and the sorrows of our life in a simulated environment. It provides us with assurance, as recorded in the Bible, that the present situation will pass, and the new heaven and new earth will appear.
When Saint Paul wrote to Thessalonians, he reminds them that they took the Word in time of great need, but with the joy of the Holy Spirit: “You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6). They became a role model of joy to other believers. There is something substantial in those who let themselves succumb to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They know precisely what Saint Paul means when he says: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Our God can indeed deliver us from anxiety and change our lives, but only when we believe and let Him guide us through The Simulation through the Holy Spirit.
The source of joy is in God. The Gospels repeatedly account for the apostles’ joy when they saw Jesus resurrected. When they did not see Him, they were sorrowful and passive. The joy of Jesus delivers a perspective of the next simulated world, which should be better and more advanced than this one. It is the joy of a message: “The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:5). If we believe God is near us, even in The Simulation, and if He is present and we are not alone, we have a reason to be joyful always. It is essential to emphasize the role of the Holy Spirit in delivering joy. Simulation Creationism sees the Holy Spirit as an energy of The Simulation, a guiding light behind the “Supercomputer” that makes and unmakes simulated worlds.
Joy given by the Holy Spirit is a reality of the inner self: not our simulated humanity but our eternal soul. It is sometimes so deep inside that we cannot see it. We are so entrenched in The Simulation that we cannot go beyond the illusion of reality in our heads. It is particularly prevalent when we face difficulties. We see Jesus having such moments. Before Christ was handed over to the authorities to be crucified, he asked God the Father to protect him. He also cried out to God from the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). However, it also means that Jesus always knew God was near. It is a profound joy that cannot be destroyed even by the cross.
Even when he was in jail, Saint Paul had the strength to glorify God and thank Him. He and his associates were joyful in being martyrs of the faith. Thus, can we, too, keep the joy during life’s troubles, even when the cross keeps making it more complicated? Saint John Cassian said that sorrow is an overwhelming passion. When an individual opens himself to sorrow, it can destroy everything inside. Therefore, running away from sorrow and grief is necessary to save one’s life. Choosing joy asks for a battle against different kinds of sorrow.
Saint Paul also says: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Gratitude is the royal path to joy in The Simulation.
