{"id":166,"date":"2026-02-01T00:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T03:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/?post_type=capitulo&p=166"},"modified":"2026-03-06T01:44:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T04:44:23","slug":"simple","status":"publish","type":"capitulo","link":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/livro\/when-i-arrived-everything-was-already-a-mess\/capitulo\/simple\/","title":{"rendered":"SIMPLE"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SETTING:<\/strong> Living room. Geraldo sitting with laptop\/phone. Coffee mug beside him. Screen light on his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SINGLE SCENE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Geraldo joins video call. Sound of people connecting.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): Hey, Geraldo! You good?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (waves) Hey, everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): You got coffee there?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (raises mug) Always.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): Dude, let me ask you something serious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (sips) Uh-oh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): Do you believe in God?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): (pauses) \u2026none? Like, zero?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Zero.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): But like\u2026 Jesus? Allah? Buddha? Anything?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Nope. Don\u2019t believe in any.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): Damn. You\u2019re full-on atheist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: I am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): And\u2026 you\u2019re cool with that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (calm) Totally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): But let me get this. You don\u2019t believe because\u2026 no proof? Bad experience? Because\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (interrupts) Because I don\u2019t feel the need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): Need?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Yeah. To me, things happen. I don\u2019t need a divine explanation. Works fine without one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): But like\u2026 the universe? Life? Didn\u2019t all this need SOMEONE to create it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Don\u2019t know. But not knowing doesn\u2019t mean it was God. Could just be we haven\u2019t figured it out yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): So you\u2019re like\u2026 agnostic?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Could call it that. Labels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): But there\u2019s a difference! Agnostic doesn\u2019t know, atheist doesn\u2019t believe\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: I don\u2019t believe. But I admit I could be wrong. Call it whatever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): You refuse categorization\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Or I just don\u2019t care about the label.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): IT\u2019S THE SAME THING!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (smiles) If you say so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): But Jesus? The guy existed historically, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Probably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): THERE! If he existed\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (interrupts) Existing doesn\u2019t make him God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): But the miracles! The resurrection!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Or stories. Exaggerated. Built up over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): You don\u2019t believe ANY of it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Nope. But I like the idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): \u2026how can you LIKE it but not BELIEVE?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (sips) I like the teachings. Love your neighbor. Forgive. Help those in need. Good ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): But that IS Christianity!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Nah. That\u2019s just being decent. I don\u2019t need divine Jesus to know I should help people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): So you\u2026 agree with Jesus but don\u2019t think he\u2019s God?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Exactly. Like, Marx had some good ideas. Doesn\u2019t make me a communist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): (laughs) You just compared Jesus to Marx!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (smiles) Two guys with solid ideas that people twisted later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): But wait. If you like the idea, why not believe?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Because the problem isn\u2019t the idea. It\u2019s the fan club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): \u2026fan club?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Yeah. The people who USE Jesus to rally. Pastors with private jets. Churches charging tithes for \u201cblessings.\u201d People yelling \u201cit\u2019s the Lord\u2019s!\u201d like it\u2019s a game-winning goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): DUDE! You\u2019re criticizing the INSTITUTION, not the FAITH!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Exactly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): That changes everything! You can believe in God WITHOUT the church!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: I could. But I don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): \u2026why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (sets mug down) Because even stripping away the fan club, the story doesn\u2019t add up for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): Which part?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: All-powerful God creates humans. Humans mess up. God gets mad. God sends his son to die to forgive the mess-up he knew was coming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): \u2026when you put it like that\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Sounds like a poorly written script?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): (laughs) A bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Same for me. But I respect people who believe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): But like\u2026 aren\u2019t you scared? Of there being nothing after?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: After what?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): Death. Like, you die and\u2026 nothing. Blackout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (calm) Doesn\u2019t scare me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): How not?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Because I won\u2019t be there to miss it. It\u2019s like before I was born. I didn\u2019t exist. Didn\u2019t suffer from not existing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): Damn\u2026 that actually makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (picks up mug again) And look: if I\u2019m wrong and there\u2019s heaven, cool. Nice surprise. But I\u2019m not gonna live in fear of being wrong just to hedge my bets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): \u201cNot living in fear to secure a spot in heaven\u201d\u2026 that\u2019s freeing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Or it\u2019s just: living without fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): SAME THING!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (laughs) If you say so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): And you don\u2019t miss it? Like, meaning? A bigger purpose?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Nope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): How do you find meaning then?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: I make it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): \u2026make it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (sips) Yeah. Meaning doesn\u2019t come from outside. I decide what matters. Family matters. Friends matter. Good coffee matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): (laughs) Good coffee is your divine purpose?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: One of them. And writing. And talking to you guys. And not being an asshole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): So you create your own values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (sets empty mug down) Everyone does. Religious people just think theirs came from God. But they chose to believe in that God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): \u2026shit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Yeah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): You just deconstructed free will AND faith in one go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Or I just said everyone picks what they believe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): NOT THE SAME THING!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (smiles) To me it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): But you respect believers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (serious) I do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): Even when you disagree?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Of course. If it works for them, gives them peace, helps them be good people, great. Use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): You don\u2019t think they\u2019re wrong?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: I do. But everyone thinks they\u2019re right. I think I\u2019m right too. But I know I could be wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): And if you ARE wrong?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: If God exists, he already gets me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): \u2026how so?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (leans back) Come on. If God exists and is all-knowing, he knows exactly why I don\u2019t believe. He sees I tried to be a decent person, didn\u2019t hurt anyone, lived honestly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): But you didn\u2019t WORSHIP him!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: And if he\u2019s fair, he\u2019ll understand why. I didn\u2019t see proof. Didn\u2019t see reason. I lived the best I could with what I had.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): Wait\u2026 you\u2019re saying if God is good, he\u2019ll forgive you for not believing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Not forgive. Understand. If he\u2019s God, he knows my disbelief was honest. Not rebellion, just conclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): And if he DOESN\u2019T understand? Sends you to hell anyway?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (leans forward) Then he\u2019s not fair. And if he\u2019s not fair, he\u2019s not worth worshiping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): DUDE! You just said you\u2019d rather go to hell than worship an unfair God!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: No. I said if God punishes good people just for not believing, he\u2019s not good. And I wouldn\u2019t want to worship someone who isn\u2019t good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): But\u2026 does that make sense?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (leans back) Makes sense to me. Look at the options: if God doesn\u2019t exist, I\u2019m fine. If he does and is fair, he gets me. If he does and is unfair, I couldn\u2019t worship him anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): That\u2019s\u2026 a complete takedown of Pascal\u2019s Wager!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Pascal\u2019s what?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): Pascal! The philosopher who said \u201cbetter to believe in God just in case \u2014 if he exists you win, if not you lose nothing\u201d!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (looks at empty mug) Ah. Yeah, don\u2019t buy that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): Why?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (stands, heads for more coffee) Because you can\u2019t FORCE belief. You either believe or you don\u2019t. If I pretend just to cover my bases, wouldn\u2019t God notice? Isn\u2019t he all-knowing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): \u2026shit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (comes back with coffee, sits) Yeah. So the only honest option is: live well. If God exists, he\u2019ll value that. If not, I lived well anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): And you\u2019re not scared of being wrong?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: I am. But fear doesn\u2019t change what I believe. I can\u2019t CHOOSE to believe in God. I either do or I don\u2019t. And I don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): But you just admitted you could be wrong!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (sips) I could. But until there\u2019s evidence, I\u2019ll live as if there isn\u2019t one. And if there is and he\u2019s good, he\u2019ll understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): You built an atheist theology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Or I just answered your question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): NOT THE SAME THING!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (smiles) To me it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): So the real question is: is God NECESSARY?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Exactly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): And for you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: No. I can be good without him. Have meaning without him. Live without him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): And if someone NEEDS God to be good?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Then let them use it. But that says more about the person than about God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): How so?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: If you\u2019re only good because you fear hell, you\u2019re not good. You\u2019re scared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): Damn\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Real goodness doesn\u2019t need reward. Or threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): So you\u2019re good because\u2026 you want to?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Because living that way is better. For me and everyone else. Simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): \u201cGoodness without needing God\u201d\u2026 that\u2019s gonna stir shit up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Let it. Everyone decides if God is necessary or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): And for you he isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Nope. But I respect people who need him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): And if a religious person judges you? Says you\u2019re going to hell?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: I shrug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): That\u2019s it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Yeah. I don\u2019t believe in hell. So the threat doesn\u2019t land. It\u2019s like someone saying \u201cSanta won\u2019t bring you presents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): (laughs) You just compared hell to Santa Claus!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (smiles) Both stories to make kids behave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): Dude\u2026 some people would cancel you for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Let them. I\u2019m not forcing anyone to agree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): Last question. If God showed up right now\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (looks up) I\u2019d apologize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): Seriously?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (looks back at screen) Of course. If he exists and shows up, I was wrong. I\u2019d own it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): You\u2019d change your mind?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: With proof? Yeah. I\u2019m not stubborn. Just need evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): \u201cPragmatic atheist open to evidence\u201d\u2026 that\u2019s scientifically honest!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (sips) Or it\u2019s just: show me I\u2019m wrong and I\u2019ll change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): Literally the same thing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (laughs) Now you get it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Silence. Geraldo sips coffee, looking at screen.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): I\u2019m gonna write about this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: I know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): It\u2019ll cause drama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Probably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): You care?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Nah. Everyone believes what they want. Including getting mad at me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): You\u2019re so chill about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Because it\u2019s not about me. It\u2019s about what they need to believe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): That\u2019s\u2026 mature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Or I just don\u2019t care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): (smiles, audible) Same thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: Exactly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Silence. Geraldo looks at screen, sips coffee.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): Want more coffee?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (looks at empty mug) Yeah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): Coffee\u2019s your god, huh?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (stands, heads off) The most reliable one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Geraldo exits. Sound of pouring coffee. Returns, sits.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): Getting late, folks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): True.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (sips) Good talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (male voice): Always is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOMEONE (female voice): See you next time, Geraldo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERALDO: (waves) See you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Sound of people leaving call. Geraldo alone, looking at screen. Sips coffee. Screen light fades. Lights dim slowly.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SETTING: Living room. Geraldo sitting with laptop\/phone. Coffee mug beside him. Screen light on his face. SINGLE SCENE (Geraldo joins video call. Sound of people connecting.) SOMEONE (male voice): Hey, Geraldo! You good? GERALDO: (waves) Hey, everyone. SOMEONE (female voice): You got coffee there? GERALDO: (raises mug) Always. SOMEONE (male voice): Dude, let me ask […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":163,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"livro":[23],"personagem":[28,27],"genero":[357,40],"tom":[358,385],"timeline":[57],"versao_jota":[49],"categoria_cap":[398,372],"item_essencial":[],"tema":[399,400],"local":[402,403],"keyword":[405,407,370,404,409,408,410,376,411,406],"class_list":["post-166","capitulo","type-capitulo","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","livro-when-i-arrived-everything-was-already-a-mess","personagem-alguem","personagem-gpjota","genero-peca-teatral","genero-slice-of-life","tom-filosofico","tom-tranquilo","timeline-curitiba","versao_jota-normal","categoria_cap-ateismo-e-fe","categoria_cap-dialogo-filosofico","tema-ateismo-como-posicao-honesta","tema-bondade-independente-de-deus","local-sala","local-videochamada","keyword-ateismo","keyword-bondade","keyword-cafe","keyword-deus","keyword-evidencia","keyword-inferno","keyword-jesus","keyword-karma","keyword-marx","keyword-pascal"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/capitulo\/166","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/capitulo"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/capitulo"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/163"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"livro","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/livro?post=166"},{"taxonomy":"personagem","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/personagem?post=166"},{"taxonomy":"genero","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/genero?post=166"},{"taxonomy":"tom","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tom?post=166"},{"taxonomy":"timeline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/timeline?post=166"},{"taxonomy":"versao_jota","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/versao_jota?post=166"},{"taxonomy":"categoria_cap","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categoria_cap?post=166"},{"taxonomy":"item_essencial","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/item_essencial?post=166"},{"taxonomy":"tema","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tema?post=166"},{"taxonomy":"local","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/local?post=166"},{"taxonomy":"keyword","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ziev.com.br\/gpjota\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/keyword?post=166"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}