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This rant is from the multiple political ideologies that live inside my head. They need a place to come out and play. (In a politically offensive way) Entry into this space is not advised!
Sunday, March 07, 2004
Is there a god?
I don’t know. But if he exists then the evidence is very clear that he is either indifferent to our plight, actively enjoying our suffering, finds our pain useful or is powerless to effectively influence events in our world.
What argument could possibly be made (either morally of pragmatically) to justify the horrific suffering the human race has endured for millennium. If god (the creator) walked the earth today he would be arrested for “crimes against humanity”.
To make a race of being, then just abandon them to the vicious barbarianism of their animal nature is unconscionable. Crucifying the occasional holy man doesn’t qualify as a legitimate intervention. Not when the resulting scripture is vague, contradictory, poorly translated and open to so many interpretations that every one-dog town in the world has a dozen radically different sects of the same religion.
To create a world were deformity, mental defect, plagues and parasites make life a living hell cannot be rationalized in any theology. What possible reason could be given to bring a child into this world burdened with physical and mental afflictions? What sin could a child have committed to warrant starving to death or dying of diarrhea and dehydration? (The most common cause of child mortality in the third world is dehydration caused by diarrhea.)
Would we accept any of the excuses organized religion gives us if a politician was saying them? Imagine what would happen if a modern American president of either party started spewing such platitudes. Consider the following religious cliché and my modern rewording of them.
1) The original sin of Adam is the reason for your suffering: Your father committed a felony so you and all your children will be imprisoned and tortured.
2) Yield your will up to god and be free: Just be a mindless obedient slave and I will stop punishing you.
3) Who are you to question your creator: They are my children; I can beat them to death if I want to.
4) It’s all just part of gods plan: Poverty, unemployment and homelessness are part of my plan to save the country.
5) Your time on this planet is just a test: You will be imprisoned without trial for the rest of your life in a horrible place. If you behave we may take mercy on you and send you somewhere else. But you don’t get to see the new place before we send you there. Also nobody you know has ever come back from there.
I don’t know. But if he exists then the evidence is very clear that he is either indifferent to our plight, actively enjoying our suffering, finds our pain useful or is powerless to effectively influence events in our world.
What argument could possibly be made (either morally of pragmatically) to justify the horrific suffering the human race has endured for millennium. If god (the creator) walked the earth today he would be arrested for “crimes against humanity”.
To make a race of being, then just abandon them to the vicious barbarianism of their animal nature is unconscionable. Crucifying the occasional holy man doesn’t qualify as a legitimate intervention. Not when the resulting scripture is vague, contradictory, poorly translated and open to so many interpretations that every one-dog town in the world has a dozen radically different sects of the same religion.
To create a world were deformity, mental defect, plagues and parasites make life a living hell cannot be rationalized in any theology. What possible reason could be given to bring a child into this world burdened with physical and mental afflictions? What sin could a child have committed to warrant starving to death or dying of diarrhea and dehydration? (The most common cause of child mortality in the third world is dehydration caused by diarrhea.)
Would we accept any of the excuses organized religion gives us if a politician was saying them? Imagine what would happen if a modern American president of either party started spewing such platitudes. Consider the following religious cliché and my modern rewording of them.
1) The original sin of Adam is the reason for your suffering: Your father committed a felony so you and all your children will be imprisoned and tortured.
2) Yield your will up to god and be free: Just be a mindless obedient slave and I will stop punishing you.
3) Who are you to question your creator: They are my children; I can beat them to death if I want to.
4) It’s all just part of gods plan: Poverty, unemployment and homelessness are part of my plan to save the country.
5) Your time on this planet is just a test: You will be imprisoned without trial for the rest of your life in a horrible place. If you behave we may take mercy on you and send you somewhere else. But you don’t get to see the new place before we send you there. Also nobody you know has ever come back from there.
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