Suffering 2

Friday, September 30, 2005

Suffering 2

Logic. Explanation to why we just can't pin down this whole god thing range from what sounds like good reasoning to outright rationalization.

SO - most of what is professed by the believers doesn't make sense to me. It is incomprehensable. The concept of God doesn't make sense. None of my logic says - if this, then God. I just can't come to this conclusion, ever.

Miracles. They say it was miraculous that more people didn't die during Hurricane Rita. Why is it miraculous? If that is so miraculous, then what do they say about all the people who did die due to Katrina? They attribute that to nature or evil.

Why is it the positive is attributed to God and the negative to evil.

Isn't god the creator of all?

So, why do I beat myself up so hard with this question - constantly questioning my belief or lack thereof? I can barely contain myself talking to people about this issue. When I ask pointed questions - deep questions, most average people can't answer them. I don't claim to be some deep thinker - i can barely put together a cogent paragraph sometimes or keep my thoughts straight - but this isn't my psych session.

So - as I was saying - this whole question comes down to this: Abandoning reason. That is the way I figure it. But can I do that? Is that the path I want to take? It seems that reality is harsh. Death is death - the end - as my view - a simple view - called by some the easy way out. But I see it as the most logical view.

Look around you sometime. I look at the human form as I wander through the halls of work or at the grocery store - what I see is the marvelous differences in people - fat, skinny, out of proportion, sexy, ugly, insanely insatiable, average joes and joettes, you name it, we come in all shapes, sizes. What the average person would attribute this to is God and the wonder of life. I attribute it to the wonder of life and how amazing it is without the God part. Are we really that different though. I figure that life is such an impossibility - all the things in our universe point to the improbability of us coming into existence - but - the building blocks were here from the start - it just took a long time for the seeds to grow and evolve. I see evolution and the wild variations just in humans - the mind, the body, all of it. But, I don't conclude god or the god of the christian or jewish bible though. I value life above all else because I truly believe this is the one chance we have. We need to live in the here and now - not wait for some ever after that occurs after death. Unknown. Death isn't bad except for the unknown. I guess that is one big reason the masses gravitate toward the religion and the story of the afterlife - the promise of something better.

You see, I don't see this as a hell. Yes, it is tough sometimes - but we are the ones that can influence our experience on earth. I think one of the issue that hinders religion is that if people use that as an excuse to not improve in this lifetime - then it gives them a reason to procrastinate and not really make it a go this life. It is insideous. But - religion does make people do a lot of good things - but if I tell people I am a non-believer - I am looked at with disdain. Why does not believing what most people on earth believe make me some sort of deviant? Because religion also has built into it guilt, and the tendancy to label non-believers as heretics - it pre-judges people. Just because I don't believe in what I consider a fairy tale of god of the bible - doesn't mean I am any less human than a believer. Heck, the believers even call other god believers heretics if they believe in their particular brand of religion.

I don't have some grand notion that we should become non-believers - I see very clearly what the appeal of religion and god believing is.
1. Be part of a large group.
2. Never worry about the afterlife if you follow the rules and walk the walk.
3. Have that sense that god is watching out for you and helps you somehow.

It is all an illusion to me. And you know what - so what. A man/woman should not judged by his beliefs or words - but by his deeds. If he made a mistake, then he should be forgiven and allowed to make good on it if he shows he can really change - to apologize and fly straight - not forever condemned (except in heinous crimes - which there is no reason in my mind to forgive a rapist or murderer. They are screwed up and need to be locked away - the victim and families are the ones that need to do the coming to terms with it without letting it eat them alive.)

People take out selective parts of the bible to use to their current situation all the time. Do I expect a christian to be perfect - no - but don't preach to me without adhering to your beliefs. If you really are a christian - then behave like one as the bible says. If your religion says no sex before marriage, then you should live by that. if it says that you must starve yourself for days on end to get closer to god -then you should do it. Don't just take the parts you want - live it. That is what it is all about. And stop proseletizing the whole 3rd world and unsuspecting people. I know that is a major tenet - and it was a smart move by the founders - spread the word - increase your flocks.

I don't have a message to preach. Live and let live. But, do unto others...

So what is so different between me and the average religious person?

now here or no where 6:31 PM | (0) comments |

Catholic News and Views

Monday, September 26, 2005

Catholic News and Views

Catholic News and Views: "Americans, believers or no, at this point are holding their breath and whispering a prayer for the people trying to evacuate the Texas and Louisianna coasts. 'How could God do this to us again?' I've heard people ask, even very religious people. Scientists are explaining to us the cycle of these more violent weather systems, and the factors that come together to make them happen. There seems to be a satisfactory enough explanation on a natural level that is that it doesn't seem necessary to blame God. Rather, we have the promise from God himself that no matter what befalls us from the powers of nature, he will be working through it nevertheless for our salvation. In other words, God's love is reliable because the storm is not stronger than God. Regardless of what category the Hurricane hits land as, God will work simultaneously in each person's life to bring good out of the evil. And in this case, I believe that God will be working simultaneously in and through each Americans' life to bring about some unexpected good for our country. It may not be more money, pleasure, or success. Those aren't things God considers very important. But it will be something on the lines of a greater awareness of the needs of each other, a more serious commitment to justice for the poor in our cities, a willingness to change our lifestyle because we see and know the people now who are in desperate need. They are in our house. God also will be working miracles that we'll find out about after. I was e-mailed this from a friend who is a Sacred Heart Brother: Sacred Heart Brothers, students survive hurricane in Mississippi By Larry Wahl Catholic News Service MOBILE, Ala. (CNS) -- One hundred fifty men,...."


Sooooo. I notice here that there is a selectiveness of what people attribute to god and what they don't. Nature, hurricane - that isn't god. It is nature. But, the "miracles" - those people who were lucky enough to survive in some odd way is the work of god. But, all those who died or were maimed or have nowhere to go now - why are those not also "non-miracles" of god's work?

I know - lessons can be learned from these things - that there are more important things in life than what Paris Hilton is up to or who she is screwing (or not screwing) - but I will repeat again: If god is responsible for saving a life, then he is also responsible for letting someone die.

Oh, that's right - the afterlife - I keep forgetting. Death isn't bad - it is moving on - as long as you are right with God/Jesus etc. before you die.

Get rid of all of it - attribute this to natural forces - no "saving" of life by supernatural means - it just happens - and it all makes sense. To claim one side and not the other - or to claim that it is God's plan - and we can't question it is just plain human rationalization.

now here or no where 6:57 PM | (0) comments |

Suffering

Sunday, September 25, 2005

Suffering

I am currently reading : "Making Sense Out of Suffering " - after having a really long deep conversation with my sister about the effects of Hurricane Katrina and more specifically about the whole idea of suffering and what purpose, if any, that it serves. I proffered my usual tack that this event offers yet more proof to my belief that god does not exist. My reasoning is that if he did, and he is as he is described by christians as all knowing and all good and all powerful, that he would not allow such events to occur.

My sense says that these things happen just because they do. It is just weather acting as impersonal as always - not victimizing anyone for a reason, but just randomly playing out its perpetual cycle. To me this makes much more sense than the whole god, evil vs. good etc. I don't blame god for my ills as I don't think about it that way - if we are just bundles of carbon units just created out of the nothingness of space to congeal to this imperfect being we are today, that sounds much more plausible than some creator having a hand in something so imperfect. It just makes sense that we have grown to where we are.

I do get the whole idea of learning from adversity and without the bad, how could we tell what is good and more importantly, appreciate it. We can learn from things that really pull us down indeed. But, why does the other side have to be supernatural?

Anyway - the book is good so far - and I will reserve judgment and review till I get all the way through it.

now here or no where 9:58 PM | (0) comments |

Pledge Unconstitutional

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Pledge Unconstitutional

Bloomberg.com: U.S.: "Pledge Unconstitutional at Public Schools, Judge Says (Update2)

Sept. 14 (Bloomberg) -- A federal judge in California said the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools is unconstitutional, in a ruling that will rekindle a debate over the use of the phrase ``under God.''"

If they just remove "under God" - the pledge would mean basically what it meant when it was written.

The Pledge of Allegiance - A Short History: "His original Pledge read as follows: 'I pledge allegiance to my Flag and (to*) the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.' He considered placing the word, 'equality,' in his Pledge, but knew that the state superintendents of education on his committee were against equality for women and African Americans. [ * 'to' added in October, 1892. ]" ...

"A few liberals recite a slightly revised version of Bellamy's original Pledge: 'I pledge allegiance to my Flag, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with equality, liberty and justice for all.'"

Simple, isn't it? To the point and no invocation of god or gods!

now here or no where 11:10 PM | (0) comments |

War on Nature

Friday, September 09, 2005

War on Terror is so 2001, now it's War on Nature

So..... let's think about the longer term response to this disaster. It is obvious that we need to rethink our readiness, especially for the first responders and communications - building this from scratch immediately after a storm. The question is cost. Do we have the endurance to go the long haul with this and really commit to it?

Will the government reengineer FEMA?
Will they pass a huge spending bill (not for Katrina relief, but for future disasters)?

And if they enlarge government as they did after 9/11, how will they pay for it.

Will President Bush and congress roll back those tax cuts of a few years ago?

Will they devise a realistic way to pay for all this?

Will this really do any good?

Will more government in this huge task really be effective?

OR

Will this ultimately be seen as a fluke event?

And since it is domestic and not worthy of "spreading democracy", will it get the funding it deserves?

Will this mean we rethink our spending in Iraq?

Will we bring home a lot more troops to help in the relief effort here at home?

Will this have a long term negative effect on Bush and fellow Republicans?

And will the finger pointing help democrats - or will many Americans just get fed up with the whole mess and punish both parties? Then what?

Democrats - it is time for solutions. Yes, we need to investigate this, but we need to be positive and forward thinking - not to constantly berate Bush, FEMA and all the layers that contributed to this. Mistakes were and are being made - hold people accountable - but have fresh ideas and work to solutions to better handle disasters in the future and NOW.

now here or no where 11:07 PM | (0) comments |