Absurdity?

In Washington DC a "humanist" group (atheists) have spent $40,000 placing ads on metro buses and elsewhere that simply say, "Why Believe In A God". They purposely chose to do this in the Christmas season, in a blatant attempt to attack Christianity once again. And the onslaught continues...

Let me start by saying I really do not care if someone chooses to be an atheist. I see that as being their problem, not mine. They are free to choose their own direction, which, as you may recall, is also the same position I have on the gay lifestyle. To each his own, and more power to them. We will all answer for our choices someday.

But I do object when anyone - gays, atheists, agnostics, democrats, liberals - anyone - chooses to belittle, insult, denigrate or otherwise complain about MY choice of direction. They need to give me the same courtesy and respect that I give them.

To reply to that humanist group's question, I would simply say this: if I were an atheist, and it turns out there is a God, I would lose BIG time! And if there is NO god, I would not gain a thing. So, as an atheist, I simply could not win, and I would have zero chance at a bright eternity. On the other hand, if I believe in God, and it turns out there IS a God, I WIN - big time. And if there is no God, I have not lost a thing. So, as a believer, I simply cannot lose.

It occurs to me that it is much smarter to choose a position in which I cannot lose, as opposed to a position in which I cannot win. Not being a complete dunce, my choice is rather apparent.

No, that is not WHY I believe in God. But it does answer the question those humanist clowns posed - it simply makes more sense to believe than to not believe. As the story about that ad wore on, some folks supported their position of non-belief with the tired expanation that religion damages society, and religion has caused many atrocities. They simply do not understand that religion can "do" nothing. PEOPLE do things. Religions are not "bad" just because some people use and abuse them to serve their own agendas. That is not the fault of religion - it is the failing of Man.

They also fail to realize that, without religion, we are no better than animals. It is religion, alone, that provides society with boundaries of right and wrong, good and evil. It is those boundaries that determine the laws we live by. Without those boundaries, and devoid of laws, we would live as animals. There would be no knowledge of "right and wrong". That is what the Garden of Eden was all about. That was the point at which Man stopped being "just another animal" and "bit of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil". That is where we came to understand the difference between right and wrong. And that occured because - and only because - "Adam" and "Eve" knew God. Personally, it would appear. Note that they "talked" with God long before they ate the proverbial "apple". Religion already existed, and societal rules began.

Christmas time is upon us. And in a way, those humanists make a point, albeit in a backward fashion. Rather than asking ourselves "Why believe", we should ask ourselves, "Why Not?" And amid all the festivities and commercialism, we would do well to take some time to remember the reason for the season. And we should carry that reason with us throughout the year. If you celebrate Christmas only one day a year, you are missing a lot - and you are missing the whole point.

I feel sorry for those who do not believe in a greater power. After all, there are insects. And there is a greater power than them - the birds, animals etc. And there is a greater power than the birds and animals - Mankind. So it seems only reasonable that there is something even greater than ourselves. Remember the old adage, "No matter how big you are, there's always someone bigger?" For gunslingers, there was always "someone faster." I think the same is true with ourselves - there is something greater. Why wouldn't there be? The universe is incredibly vast, with wonders we cannot even comprehend. How can any person think that something as miniscule and imperfect as a human being is the greatest power in the universe? We can't even SEE the end of the universe, or understand it. So how can we possibly be the greatest power, or the most formidable intellect?

If you ask me, believing in Man's omnipotence in this universe is far more absurd than believing in a greater power. So, when an atheist says to me, "Believing in an invisible, all-powerful being is absurd", I point out the absurdity of believing there is not something far greater than we can imagine.

One such non-theist even threw that old riddle at me, to prove there was no God. "Can God create a stone that is too heavy for Him to lift?" He went on with, "No matter what you answer, there is something your all-powerful God cannot do."

I smiled. And then I explained that he lived in a very small world where things are black and white. And I went on to say, "Yes, God can create a stone He cannot lift, because he can create anything. And THEN, after He creates such a stone, He can give himself the strength to lift it, anyway. Because He can do anything."

If the person reading this is an atheist, please understand that I am not trying to belittle your beliefs, nor am I disrespecting your choice. I am simply presenting my side of the debate, and I can only hope that you will not simply dismiss it summarily. Instead, give it some intelligent thought. Consider possibilities that reach beyond that which can be analyzed. There is far, far more to this thing we call "life" that cannot be seen by the eye (air, conscience), nor touched (happiness, or grief), nor even understood (black holes, the human brain).

If you can accept that, then you have already accepted the possibility of a greater power.

Happy Holidays, folks!
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