.
A 4-year-old boy was asked to return thanks before a big dinner. The family members bowed their heads in expectation. He began his prayer, thanking God for all his friends, naming them one by one. Then he thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, brother, sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all his aunts and uncles. Then he began to thank God for the food. He gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, the cakes, even the Cool Whip.
Then he paused, and everyone waited--and waited. After a long silence, the young fellow looked up at his mother and asked, "If I thank God for the broccoli, won't he know that I'm lying?"
This reminds me of Pascal's wager where it is intimated that it is better to believe God exists just in case he does. Of course, an all-knowing God, as implied by the boy in the joke, would know that that was your tactic and you would be off to hell for not being a true believer or at least you wouldn't be allowed into the kingdom of heaven.
It is my belief that families that say grace fare not better in life's allotment of good and bad than do families that don't engage in the ritual.
Has anyone done such a study? Would it be worthwhile?
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Sunday, September 07, 2008
God exists...
.
.
...in the same sense that Mickey Mouse, Superman, Santa Claus and the tooth fairy do.
In fact I prefer those four. The first two are entertaining. The latter two bring you things.
What has God done for me lately?
Over to you G.
Hello?
A reporter is in Israel reporting on the conflict there. She decides to
seek out a *human interest* story. She hears about an old man who has been
praying at the Wailing Wall as long as anyone can remember. Every day he is
there, praying. So she seeks him out and finds him at the Wall. She begins
to interview him:
"Sir, how long have you been coming to pray here at the Wall?"
"Madam," he replies, "I have been coming here every day for the past 50
years, to pray."
"And what do you pray for?"
"Madam, I pray for peace in our land, that the children of Jews and the
Children of Arabs can grow up in peace and harmony."
"That's wonderful," she replies. "And how do feel after coming here to the
Wailing Wall for 50 years?"
"Madam," he says, "I feel as if I'm talking to a wall!"
.
...in the same sense that Mickey Mouse, Superman, Santa Claus and the tooth fairy do.
In fact I prefer those four. The first two are entertaining. The latter two bring you things.
What has God done for me lately?
Over to you G.
Hello?
A reporter is in Israel reporting on the conflict there. She decides to
seek out a *human interest* story. She hears about an old man who has been
praying at the Wailing Wall as long as anyone can remember. Every day he is
there, praying. So she seeks him out and finds him at the Wall. She begins
to interview him:
"Sir, how long have you been coming to pray here at the Wall?"
"Madam," he replies, "I have been coming here every day for the past 50
years, to pray."
"And what do you pray for?"
"Madam, I pray for peace in our land, that the children of Jews and the
Children of Arabs can grow up in peace and harmony."
"That's wonderful," she replies. "And how do feel after coming here to the
Wailing Wall for 50 years?"
"Madam," he says, "I feel as if I'm talking to a wall!"
Where was God?
.
I received an e-mail with the following prayer
Dear God, I pray for the cure of cancer. Amen.
To forward it on to show I care
Pass it on again and again.
This struck me as a little odd
Who created cancer if not God?
To benevolence he is a traitor.
Another free ride for the creator?
He could deliver many cures as presents
His lack of action denies his essence.
He creates existence and then fatal disease
To gain our worship, Oh come now, please!
We can do much better with the generation
Of the products of our fertile imagination!
Superman arrives to prevent a plane crash
Then saves Lois with a speeding bullet dash.
We cheer him on, he is a hero
On the bench, a godly zero.
He was active in ancient times
Now he allows the commission of crimes.
He could assist and receive our praise,
But we see no plan, no action, no plays.
Most conspicuous by his absence
His non-existence does make sense.
.
I received an e-mail with the following prayer
Dear God, I pray for the cure of cancer. Amen.
To forward it on to show I care
Pass it on again and again.
This struck me as a little odd
Who created cancer if not God?
To benevolence he is a traitor.
Another free ride for the creator?
He could deliver many cures as presents
His lack of action denies his essence.
He creates existence and then fatal disease
To gain our worship, Oh come now, please!
We can do much better with the generation
Of the products of our fertile imagination!
Superman arrives to prevent a plane crash
Then saves Lois with a speeding bullet dash.
We cheer him on, he is a hero
On the bench, a godly zero.
He was active in ancient times
Now he allows the commission of crimes.
He could assist and receive our praise,
But we see no plan, no action, no plays.
Most conspicuous by his absence
His non-existence does make sense.
.
Friday, September 05, 2008
Cancer Cure
I received an e-mail today with the following prayer in it.
Dear God, I pray for the cure of cancer. Amen
The recipients of the e-mail were asked to keep the e-mail circulating.
This struck me as a little odd. Who created cancer if not God? What makes the author think that God will now help us to cure cancer?
It seems to me that God has been getting a free ride on this one for a long time. If he exists and is responsible for cancer then he should be rightly condemned for it not petitioned for aid.
Humans have made great strides against cancer and will one day conquer it no thanks to the deity and the gratuitous suffering cancer has caused to millions.
He should be ashamed of himself.
However, it really looks like there is no god and that gratuitous suffering is part of life in a universe that doesn't much care that we are in it.
Dear God, I pray for the cure of cancer. Amen
The recipients of the e-mail were asked to keep the e-mail circulating.
This struck me as a little odd. Who created cancer if not God? What makes the author think that God will now help us to cure cancer?
It seems to me that God has been getting a free ride on this one for a long time. If he exists and is responsible for cancer then he should be rightly condemned for it not petitioned for aid.
Humans have made great strides against cancer and will one day conquer it no thanks to the deity and the gratuitous suffering cancer has caused to millions.
He should be ashamed of himself.
However, it really looks like there is no god and that gratuitous suffering is part of life in a universe that doesn't much care that we are in it.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Designed by God
From a circulating internet e-mail:
Why Women Are Crabby
We started to 'bud' in our blouses at 9 or 10 years old only to find that anything that came in contact with those tender, blooming buds hurt so bad it brought us to tears. So came the ridiculously uncomfortable training bra contraption that the boys in school would snap until we had calluses on our backs.
Next, we get our periods in our early to mid-teens (or sooner). Along with those budding boobs, we bloated, we cramped, we got the hormone crankies, had to wear little mattresses between our legs or insert tubular, packed cotton rods in places we didn't even know we had.
Our next little rite of passage was having sex for the first time which was about as much fun as having a ramrod push your uterus through your nostrils (IF he did it right and didn't end up with his little cart before his horse), leaving us to wonder what all the fuss was about.
Then it was off to Motherhood where we learned to live on dry crackers and water for a few months so we didn't spend the entire day leaning over Brother John . Of course, amazing creatures that we are (and we are), we learned to live with the growing little angels inside us steadily kicking our innards night and day making us wonder if we were preparing to have Rosemary's Baby.
Our once flat bellies looked like we swallowed a whole watermelon and we pee'd our pants every time we sneezed. When the big moment arrived, the dam in our blessed Nether Regions invariably burst right in the middle of the mall and we had to waddle, with our big cartoon feet, moaning in pain all the way to the ER.
Then it was huff and puff and beg to die while theOB ? says, 'Please stop screaming, Mrs. Hearmeroar Calm down and push. 'Just one more good push' (more like 10), warranting a strong, well-deserved impulse to punch the
%$#*@*#!* hubby and doctor square in the nose for making us cram a wiggling, mushroom-headed 10 pound bowling ball through a keyhole.
After that, it was time to raise those angels only to find that when all that 'cute' wears off, the beautiful little darlings morphed into walking, jabbering, wet, gooey, snot-blowing, life-sucking little poop machines.
Then come their 'Teen Years.' Need I say more?
When the kids are almost grown, we women hit our voracious sexual prime in our early 40's - while hubby had his somewhere around his 18th birthday.
So we progress into the grand finale: 'The Menopause', the Grandmother of all womanhood. It's either take HRT and chance cancer in those now seasoned 'buds' or the aforemention ed Nether Regions, or, sweat like a hog in July, wash your sheets and pillowcases daily and bite the head off anything that moves.
Now, you ask WHY women seem to be more spiteful than men, when men get off so easy, INCLUDING the icing on life's cake: Being able to pee in the woods without soaking their socks...
So, while I love being a woman, 'Womanhood' would make the Great Gandhi a tad crabby. You think women are the 'weaker sex'? Yeah right. Bite me.
And God admired woman and could see no improvements to be made and said it was good.
Design by God? Give me a break!
When human designers see problems they come out with a new improved version. God seems to have washed his hands of the matter of human improvement. We have taken it on. As we would in a universe without a creator god.
Why Women Are Crabby
We started to 'bud' in our blouses at 9 or 10 years old only to find that anything that came in contact with those tender, blooming buds hurt so bad it brought us to tears. So came the ridiculously uncomfortable training bra contraption that the boys in school would snap until we had calluses on our backs.
Next, we get our periods in our early to mid-teens (or sooner). Along with those budding boobs, we bloated, we cramped, we got the hormone crankies, had to wear little mattresses between our legs or insert tubular, packed cotton rods in places we didn't even know we had.
Our next little rite of passage was having sex for the first time which was about as much fun as having a ramrod push your uterus through your nostrils (IF he did it right and didn't end up with his little cart before his horse), leaving us to wonder what all the fuss was about.
Then it was off to Motherhood where we learned to live on dry crackers and water for a few months so we didn't spend the entire day leaning over Brother John . Of course, amazing creatures that we are (and we are), we learned to live with the growing little angels inside us steadily kicking our innards night and day making us wonder if we were preparing to have Rosemary's Baby.
Our once flat bellies looked like we swallowed a whole watermelon and we pee'd our pants every time we sneezed. When the big moment arrived, the dam in our blessed Nether Regions invariably burst right in the middle of the mall and we had to waddle, with our big cartoon feet, moaning in pain all the way to the ER.
Then it was huff and puff and beg to die while theOB ? says, 'Please stop screaming, Mrs. Hearmeroar Calm down and push. 'Just one more good push' (more like 10), warranting a strong, well-deserved impulse to punch the
%$#*@*#!* hubby and doctor square in the nose for making us cram a wiggling, mushroom-headed 10 pound bowling ball through a keyhole.
After that, it was time to raise those angels only to find that when all that 'cute' wears off, the beautiful little darlings morphed into walking, jabbering, wet, gooey, snot-blowing, life-sucking little poop machines.
Then come their 'Teen Years.' Need I say more?
When the kids are almost grown, we women hit our voracious sexual prime in our early 40's - while hubby had his somewhere around his 18th birthday.
So we progress into the grand finale: 'The Menopause', the Grandmother of all womanhood. It's either take HRT and chance cancer in those now seasoned 'buds' or the aforemention ed Nether Regions, or, sweat like a hog in July, wash your sheets and pillowcases daily and bite the head off anything that moves.
Now, you ask WHY women seem to be more spiteful than men, when men get off so easy, INCLUDING the icing on life's cake: Being able to pee in the woods without soaking their socks...
So, while I love being a woman, 'Womanhood' would make the Great Gandhi a tad crabby. You think women are the 'weaker sex'? Yeah right. Bite me.
And God admired woman and could see no improvements to be made and said it was good.
Design by God? Give me a break!
When human designers see problems they come out with a new improved version. God seems to have washed his hands of the matter of human improvement. We have taken it on. As we would in a universe without a creator god.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Looking Heavenward
The temporary Sunday School teacher was struggling to open a combination lock on the supply cabinet. She had been told the combination, but couldn't quite remember it.
She went to the pastor's study and asked for help. The pastor came into the room and began to turn the dial.
After the first two numbers he paused and stared blankly for a moment.Finally he looked serenely heavenward and his lips moved silently.
Then he looked back at the lock, and quickly turned to the final number, and opened the lock.
The teacher was amazed. "I'm in awe at your faith, pastor," she said.
"It's really nothing," he answered. "The number is on a piece of tape on the ceiling." 1
This is the 21st century and I think that most of us know deep in our hearts what the pastor in the above quip knows: there is no one up there to help.
Or as the religious would say: God helps those who help themselves.
Ergo, what need have we of God?
We found ourselves in God's country and we put in air conditioning. He provides diseases. We cure them, eventually. His country is not the most comfy place for the humans he loves. We have done better. Kind of improved on his design. We do that a lot.
It is easier to realize that he is not there than to try and make excuses to save him from irrelevance.
We act like he is not there. That is why science is effective and prayer is not.
==============================
1 - Beliefnet Daily Joke of the day
She went to the pastor's study and asked for help. The pastor came into the room and began to turn the dial.
After the first two numbers he paused and stared blankly for a moment.Finally he looked serenely heavenward and his lips moved silently.
Then he looked back at the lock, and quickly turned to the final number, and opened the lock.
The teacher was amazed. "I'm in awe at your faith, pastor," she said.
"It's really nothing," he answered. "The number is on a piece of tape on the ceiling." 1
This is the 21st century and I think that most of us know deep in our hearts what the pastor in the above quip knows: there is no one up there to help.
Or as the religious would say: God helps those who help themselves.
Ergo, what need have we of God?
We found ourselves in God's country and we put in air conditioning. He provides diseases. We cure them, eventually. His country is not the most comfy place for the humans he loves. We have done better. Kind of improved on his design. We do that a lot.
It is easier to realize that he is not there than to try and make excuses to save him from irrelevance.
We act like he is not there. That is why science is effective and prayer is not.
==============================
1 - Beliefnet Daily Joke of the day
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Fish Cancer Gene
On August 18th 2008 there was an announcement from Ohio University to the effect that female swordtails are attracted to male swordtails that have cancerous melanoma spots. These spots are dark and while the melanoma is deadly to males the females are attracted to them. (http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-08/ou-fcg081808.php)
Is God behind this state of affairs? Why would he want to preserve reproduction from fish with the melanoma gene turned on? What kind of a design is that?
It makes perfect sense in a uncaring, undirected universe but is puzzling in a universe ordered by a benevolent deity.
On the same day it was announced in the Chicago Tribune that many Americans believe that God could save a family member even if doctors say it is hopeless. Apparently, 20 per cent of medical personnel also believe this. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/sns-ap-med-god-vs-doctors,0,1888394.story)
Why would the deity play random favorites? When the relative doesn't survive is that a result of god's failure to act?
Evidently, many Americans are capable of avoiding cognitive dissonance by maintaining blurry boundaries between reality and fantasy. There are none so blind as those who will not see.
While God intervenes in hopeless cases and restores full health to some it is to be noted that he always ignores amputees. Not worthy of a full recovery I guess. Prayers don't seem to work for them either.
Perfectly logical if he is not there.
-------------------------------------
Is God behind this state of affairs? Why would he want to preserve reproduction from fish with the melanoma gene turned on? What kind of a design is that?
It makes perfect sense in a uncaring, undirected universe but is puzzling in a universe ordered by a benevolent deity.
On the same day it was announced in the Chicago Tribune that many Americans believe that God could save a family member even if doctors say it is hopeless. Apparently, 20 per cent of medical personnel also believe this. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/sns-ap-med-god-vs-doctors,0,1888394.story)
Why would the deity play random favorites? When the relative doesn't survive is that a result of god's failure to act?
Evidently, many Americans are capable of avoiding cognitive dissonance by maintaining blurry boundaries between reality and fantasy. There are none so blind as those who will not see.
While God intervenes in hopeless cases and restores full health to some it is to be noted that he always ignores amputees. Not worthy of a full recovery I guess. Prayers don't seem to work for them either.
Perfectly logical if he is not there.
-------------------------------------
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Early American Religious Opinion
Pretty strong and astute stuff from some of the founders.
Religions are all alike, founded upon fables and mythologies. Thomas Jefferson
Religious leaders will always avail themselves of public ignorance for their own purpose. Thomas Jefferson
This would be the best of all possible worlds if their were no religion in it. John Adams
Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise. James Madison
Faith is believing something you know ain't true. Mark Twain
A man is accepted into a church for what he believes and he is turned out for what he knows. Mark Twain
As people become more intelligent they care less for preachers and more for teachers. Robert Ingersoll
Of all the tyrannies that afflict mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst. Thomas Paine
The greatest miseries that have afflicted the human race have had their origin in this thing called religion. Thomas Paine
All natural institutions of churches, appear to me human inventions, setup to terrify and enslave mankind. Thomas Paine
Lighthouses are more helpful than churches. Benjamin Franklin
The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason. Benjamin Franklin
Not a founder but I throw him in anyway.
I have never seen the slightest scientific proof of the religious ideas of heaven or hell, or of a god. Thomas Edison
Religions are all alike, founded upon fables and mythologies. Thomas Jefferson
Religious leaders will always avail themselves of public ignorance for their own purpose. Thomas Jefferson
This would be the best of all possible worlds if their were no religion in it. John Adams
Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise. James Madison
Faith is believing something you know ain't true. Mark Twain
A man is accepted into a church for what he believes and he is turned out for what he knows. Mark Twain
As people become more intelligent they care less for preachers and more for teachers. Robert Ingersoll
Of all the tyrannies that afflict mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst. Thomas Paine
The greatest miseries that have afflicted the human race have had their origin in this thing called religion. Thomas Paine
All natural institutions of churches, appear to me human inventions, setup to terrify and enslave mankind. Thomas Paine
Lighthouses are more helpful than churches. Benjamin Franklin
The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason. Benjamin Franklin
Not a founder but I throw him in anyway.
I have never seen the slightest scientific proof of the religious ideas of heaven or hell, or of a god. Thomas Edison
Why Isn't It This Simple?
A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they drew. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's artwork. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.
The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."The teacher paused and said, "but no one knows what God looks like."
Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing the girl replied, "They will in a minute."
Why isn't it this simple?
Either God is made of something or he is made of nothing.
Two branches. Are there others?
If he is made of something then from whence that something?
If he is made of nothing then what are we talking about?
One branch leads to an infinite regress as we must explain the constitution of god with another god-like being who is also made of something but where did that something come from? Ad infinitum.
The other branch leads to nothing.
Either branch negates god.
Therefore can we not conclude that god is a creation of the human mind just like Santa, Superman and the Tooth Fairy?
The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."The teacher paused and said, "but no one knows what God looks like."
Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing the girl replied, "They will in a minute."
Why isn't it this simple?
Either God is made of something or he is made of nothing.
Two branches. Are there others?
If he is made of something then from whence that something?
If he is made of nothing then what are we talking about?
One branch leads to an infinite regress as we must explain the constitution of god with another god-like being who is also made of something but where did that something come from? Ad infinitum.
The other branch leads to nothing.
Either branch negates god.
Therefore can we not conclude that god is a creation of the human mind just like Santa, Superman and the Tooth Fairy?
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Pun with Monks
Religion can be fun so let's have some pun with monks. This is one of my favorites.
Lost on a rainy night, a nun stumbles across a monastery and requests shelter there. Fortunately, she's just in time for dinner and was treated to the best fish and chips she's ever had.
After dinner, she goes into the kitchen to thank the chefs.
She is met by two brothers, "Hello, I'm Brother Michael, and this is Brother Charles."
"I'm very pleased to meet you. I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful dinner. The fish and chips were the best I've ever tasted. Out of curiosity, who cooked what?"
Brother Charles replied, "Well, I'm the fish friar."
She turns the other brother and says, "Then you must be...?"
"Yes, I'm the chip monk."
Lost on a rainy night, a nun stumbles across a monastery and requests shelter there. Fortunately, she's just in time for dinner and was treated to the best fish and chips she's ever had.
After dinner, she goes into the kitchen to thank the chefs.
She is met by two brothers, "Hello, I'm Brother Michael, and this is Brother Charles."
"I'm very pleased to meet you. I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful dinner. The fish and chips were the best I've ever tasted. Out of curiosity, who cooked what?"
Brother Charles replied, "Well, I'm the fish friar."
She turns the other brother and says, "Then you must be...?"
"Yes, I'm the chip monk."
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Caterpillars
In the Toronto freebie daily 24 hours of July 15, 2008 it was reported that a lady tourist who was trekking in northeastern Peru on an organized tour in 2007 had “a freak encounter with tragic consequences”. Ten days after stepping on 5 caterpillars of the Lonomia genus she died. These caterpillars defend themselves from their perceived enemies by secreting a toxin that causes hemorrhaging in humans.
This, of course, is an example of how our universe has been fine tuned for our arrival by an intelligent and benevolent designer who loves us.
To address this bit of noxious mayhem scientists set about concocting an antivenin to counteract the effects of the toxin.
Humans realize that the world in which they find themselves is replete with unknown dangers inimical to their health and life. Life is not easy; it is precarious and can be wiped out in a flash from all manner of natural phenomena.
To say that the universe is designed for the appearance of human life is to say that the designer is a sick kid in love with booby traps. Is this done for the amusement of the creator?
Humans seek a better world than the one that was prepared for us. We do this through the investigation of our world and inventing improvements that make life more comfortable. Hence Carl Sagan's book, The Demon Haunted World, subtitle makes sense: science as a candle in the dark. We have no operating guide for the universe. We must write our own as we go along. No God is more compatible with the indifferent world we find ourselves in than any deity proffered by religion.
Would we not expect to find an uncaring environment in a world without a benevolent designer?
I forget who said it but: “the universe did not know we were coming and now that we have arrived it doesn't give a s__t. “
This, of course, is an example of how our universe has been fine tuned for our arrival by an intelligent and benevolent designer who loves us.
To address this bit of noxious mayhem scientists set about concocting an antivenin to counteract the effects of the toxin.
Humans realize that the world in which they find themselves is replete with unknown dangers inimical to their health and life. Life is not easy; it is precarious and can be wiped out in a flash from all manner of natural phenomena.
To say that the universe is designed for the appearance of human life is to say that the designer is a sick kid in love with booby traps. Is this done for the amusement of the creator?
Humans seek a better world than the one that was prepared for us. We do this through the investigation of our world and inventing improvements that make life more comfortable. Hence Carl Sagan's book, The Demon Haunted World, subtitle makes sense: science as a candle in the dark. We have no operating guide for the universe. We must write our own as we go along. No God is more compatible with the indifferent world we find ourselves in than any deity proffered by religion.
Would we not expect to find an uncaring environment in a world without a benevolent designer?
I forget who said it but: “the universe did not know we were coming and now that we have arrived it doesn't give a s__t. “
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Not Easily Answered
Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher who lived between 341 and 270 BCE. He is credited with the following statement of the problem of evil.
From Wikipedia
Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to. If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked. If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?" — Epicurus, as quoted in 2000 Years of Disbelief
From David Hume crediting Epicurus in his Dialogues concerning Natural Religion:
"Is [God] willing to prevent evil, but not able? then is he impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then is he malevolent. Is he both able and willing? whence then is evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?"
As follows, a more formal presentation of the argument can be found in Wikipedia:
Logical problem of evil
1. God exists. (premise)
2. God is omnipotent and omniscient. (premise — or true by definition of the word "God")
3. God is all-benevolent. (premise — or true by definition)
4. All-benevolent beings are opposed to all evil. (premise — or true by definition)
5. All-benevolent beings who can eliminate evil will do so immediately when they become aware of it. (premise)
6. God is opposed to all evil. (conclusion from 3 and 4)
7. God can eliminate evil completely and immediately. (conclusion from 2)
1. Whatever the end result of suffering is, God can bring it about by ways that do not include suffering. (conclusion from 2)
2. God has no reason not to eliminate evil. (conclusion from 7.1)
3. God has no reason not to act immediately. (conclusion from 5)
8. God will eliminate evil completely and immediately. (conclusion from 6, 7.2 and 7.3)
9. Evil exists, has existed, and probably will always exist. (premise)
10. Items 8 and 9 are contradictory; therefore, one or more of the premises is false: either God does not exist, evil does not exist, God is not simultaneously omnipotent, omniscient and all-benevolent, or all-benevolent beings who can eliminate evil will not necessarily do so immediately when they become aware of it.
Of the options in 10 which is most likely?
The problem of evil calls into question the very definition of the word God that most of us were brought up to accept. That God cannot exist. So what definition should we now employ?
The field is open.
If we take up the challenge aren't we engaging in make believe?
From Wikipedia
Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to. If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked. If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?" — Epicurus, as quoted in 2000 Years of Disbelief
From David Hume crediting Epicurus in his Dialogues concerning Natural Religion:
"Is [God] willing to prevent evil, but not able? then is he impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then is he malevolent. Is he both able and willing? whence then is evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?"
As follows, a more formal presentation of the argument can be found in Wikipedia:
Logical problem of evil
1. God exists. (premise)
2. God is omnipotent and omniscient. (premise — or true by definition of the word "God")
3. God is all-benevolent. (premise — or true by definition)
4. All-benevolent beings are opposed to all evil. (premise — or true by definition)
5. All-benevolent beings who can eliminate evil will do so immediately when they become aware of it. (premise)
6. God is opposed to all evil. (conclusion from 3 and 4)
7. God can eliminate evil completely and immediately. (conclusion from 2)
1. Whatever the end result of suffering is, God can bring it about by ways that do not include suffering. (conclusion from 2)
2. God has no reason not to eliminate evil. (conclusion from 7.1)
3. God has no reason not to act immediately. (conclusion from 5)
8. God will eliminate evil completely and immediately. (conclusion from 6, 7.2 and 7.3)
9. Evil exists, has existed, and probably will always exist. (premise)
10. Items 8 and 9 are contradictory; therefore, one or more of the premises is false: either God does not exist, evil does not exist, God is not simultaneously omnipotent, omniscient and all-benevolent, or all-benevolent beings who can eliminate evil will not necessarily do so immediately when they become aware of it.
Of the options in 10 which is most likely?
The problem of evil calls into question the very definition of the word God that most of us were brought up to accept. That God cannot exist. So what definition should we now employ?
The field is open.
If we take up the challenge aren't we engaging in make believe?
Monday, July 14, 2008
How to prove the universe is eternal.
....................................................................................................
Either God is composed of something or God is composed of nothing.
If God is composed of something then what is that something and where did it come from?
If God is composed of nothing then what are we talking about?
God is often described in nots: not material, not physical, not visible, not natural, not perceivable, not comprehensible and not mortal. Amen! It appears that God is not much of anything and yet he/she/it is also described as perfect, omnipotent, omniscient, omni-benevolent, omni-present creator of the universe. How nothing can possess these latter characteristics and perform these great feats is no longer a mystery. Fictional characters can be anything we want. They don't even have to make sense.
Facetiously, a conclusion to the foregoing can be drawn: if God is nothing then nothing created the universe which would imply that the universe is eternal.
Perhaps in the matter of deities a Delos McKown quote is appropriate: the invisible and the non-existent look very much alike.
Either God is composed of something or God is composed of nothing.
If God is composed of something then what is that something and where did it come from?
If God is composed of nothing then what are we talking about?
God is often described in nots: not material, not physical, not visible, not natural, not perceivable, not comprehensible and not mortal. Amen! It appears that God is not much of anything and yet he/she/it is also described as perfect, omnipotent, omniscient, omni-benevolent, omni-present creator of the universe. How nothing can possess these latter characteristics and perform these great feats is no longer a mystery. Fictional characters can be anything we want. They don't even have to make sense.
Facetiously, a conclusion to the foregoing can be drawn: if God is nothing then nothing created the universe which would imply that the universe is eternal.
Perhaps in the matter of deities a Delos McKown quote is appropriate: the invisible and the non-existent look very much alike.
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Left Behind
On page 198 of Robert Kiyosaki’s book Retire Young, Retire Rich, the fifth in the Rich Dad Poor Dad series of financial guides, he is talking about constant growth: “Too many people are falling behind because the information in their head is ancient history or they cling to answers that were right yesterday, but wrong today.”
Too many of us prefer the comfort and security of the past to the excitement and discovery that forges the future. To maintain allegiance to the past in the face of contrary trends leaves us behind in a changing world. Humans are natural explorers. While many are content to remain on shore in sheltered surroundings there are those who need to know what lies beyond the horizon. From the African diaspora of our hominid ancestors to the launch of the Sputnik spacecraft humans have continued to expand our frontiers. We have landed spacecraft on Mars and smashed them into comets to learn more about our universe. We don’t stop. We won’t stop. Sometimes the information gathered challenges old beliefs about our world. In science, we are quick to change our view to fit the facts.
In other areas of human activity some of us reject new knowledge because it conflicts with cherished beliefs. We would rather be tied to and defend erroneous creeds rather than to admit that the considered wisdom of the past has been mistaken. It is unfortunate that the false certainty of belief has not been replaced by the attitude of the explorer. The explorer is not afraid of what will be found and accepts as a hazard of the discovery process that past learning may need to be revised in the face of fresh findings. To survive as relevant, religion must learn to toss dogma when it is confronted with conflicting evidence. We must better learn to recognize mythology.
Religion has been slow and loathe to adopt the explorers’ outlook because it is restrained by ancient books that are supposed to report the word of a venerable, omniscient god. Contrary evidence must be explained away or a new spin must be put on a patriarchal story in order to save the revered deity from a trip to oblivion. Given the deadly religious fanaticism that we are witnessing in modern times would it not be prudent for the pious to raise their heads, get off their knees and recognize the mythology contained in the books of the Lord’s favorites.
Fanatics cling to messages of righteous indignation on the part of their deity and seek to earn brownie points as they carry out his wrath against earth bound transgressors. They are misguided by the irrational hatreds of a being created to control the behaviour of members of a common tradition. This is the way WE do things and there are plenty of eager people around to police the word of god. Unfortunately, in the process of enforcement, our humanity is lost. In a rude ruse that exposes their underlying faithlessness some feared leaders encourage the young to demonstrate their loyalty to the deity by sending pieces of themselves and the enemy hurtling His way. Notice that the feared leaders do not make the same sacrifice. They prefer to joke about their success as suicide brokers, plan the next attack and recruit the next victim. Idealistic youth are happy to be the prey. The world is absurd.
Isn’t it better to banish the banshee and pay allegiance to the scientific method as a guide to human action.?When we recognize that nature creates us on a continuum of physical and mental qualities and not as morally superior/inferior beings we can begin to behave in a humane manner toward those whom NATURE has deposited on the fringes of the bell curve of human traits.
Biblical literalists are forced to defend some inane beliefs and inhumane practices. The earth is flat. Slavery is OK. Women are second class citizens. Witches should be burned at the stake. The earth is the center of the universe. The sun goes around the earth. Homosexuality is an abomination.
People who believe(d) those things are being left behind. The modern world will consider them irrelevant and pass them by. Some of those who are ignored will blow up the innocent and themselves to try to grab some attention and futilely try to stop the progress. We brake for Bible
literacy.
But, as Yoda might put it: explorers we are. Modern science presents the literalist and the not so literal theist with an additional list of conundrums for her belief system. Stem cells, genetically modified food and cloning are areas of study that spring to mind. What would a god say about those? We have the internet, PDAs, cell phones and MP3 players. We have no time for ancient mythology. Modern superheroes like Superman, Batman, Spiderman and Laura Croft are more exciting. At least they arrive in the nick of time once in a while. When we would like God to show up He always seems to be on vacation...
Women demand equal rights, gays follow suit. Harry Potter books sell millions of copies. It is a nightmare for theists. They can barely keep up. The reinterpretations fly around the internet. Fundamentalists put their foot down and say Stop! Liberal theologians continually redefine their god to accept what is perceived to be the humane thing to do. It is practical to have such a malleable deity. What He really meant was...
How does a theist deal with a putty god that can change His nature to suit the contemporary challenge of the moment? Homosexuals are abominable. Well, maybe they aren’t so bad after all. After all, God did create the mechanism for their creation. Why does God need homosexuals?
This question seems inappropriate so perhaps a better inference is that there is no god and that evolution produces that bell curve of human traits that land some people in the homosexual category just as some other people land in the males with breasts category. Nature is not neat; the human family is diverse.
Re-read paragraph one.
Contrary to Timothy LeHaye it is not the wrong believer who will be left behind with the advent of the rapture; it is the disciple who will be left behind with the progress of human civilisation. Modern ideas will rupture the rapture and good-bye we won’t wave.
Too many of us prefer the comfort and security of the past to the excitement and discovery that forges the future. To maintain allegiance to the past in the face of contrary trends leaves us behind in a changing world. Humans are natural explorers. While many are content to remain on shore in sheltered surroundings there are those who need to know what lies beyond the horizon. From the African diaspora of our hominid ancestors to the launch of the Sputnik spacecraft humans have continued to expand our frontiers. We have landed spacecraft on Mars and smashed them into comets to learn more about our universe. We don’t stop. We won’t stop. Sometimes the information gathered challenges old beliefs about our world. In science, we are quick to change our view to fit the facts.
In other areas of human activity some of us reject new knowledge because it conflicts with cherished beliefs. We would rather be tied to and defend erroneous creeds rather than to admit that the considered wisdom of the past has been mistaken. It is unfortunate that the false certainty of belief has not been replaced by the attitude of the explorer. The explorer is not afraid of what will be found and accepts as a hazard of the discovery process that past learning may need to be revised in the face of fresh findings. To survive as relevant, religion must learn to toss dogma when it is confronted with conflicting evidence. We must better learn to recognize mythology.
Religion has been slow and loathe to adopt the explorers’ outlook because it is restrained by ancient books that are supposed to report the word of a venerable, omniscient god. Contrary evidence must be explained away or a new spin must be put on a patriarchal story in order to save the revered deity from a trip to oblivion. Given the deadly religious fanaticism that we are witnessing in modern times would it not be prudent for the pious to raise their heads, get off their knees and recognize the mythology contained in the books of the Lord’s favorites.
Fanatics cling to messages of righteous indignation on the part of their deity and seek to earn brownie points as they carry out his wrath against earth bound transgressors. They are misguided by the irrational hatreds of a being created to control the behaviour of members of a common tradition. This is the way WE do things and there are plenty of eager people around to police the word of god. Unfortunately, in the process of enforcement, our humanity is lost. In a rude ruse that exposes their underlying faithlessness some feared leaders encourage the young to demonstrate their loyalty to the deity by sending pieces of themselves and the enemy hurtling His way. Notice that the feared leaders do not make the same sacrifice. They prefer to joke about their success as suicide brokers, plan the next attack and recruit the next victim. Idealistic youth are happy to be the prey. The world is absurd.
Isn’t it better to banish the banshee and pay allegiance to the scientific method as a guide to human action.?When we recognize that nature creates us on a continuum of physical and mental qualities and not as morally superior/inferior beings we can begin to behave in a humane manner toward those whom NATURE has deposited on the fringes of the bell curve of human traits.
Biblical literalists are forced to defend some inane beliefs and inhumane practices. The earth is flat. Slavery is OK. Women are second class citizens. Witches should be burned at the stake. The earth is the center of the universe. The sun goes around the earth. Homosexuality is an abomination.
People who believe(d) those things are being left behind. The modern world will consider them irrelevant and pass them by. Some of those who are ignored will blow up the innocent and themselves to try to grab some attention and futilely try to stop the progress. We brake for Bible
literacy.
But, as Yoda might put it: explorers we are. Modern science presents the literalist and the not so literal theist with an additional list of conundrums for her belief system. Stem cells, genetically modified food and cloning are areas of study that spring to mind. What would a god say about those? We have the internet, PDAs, cell phones and MP3 players. We have no time for ancient mythology. Modern superheroes like Superman, Batman, Spiderman and Laura Croft are more exciting. At least they arrive in the nick of time once in a while. When we would like God to show up He always seems to be on vacation...
Women demand equal rights, gays follow suit. Harry Potter books sell millions of copies. It is a nightmare for theists. They can barely keep up. The reinterpretations fly around the internet. Fundamentalists put their foot down and say Stop! Liberal theologians continually redefine their god to accept what is perceived to be the humane thing to do. It is practical to have such a malleable deity. What He really meant was...
How does a theist deal with a putty god that can change His nature to suit the contemporary challenge of the moment? Homosexuals are abominable. Well, maybe they aren’t so bad after all. After all, God did create the mechanism for their creation. Why does God need homosexuals?
This question seems inappropriate so perhaps a better inference is that there is no god and that evolution produces that bell curve of human traits that land some people in the homosexual category just as some other people land in the males with breasts category. Nature is not neat; the human family is diverse.
Re-read paragraph one.
Contrary to Timothy LeHaye it is not the wrong believer who will be left behind with the advent of the rapture; it is the disciple who will be left behind with the progress of human civilisation. Modern ideas will rupture the rapture and good-bye we won’t wave.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Endorsing Atheism
The following letter appeared in USA Today online for June 30, 2005 after the US
Supreme Court decisions regarding the display of the Ten Commandments in Texas and
Kentucky.
Displays should stand
I'm disappointed with the Supreme Court's rulings that ban the Ten Commandments from
courthouses in some circumstances ("Court to politicians: Thou shalt not promote religion," Our view, The Ten Commandments debate, Tuesday).
In popularizing the phrase "separation of church and state" in 1802, Thomas Jefferson didn't intend that social and political issues be divorced from codes of morality. He merely meant that government is prevented from establishing one church as the "official" religion.
The Ten Commandments are not the private domain of any one church. On the contrary, they are universal principles that already existed in the first democracy of ancient Greece, albeit in a primitive form, according to what the ancients called the "unwritten law."
The U.S. government would not, therefore, be endorsing one religion were it to allow the Ten Commandments to be displayed in courthouses and on public property. In fact, it would be endorsing atheism were it to outlaw the public display of the Ten Commandments. Such an endorsement of one belief system — in this case, atheism — is what the Founding Fathers were really against.
Paul Kokoski, Hamilton, Ontario
The reasoning in the above letter does not allow for a position of state neutrality on the question of religion. It tries to equate neutrality on the part of the government with the advocacy of the position opposed to that of the writer. It is if the writer is not aware of the concept of a referee who takes neither side but tries to adjudicate fairly according to the rules of the game.
Some theists would like to tilt the rules in their favor and then have the government umpire the laws. This is like declaring that the Toronto Blue Jays must score two runs for every one that the New York Yankees score before they can be declared the winner of the game. Now, play ball!
If the Swiss are neutral it means that they do not pick sides.
If the State were to endorse atheism it would mean that they would ban all forms of religion or open State proceedings with a saying that mocked God or actively take other steps to make it difficult for religious people to practise their beliefs. In a democracy, they do not nor should they.
Supreme Court decisions regarding the display of the Ten Commandments in Texas and
Kentucky.
Displays should stand
I'm disappointed with the Supreme Court's rulings that ban the Ten Commandments from
courthouses in some circumstances ("Court to politicians: Thou shalt not promote religion," Our view, The Ten Commandments debate, Tuesday).
In popularizing the phrase "separation of church and state" in 1802, Thomas Jefferson didn't intend that social and political issues be divorced from codes of morality. He merely meant that government is prevented from establishing one church as the "official" religion.
The Ten Commandments are not the private domain of any one church. On the contrary, they are universal principles that already existed in the first democracy of ancient Greece, albeit in a primitive form, according to what the ancients called the "unwritten law."
The U.S. government would not, therefore, be endorsing one religion were it to allow the Ten Commandments to be displayed in courthouses and on public property. In fact, it would be endorsing atheism were it to outlaw the public display of the Ten Commandments. Such an endorsement of one belief system — in this case, atheism — is what the Founding Fathers were really against.
Paul Kokoski, Hamilton, Ontario
The reasoning in the above letter does not allow for a position of state neutrality on the question of religion. It tries to equate neutrality on the part of the government with the advocacy of the position opposed to that of the writer. It is if the writer is not aware of the concept of a referee who takes neither side but tries to adjudicate fairly according to the rules of the game.
Some theists would like to tilt the rules in their favor and then have the government umpire the laws. This is like declaring that the Toronto Blue Jays must score two runs for every one that the New York Yankees score before they can be declared the winner of the game. Now, play ball!
If the Swiss are neutral it means that they do not pick sides.
If the State were to endorse atheism it would mean that they would ban all forms of religion or open State proceedings with a saying that mocked God or actively take other steps to make it difficult for religious people to practise their beliefs. In a democracy, they do not nor should they.
Saturday, June 25, 2005
PKU
PKU
Begun: Saturday, June 4, 2005
Wikipedia, the free online encyclopaedia, describes PKU as a human genetic disorder caused by a defective gene for the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase. If undetected this condition can impede infant brain development that leads to mental retardation. Phenylketonuria (PKU) occurs in about 1 in 15000 births.
Evolution accommodates genetic anomalies such as PKU within its well established framework. Evolution is not a perfect mechanism of replication. Disease is sometimes the product of imperfection. Human engineers would try to eliminate such foibles in their designs.
What use does a creator have for PKU? Why would a designer include a mechanism that would sometimes lead to a defective product? What would we say about a human designer who did that? Comments would not be complementary.
Is it easier to live in an undesigned universe and accept the imperfections that sometimes inconvenience or even harm us or to try to explain why the divine designer devised nefarious processes that result in damaged goods?
If we wish to maintain that there is a divine designer in our midst are we not drawn to the conclusion that He must be either clueless or a monster?
PKU is evidence for an imperfect evolution that operates without knowledge of our preferences. We are at its mercy and must act to correct the results that we do not like. If we envision a deity behind this cold mechanism of development then we spit in the face of His creation as we seek cures for His afflictions. This would not be a deity of love but a dirty devil.
Last: June 25, 2005
Begun: Saturday, June 4, 2005
Wikipedia, the free online encyclopaedia, describes PKU as a human genetic disorder caused by a defective gene for the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase. If undetected this condition can impede infant brain development that leads to mental retardation. Phenylketonuria (PKU) occurs in about 1 in 15000 births.
Evolution accommodates genetic anomalies such as PKU within its well established framework. Evolution is not a perfect mechanism of replication. Disease is sometimes the product of imperfection. Human engineers would try to eliminate such foibles in their designs.
What use does a creator have for PKU? Why would a designer include a mechanism that would sometimes lead to a defective product? What would we say about a human designer who did that? Comments would not be complementary.
Is it easier to live in an undesigned universe and accept the imperfections that sometimes inconvenience or even harm us or to try to explain why the divine designer devised nefarious processes that result in damaged goods?
If we wish to maintain that there is a divine designer in our midst are we not drawn to the conclusion that He must be either clueless or a monster?
PKU is evidence for an imperfect evolution that operates without knowledge of our preferences. We are at its mercy and must act to correct the results that we do not like. If we envision a deity behind this cold mechanism of development then we spit in the face of His creation as we seek cures for His afflictions. This would not be a deity of love but a dirty devil.
Last: June 25, 2005
Monday, February 28, 2005
February 28
A Poem in Honor of my Birthday
My birthday is a time to pause
Along life's busy way
And cherish golden memories of this aupicious day
A time to raise in gratitude
Life's overflowing cup
A time to blow your nose with this
In case you're all choked up
O happy day when I was born
Long ago on a sunny morn
The world rejoiced and the doctor said
Oops, I've dropped him on his head!
But How do I know my youth is all spent
My get up and go has got up and went
But in spite of it all I'm able to grin
And think of the places my get up has been.
My birthday is a time to pause
Along life's busy way
And cherish golden memories of this aupicious day
A time to raise in gratitude
Life's overflowing cup
A time to blow your nose with this
In case you're all choked up
O happy day when I was born
Long ago on a sunny morn
The world rejoiced and the doctor said
Oops, I've dropped him on his head!
But How do I know my youth is all spent
My get up and go has got up and went
But in spite of it all I'm able to grin
And think of the places my get up has been.
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Cave Raves
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Sixty per cent of eligible voters turned out for the Iraqi election. These people spit in the face of those who tried to disrupt the expression of the will of the people. Despite threats of voter deaths and despite deadly incidents on election day most Iraqis understood the importance of the freedom that was being offered to them on January 30, 2005.
Osama Bin Laden and others like him urged the Iraqi people to boycott the election. The insurgents want to dictate how Iraqis will live rather than allow each citizen of Iraq to have a say in that decision. Suitably, Osama delivers his raves from caves. Caves were an ancient and primitive home for humans. Coercion, as a tool of dictators, is a primitive and abhorred method of rule. Osama and his ilk desire to return to more primitive times with themselves at the top of the power pyramid. Their bloody quest is futile because democracy is a more powerful and desirable form of government. This was demonstrated again on January 30, 2005 in Iraq. Listen to the comments of the voters as they left the polling stations. Each voter dipped a finger in ink to prevent double voting. The ink on their fingers became a badge of honour among voters. It was a time of celebration.
May the primitive ideas of Osama Bin Laden be buried in the caves from which he raves.
Sixty per cent of eligible voters turned out for the Iraqi election. These people spit in the face of those who tried to disrupt the expression of the will of the people. Despite threats of voter deaths and despite deadly incidents on election day most Iraqis understood the importance of the freedom that was being offered to them on January 30, 2005.
Osama Bin Laden and others like him urged the Iraqi people to boycott the election. The insurgents want to dictate how Iraqis will live rather than allow each citizen of Iraq to have a say in that decision. Suitably, Osama delivers his raves from caves. Caves were an ancient and primitive home for humans. Coercion, as a tool of dictators, is a primitive and abhorred method of rule. Osama and his ilk desire to return to more primitive times with themselves at the top of the power pyramid. Their bloody quest is futile because democracy is a more powerful and desirable form of government. This was demonstrated again on January 30, 2005 in Iraq. Listen to the comments of the voters as they left the polling stations. Each voter dipped a finger in ink to prevent double voting. The ink on their fingers became a badge of honour among voters. It was a time of celebration.
May the primitive ideas of Osama Bin Laden be buried in the caves from which he raves.
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Why didn’t Noah swat those two mosquitoes?
The title provides a chuckle and makes you wonder how the members of Noah’s family
managed to restrain the natural reaction to a mosquito bite. Swat! Slap! Take that! Did the
female mosquito not eat for the duration of the voyage on the Ark?
Isn’t there a deeper philosophical point to the humour in the title? The story (aka Bible)
asks us to suspend our critical faculties and believe that it was possible for someone to build an
ark ample enough to contain two (Gen. 6:19) or was it seven (Gen 7:2) of every kind of animal
extant on the planet at that time. Who rounded them up? Who travelled to Australia and the
Americas to fetch the native animals who lived in the far reaches of the world? How long did it
take? Did Noah provide food for all the animals? Some of the animals are food for some of the
others. Perhaps this is why God changed His mind and told Noah to take seven of each creature.
Where did Noah store their excrement? Noah and his family (Gen. 7:11-13) must have been kept very busy
feeding and cleaning up after many of the animals as well as sailing the Ark.
The amusement in the title exposes the absurdity of the story and thereby the imaginary
nature of this Biblical offering. It calls into question the accuracy of the Word of God and
suggests a different genre for the supernatural stories in scriptural pages: mythology.
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Same Sex Marriage
On December 9, 2004, the Supreme Court of Canada released its decision concerning same sex marriage. The court ruled that the Federal Government has the right to change the definition og marriage to be more inclusive because of the changing times that we live in.
Regardless of the reasons that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same sex marriage Canadians can be proud that once again human rights have trumped archaic religious beliefs. Our government will now introduce legislation to change the definition of marriage to be more inclusive while protecting the rights of religious denominations to follow their beliefs and not be forced to perform gay or lesbian marriages.
Gay people can now stay within their chosen relligion and work from within to change attitudes that are not respectful of their lefestyle or they can switch to a denomination that can change with the times.
The superstitious ideas of our ancestors should not be an inviolable guide to human behaviour. Their God is not our God. The definition of God has been altered many times in the past to allow us to become more tolerant of human beings who fell into disrepute with the biblical deity. We no longer burn witches, stone women who become pregnant out of wedlock, permit slavery, or continue to see women as second class citizens. While there are are still bastions of repression within the relgious community, birth control is seen as a boon to humankind not a transgression against God's will. Many of us prefer to believe in a more humane God than that presented in the Bible.
And usually, people are way ahead of both the Bibilical God and their government when it comes to tolerance and compassion for the peaceful differences of others. Modern day humans are more humane than the Biblical God and prefer to believe in a God who reflects these values. We make God in our image. As we recognize human rights so does our God. As we act to rectify past injustices contemporary God approves.
To save God we must change Him.
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