Kermittheagnostic's Weblog

I was visited…

QuestionAll — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 05:53:15 +0000

…by a very nice couple on Christmas Eve. I had stepped outside in the front of my house to begin smoking some Salmon as I enjoy doing from time to time in our peaceful middle-income neighborhood. We are not religious but celebrate Christmas in a spirit of gift-giving and family togetherness. There is no Christ in our Christmas.

The couple walked up and greeted me warmly. They gave me a pamphlet about the end of the world. I was struck at how nice and happy they were considering the news they were handing me. They were middle-aged and well dressed. The woman asked me if I noticed the terrible events happening across the globe. They mentioned earthquakes and tsunami’s, tornadoes and hurricanes, crime and violence. I said I had noticed.

Then there was an excitement that came over them as they opened the Bible to show me exactly how this was proof of the prophecy written there. Jesus was about to return; what a wonderful time to be alive and witnessing these events.

I asked them why they focused on the negative so much? I told them that things are better than ever – life expectancies are WAY up from what they were even 50 years ago and crime has actually gone down and that while, yes, there are many, many problems we are only more aware of the bad because it happens so infrequently and also because we are good at reporting it.

They seemed a bit surprised at my response. It seems most people agree with them on how bad the world was getting. I couldn’t help but feel like I was giving them the “good news.”

How can it be that such nice people go around to point out and celebrate misery?

If Jesus rose from the dead why didn’t he stick around longer?

QuestionAll — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 20:38:32 +0000

I mean, why rise if all he was going to do was assend to heaven?? Why not stick around a little and show more people??

Why does America succeed and flourish so well?

QuestionAll — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:48:35 +0000

The answer is simple; The Separation of Church and State!

Is it not the case that if Christianity and the Bible were correct America would be a terrible place to live? We do not follow the 10 commandments. Does this not anger God?

Please save me!

QuestionAll — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:29:16 +0000

I want to believe but no one has been able to make a sound enough case for believing in their religion.

Can you?

Is it wise to believe something that is unprovable???

QuestionAll — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 22:18:02 +0000

If it is the case that a statement is not provable then is it OK to place your faith in the truth of it?

For example; If I state that there is a purple dragon that lives in the center of the sun whom we cannot detect and, therefore, cannot prove exists is it any value to believe in it?

What to tell a child…

QuestionAll — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:19:50 +0000

It’s just that to me religion is a direct result of the society you grew up in. If you are Chinese you are Buddhist if are American you are Christian. The fact that there are so many religions means that we have no way of knowing that there is one ‘true’ religion. You simply have no way of knowing you picked the right one.

I saw in you the struggle I have had about what to tell a child when you are not a believer. I think telling them exactly what you think is the best thing to do. Don’t make up some story. Don’t tell them everything is fine. Tell them you don’t know and that you wish you did. Tell them you are afraid of death. But don’t tell them that means nothing happens when you die. There are SO many possibilities when you die. That is what is so cool about life and science. Reality is a strange and wonderful thing. Study it! Every day you should wake up and think, “Holy crap! I am alive! I can laugh and joke and make the world a better place for the future!” That is the cool reality we live in! Rejoice in the excitement of not knowing what is ahead over the horizon! Inspire in your child the excitement about what it is all about. Maybe he can figure it out?!! It is an excitement like a child has when they are about to open a present. Nervous, spectacular surprise and enjoyment when the packaging comes off! Ask them what they think. Learn from them! You will do your child a world of good if you give them this sense of wonderment about it all.

Why is your religion the ‘true’ religion?

QuestionAll — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:55:21 +0000

For most people religion is a direct result of the society they grew up in. If you are Chinese you are most likely Buddhist if are American you are most likely Christian. The fact that there are so many religions proves that there is no single one that is the ‘true’ religion.

So, how can you know you picked the right one?