The Bible: Commentary and Controversy

Back to one of my previous premises. I don’t see the point of being an atheist. Or, as they are now most fashionably called, a “humanist,” for Pete’s sake. Seems like as soon as a word gets a bad rap with the group it labels, they come up with some new word to spin them in a different direction. “Afro-American” is one example. “Gay” is another.

Anyway, what do they get out of it? The only benefit I see is the freedom to do anything you want to, without feelings of remorse or guilt. Someone else have something you want? Take it. Don’t like someone? Beat ’em up. Kill ’em. Whatever. There’s no moral code except, of course, the law of the land, and that’s nowhere near uniform. I’m not a student of Sharia law, but from the little I know it seems very different from, say, the laws of the United States and, in fact, Oklahoma. But that’s another subject. The point is, you get born, you live and then you die. End of story. Pretty wretched existence, if you ask me. On the other hand, if you believe in God, heaven, nirvana, the happy hunting grounds, or whatever, at least you have something to look forward to. You also have something that gives meaning to your existence.

Imagine how the slaves would have fared if they didn’t believe in some kind of afterlife. Life was already and always so incredibly cruel and hard for many, if not most, of them I don’t believe they could have survived without the promise of a better place (Swing Low, Sweet Chariot).  How did the Chinese “coolies” survive? Or the Irish? Or any other group that was tortured and humiliated without recourse? They found their recourse in the presence of God and in the afterlife. There was another group, of course, who used some kind of God to justify criminal activity, and still another that said, in effect, “screw God. I’m going after what I want now; maybe I’ll pray later.”

I wonder if Maher (or the other “humanists”) would hang on to their belief there was no help except on earth if his son, or daughter, was diagnosed with cancer? The old saying, of course, is “there are no atheists in foxholes.” I would hope they’d have the courage to remain steadfast, and not suddenly begin seeking extra-human help. But I know from bitter experience that many would fall on their knees and pray for their child to be healed, as I did. Not that it helped; my son died, anyway. And then I, too, became a “humanist” for a time. But other events have happened since that have brought me back to strong and sincere belief. I won’t go into the details, because everyone’s beliefs are their own, and often are founded on wisps of truth that would mean nothing to someone else.

As I’ve said before, my biggest problem with the “humanists” taking God out of our schools, government offices/buildings, etc., is that they take with Him our moral code, leaving nothing in its stead. And perhaps that’s why there are so many thieves, liars, perverts, sexual deviants, and other unsavory people in positions of power in our local and national government, and in our corporations. If there’s nothing in heaven to guide us, there’s nothing on earth to stop us.

I’m about through, here, but I would sincerely be interested in knowing what moral standards guide Maher’s life, and from whence they come. And I’d love to know why the ten commandments are so intrusive we don’t want to see them in public. I already know why “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” doesn’t work. If a jidahist, for example, thinks it’s appropriate to blow up a restaurant full of people, then “do unto others” doesn’t keep him from doing it. Do you follow that?

Okay, I’m through. Let me just say what I started out to say some time ago. I think Bill Maher is an arrogant, smirking, narcissist. And not just because of his liberal bumfoolery or, of course, his race. if he was a republican, or afro-american, or native american, or eskimo, I’d still think he was one.

Eldridge Hubbard once told us to “Pray like there is no help on earth, and work like there is no help in heaven.” That seems to me  a pretty sound life philosophy.