Wednesday, November 19, 2008

"Just be good for goodness' sake!"


"Why believe in a god?

Just be good for goodness' sake."


That's what the new ad campaign set to run in our nation's capitol is proclaiming. It is sponsored by the American Humanist Association. So who are these people? Here is what it says on the why believe in a god website,



"Many people imagine that the only way to be good in this world is through
belief in a god. But is that really necessary? Must we be bound by moral
dictates set down in “sacred” texts written hundreds, if not thousands of years
ago? Must we accept the authority and judgments of “spiritual” leaders and
religious hierarchy? Does religious faith offer the only lens through which to
judge life’s events?
The answer to these questions is no! There is another
way for us to approach life. We can have ethics and values that aren't set in
stone. Our ideals and principles can evolve over time to reflect our
ever-changing and increasingly complex world. Yet, we can be confident of the
decisions that we make, not because someone told us what to do but because we
relied on our own careful reasoning and emotional reflection. We can live a life
that accepts and appreciates the world as it is, without needing to see
supernatural explanations behind every event. This is a positive and uplifting
way to live.
This way of life is called humanism. Humanists use reason and
the tools of science to better understand our world and the best way to live in
it. Humanists understand that compassion for fellow human beings, as well as an
acknowledgement of their inherent dignity and worth, must form the basis of our
interactions with each other. Humanists are free of belief in any god or
afterlife. We must make the best of this one life that we have. "

There is so much in this that does not make very good sense to me.

"We can have ethics and values that aren't set in stone. Our ideals and
principles can evolve over time to reflect our ever-changing and increasingly
complex world."


So, this must mean that there is nothing that is constant. We can change our minds as to what is right or wrong depending on whatever is happening in the world and what our moods are. Are there are no absolutes? Is there nothing that is black and white? Is right and wrong based on the current scientific theories which change almost daily? I don't agree. There have to be absolutes. Our morals should not change with the breeze. I believe that there is a constant. That constant is God and His creation.

I guess I am NOT a humanist because as I read this, these verses came to mind:


The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their
deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. Psalm
14:1


How great are your works, O LORD, how profound your
thoughts!
The senseless man does not know, fools do not
understand, Psalm
92:6


As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher
than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah
55:9



Of course, these verses are from the bible; therefore, any good humanist would discount them. As for me, I do not understand how you can look at the natural world that surrounds us and not believe that there is a God. The intricacies of nature could not have just happened, they had to be designed by a Creator. We, as humans, cannot even begin to understand all of the details and workings of nature. The more science discovers, the more we realize how little we know. It seems that only a fool would rely on his "own careful reasoning and emotional reflection" when "judging life's events."


"Humanists are free of belief in any god or afterlife. We must make the
best of this one life that we have. "



This makes me just sad. This life - the one lived in these mortal bodies - is lacking and leaves A LOT to be desired. I have this hope that there is something more, MUCH more. That hope relies in my faith that after my time in this world is complete, I will move to my REAL home with God where pain, suffering, and sadness are replaced with love, peace, and joy permanently. I can't imagine that THIS here and now is all there is. How depressing!


If you want to know more about this hope that I have, feel free to ask. I'll tell you all about it. Just leave me a comment here or e-mail me at scrappintrishATgmailDOTcom (replace the AT and DOT). I can tell you, it's not about being "good." It is about whose team you are on.

No comments: