Likrat Shabbat

[Abigail]

by Jack Riemer

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to end war;

For we know that You have made the world in a way

That man must find his own path to peace

Within himself and with his neighbor.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to end starvation;

For you have already given us the resources

With which to feed the entire world

If we would only use them wisely.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God,

To root out prejudice,

For You have already given us eyes

With which to see the good in all men

If we would only use them rightly.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to end despair,

For You have already given us the power

To clear away slums and to give hope

If we would only use our power justly.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to end disease,

For you have already given us great minds with which

To search out cures and healing,

If we would only use them constructively.

Therefore we pray to You instead, O God,

For strength, determination, and willpower,

To do instead of just to pray,

To become instead of merely to wish.

[Shellon]

Whoa!

[George Aar]

In other words, God is going to sit on his hands, regardless of what's going on. The onus is upon us to do whatever needs to be done, God's done everything He's ever going to do already.

Gosh, isn't He wonderful?

Religion is still bull$hit...

[George Aar]

Sorry, feeling a little cranky...

[Abigail]

It's ok, George, we all feel that way at least some of the time.

But here's the thing: when my kids have homework or housework to do, I make sure they have all of the tools they need to get the job done. I will encourage them and support them. I will instruct them and teach them. What I won't do, is do it for them.

[George Aar]

Indeed Abigail,

But your children SEE you and HEAR you and INTERACT with you. A HUGE difference.

With this bit of advice it simply gives the Almighty an "out". Anything that goes wrong - our fault. Anything that goes right - well of course that's due to the resources already given to us of God. Yet all we have to go on is the a-priori conclusion that there is indeed someone "out there" cheering us on.

That's what drives me nuts about religion. There's no concrete evidence of ANYTHING, but we're still supposed to go on acting as if there is. God is ALMIGHTY and ALL POWERFUL, but don't expect anything from him.

It boggles the mind to see how little people have to go on, yet continue to staunchly defend and believe in their own personal diety.

James Carville would blush at the amount of unabashed spin used to shore up our belief systems. Cheezus, could we just get honest, once?

[Abigail]

George,

I respect your decision to believe there is no God, though by your protestations, it often seems as if you really wish you could believe in one.

I wonder, can you respect my decision to believe there is one? Does it harm you or someone else if I do?

I can't prove to you there is a God, and really I have no desire to try. I believe there is, that faith gives me strength, encouragement, comfort, hope . . . You may see that as a crutch, that's ok, my dad sees it that way too. If believing in God makes me a weaker person, so be it, I am weak. Yet through my faith in God, I am made stronger and that alone speaks volumes to me in terms of the proof I need.

[George Aar]

Abigail,

Just don't hi-jack any airliners or pack your car with explosives and we're cool...

[Abigail]

I hear ya George. Believe me, I run into some religious people who scare the hell out of me too. :)-->