9-11

When did an atheist ever board a crowded airliner with a ticking bomb, a brand new box-cutter and a roll of duct tape in order to make a point?

NEVER!

Tragedy will happen, but much as I can sympathize with the victims I am getting sick and tired of many of the fortunate survivors of accidents and the most terrible disasters, when interviewed, immediately thank God that he/she has spared them. What has their survival got to do with God?

Imagine for one moment that a group of people are trapped on an upper floor of a blazing office block. Smoke and flames are all around and there is seemingly no chance of escape. Among the unfortunates is a happily married man who has four young children at home who all attend church regularly and dutifully say their prayers every night before getting into bed.

There are also three women who are all working to support their families who are also good, kind and God fearing.

There is one man who is a sneak thief who is there to see what he might steal. He beats his wife and abuses children and who, incidentally, has never set foot in church other than to steal the offertory money, strip it of lead or swipe the candlesticks.

Yet another of the trapped and panicking has devoted the whole of his working life to the Church while at the same time always looking after the less fortunate in society.

Naturally all the trapped people are praying like mad for divine intervention but who is their god going to choose to save?

You've guessed it. It is just as likely that when the abominable sneak thief's bloodied body is pulled out of the rubble, and barely alive, he'll be heard thanking God that he listened to HIS prayers.

Now pardon me but what about all the other more deserving or at the very least equally deserving souls who God allowed to perish? Weren't they praying hard enough?

But religion has this base covered too. The cry goes up:

"THEY'VE GONE TO A BETTER PLACE"

I could be one of those trapped in the office block. I'm a happily married family man. My wife for almost half a century and I have four grown up children. They are all happily married and have borne us twelve grandchildren who we adore and now we have those many grandchildren having children of their own. I am full of love for my fellow man and couldn't commit serious crime if my life depended on it. Gods? Who needs gods?

I COULDN'T go to a "better place" than here.