by Author Name Withheld 231

Created on: January 28, 2011

Why doesn't God intervene in the world more often? I'll tell you why: he either doesn't exist, is unaware of us, or is passive. To assume God is there or whether he intervenes is a presupposition - a major logical fallacy. There's no, and I mean no, evidence of the existence of any god, whether it be a theist god or a deist creator. This doesn't mean that I know for a fact whether god exists - no one does. It doesn't even mean I'm opposed to there being a god - I'm not. But, please, show me the evidence.

One reason why I know god is not intervening often, or at all, in the world is the sheer vastness of our universe. We, on earth, a tiny speck of cosmic dust relative to the cosmos, are in a galaxy which has 200-400 billion stars. The entire universe has over 100 billion galaxies; those are astronomical numbers. Almost every star, with the exception of rogue suns careening through the universe, have planets orbiting them. This means every single star in the cosmos has the potential to harbor life. To assume a could-be god is watching us in all of that vastness is not only silly, but egotistical, close-minded and selfish, as well.

Another reason why I know god is not intervening often, or at all, in the world, is the staggering amount of problems we humans have to deal with on a daily basis. Why is almost 1/7th of the world living without clean water? Wouldn't an all-powerful, caring, all-knowing god put an end to this madness? Why are there still millions of people dying of polio per year? A disease which has been eradicated in the Western world for 50 or more years. Wouldn't god heal people who have polio? Why are children born autistic, or with cancer, or with deformities or missing limbs? Don't you think god would stop his creatures from being born with such hideous, painful, and potentially deadly health problems? Why is there HIV, AIDS, MS, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, depression, anxiety, small pox, and Lou Gehrig's disease? Why wouldn't god put an end to such torture and torment? Why isn't god intervening where he is needed most?

It's easy for people who are very well off in the western world to assume god exists, because they have more good in their life than bad. Can't say the same for a lot of Africans, South Americans, indigenous peoples, Middle Easterners living under brutal theocratic dictators, and North Koreans. You think you see a sign from god, because you hit every green light on the way to work, or because you had just enough change on your car floor to pay the toll? Get a grip. There are thousands of children dying every year from malnutrition. Innocent, wonderful children. Where was god for them? Where's their sign from god?

If God exists he doesn't intervene very often. And if he does, it's rare. Very rare indeed. It's time for us to put faith in one another instead of a floating, magical cloud fairy which might or might not exist. We should be bending over backwards to help each other and putting our efforts towards medicine, science, and philanthropy, but instead of doing so, we waste time with our hands clasped in prayer.

Actions speak louder than thoughts.

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