FALSE HOPE BETTER THAN NO HOPE?

We have always been bombarded with religious leaders in the churches and on TV who proclaim that hope is vital to have in order to be a happy and productive member of society. We have the choice of believing this or not.

Of course, they are referring to religious hope, not secular hope. Secular hope, for the confused out there, is the hope we all have at times in our lives. We hope we will get a raise, or a new car, a bigger home, digital TV, or that good looking redhead that lives down the street. You get the picture.

However, religious hope offers its followers all of that plus the false hope that they will survive their own deaths and live on streets paved with gold in the sweet by and by, forever and ever, amen.

For followers of a certain religion, there’s the promise of the 72 virgins. If not for my brain, I would buy into that one. Nice picture they are painting but it’s not worth anything more than a stray glance. I say this because what they are offering is false hope. Can false hope be better than no hope? Not on your life. Just because a preacher or self proclaimed “man of god” tells you something, that doesn’t make it true.

I once questioned a pastor about how anyone could be happy in heaven if their child was a non-believer and ended up in hell and he said that God would wipe out all memories of that child. How nice. We won’t even remember our own family, the thing that makes us happiest on earth.

I wonder just where this false hope came from. Even the Old Testament tells us that the grave offers no redemption and no magical arisings. Somehow the soothsayers overlook this in favor of the false hope of life after death. I contend that false hope is worst than no hope because it offers something that is unattainable, namely the ability to live after death.

We have plenty of stories of people who have experienced death and then are resuscitated who have no recollection of anything until they are brought back. The media chooses not to carry their stories. We also have the ones who hallucinated while unconscious and believe they experienced the great beyond. The media gushes over these. This is simple to explain and science has explained it many times.

However, people believe what they want to believe in spite of the evidence contrary to their beliefs. A good example of this is the facts of evolution and how many refuse to believe the facts regardless of the evidence. Sort of like the ancients believing the world was flat. But I digress.

Many in our society are simply afraid of death. Most are usually afraid of things they don’t understand and they certainly don’t understand death. Many don’t even understand life and are unwilling to think they are going to die and be no more. Their egos won’t allow such logic. However, you didn’t exist before you were born and you won’t exist after you’re dead.

Something had to be done with that problem. Enter religion. Religion gives those that subscribe to it false hope that they will survive death and live forever. Don’t take my word for it. Just look at the local newspaper memorials to the departed and find one where heaven or the angels are not mentioned. I haven’t seen the first one wishing their loved one a happy birthday in hell. Yet the bible spells out that most will end up in hell. Most tend to overlook that part.

Most are comforted by the false hope of eternal life while some will flat out kill you if you disagree with their beliefs. That’s the nature of religion.

And get this: You not only get supplied with false hopes, you also get charged for it. The churches demand 10% of followers’ income and much more is desired. Got to have that new sports center.

Religion happens to be the greatest scam ever pulled on the human race. But don’t blame religion; blame the gullibility of the human race. People aren’t forced to believe the false promises of religion.

In the end, one thing I know for sure, when I die, this life is over. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I have no problem with that. I can live and die with that fact. Not many can say the same. And please spare me the threats of me ending up in hell. That’s another lie of the church designed to insure that the cretins will continue coming and paying with their hard earned money.

Jim Earl

Samuel Thompson wrote: "I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December."

Jimearl: We don't pray to Santa, at least in my house. Santa is just as real as any God.

Sam: I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his theory of evolution.

Jimearl: Did you forget the "Scopes Trial", or the many lawsuits against evolution being taught in schools?

Sam: Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game.

Jimearl: Neither will anything happen if we don't pray, right? So, what's the point? I could see your point if prayers helped, but they don't.

Sam: So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game. "But it's a Christian prayer," some will argue.

Jimearl: And it's illegal, if that matters. Not to mention all the players who suffer live-altering injuries regardless of the prayers. Invisible gods are powerless!!

Sam: Yes, this is the United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles. And we are in the Bible Belt. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect-somebody chanting Hare Krishna?

Jimearl:Just show me one Christian reference in the founding documents, that is all I need. And with 200 to 1 odds, seems to me like we would see some good from all those prayers.

Sam: If I went to a football game in Jerusalem , I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.

Jimearl: So what, their "God" doesn't answer prayer either.

Sam: If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.

Jimearl: Perhaps you didn't know there is a war going on in Baghdad,
and if you were there you had better have more than a prayer to help you. Converting to Islam might not be such a bad idea.

Sam: If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.

Jimearl: You are correct, ignorance is worldwide.

Sam: And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit. When in Rome...

Jimearl: So you believe their "God" is equal to yours?

Sam: "But what about the atheists?" is another argument.

Jimearl: What about them? Nobody cares about the atheists, as evidenced by this letter.

Sam: Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of earplugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand.. Call your lawyer. Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.

Jimearl: A football game is no place for prayer, it's a sporting event, not prayer meeting. Not only will it not shake foundations, it won't make any difference at all, one way or the other. You know where you can pray and not be bothered, church. We don't come into your churches and think, so don't come
to public places and pray.

Sam: Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us just to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying. God, help us.

Jimearl: I'm sure if there was a God, he would have helped you by now. Sorry.
And if your Bible tells you to pray without ceasing, why are you stopping. Pray
at home or church 100% of the time. But when your are in public, do as I would
and respect others right to be left alone by religious zeolots.

Sam: And if that last sentence offends you, well...just sue me.

Jimearl: You can't sue someone for being ignorant.

Sam: The silent majority has been silent too long... it's time we let that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard, that the vast majority don't care what they want...it is time the majority rules! It's time we tell them, you don't have to pray, you don't have to say the pledge of allegiance, you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right.. but by golly you are no longer going to take our rights away we are fighting back....and we WILL WIN! After all, the God you have the right to denounce is on our side!

Jimearl: Silent majority?? Silent majority?? Your silence is deafening. Why don't you let your "God" handle the problem or did that ever occur to you? With him being all powerful and stuff, why do you think he needs your puny help.

Sam: God bless us one and all, especially those who denounce Him...

Jimearl: We don't denounce him, we simply don't believe he exists.

Sam: God bless America, despite all her faults, still the greatest nation of all...

Jimearl: America IS great, whether God exists or not.

Sam: God bless our servicemen who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God...

Jimearl: Give me a break. Our servicemen are fighting for the right to control Iraq's oil, nothing more.

Sam: May "2004'"be the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions.

Jimearl: 2004 is over. Better luck in 2006. It's almost too late, but by all means continue to pray......nothing fails like prayer.

Sam: Keep looking up... In God WE Trust.

Jimearl: Yeah,But which one?

Sam: If you agree with this, please pass it on. If not, delete it!!

Jimearl: I choose to correct it, then pass it on!

No Sports in Heaven....Heaven Forbid!

After reading the Saints and Sinners column in the religious section of THE T&D Friday, October 8, I decided to give my views about the subject of sports in heaven. George Plagenz stated, and I quote: “We don’t know what a day in heaven will be like, but we can be sure of one thing, there won’t be any sports played up there.” First of all, his statement is oxymoronic. If we don’t know something, then we don’t know it, period. How can you not know something and then in the same sentence, say, we do know this? If you don’t know what a day in heaven will be like, then you don’t know, right? Let me give you my opinion on the subject.
For those who believe in heaven and are willing to use just a small amount of logic, I would suggest the following thoughts. Americans are sports nuts, to say the least. If professional or college football would suddenly begin playing their games on Sunday morning, the church pews would be virtually empty. Churches could not compete with sporting events on any level, with the exception of badminton, ping-pong and bowling, although I’m not too sure about badminton. I think churches would win against bowling, judging from the fact that we once had a bowling alley that is now a church. But it’s still close. The churches would still have a faithful few who would not attend sporting events of any kind. But who would pastor them? Churches would be forced to change their times of service so as to not compete against sporting events. No sports in heaven, indeed! Can you imagine what our existence would be like without sporting events? Neither can I.
Do you remember when churches didn’t have their own sports complexes? Some pick their churches now by the size of the sports complex. I know they call them Family Life Centers, but they are all about sports. Try and imagine what heaven would be like without sports. Pretty scary, huh? Most people can’t wait until the church service is over so they can suit up for their favorite pastime, be it football, baseball, basketball or tennis. You name it, we love it. I left out golf, as I’m not too sure if that’s a real sport. If you were to find out that there are no sports in heaven, you would want to know just where the games are going to be held, or hell, I should say.
However, trying to imagine sports in heaven is not without its problems as well. Will your wings get in the way, or will they help? They would be a great help in some events -- say the pole vault. But in the luge, they would be in the way. Well, you can do without the luge. Or maybe your wings would be detachable. Or maybe you wouldn’t have wings. Only the angels have wings, I’ve heard some say. Human souls won’t have need of wings, I’ve heard as well. Then there’s the question of what form you will be in heaven, and if you will have supernatural qualities. If so, all of the sporting events would end in ties, as no team would have an advantage over another team, as everyone would be equal. I can imagine going deep to catch a pass from Bart Starr, or matching hoops with Larry Bird, racing along in a pace line with Lance Armstrong, or sitting in the Heavenly Sports Bar sharing a drink with Babe Ruth . I’m taking for granted there would be food and drink in heaven, as a pastor friend once observed that he could not imagine heaven without them. You will also be able to find out just how God picked the winner between two church softball teams when both of them prayed for victory. Anyway, can you imagine the fun you would have answering those age-old questions: Who would win in a fight between Mike Tyson and Rocky Marciano? Who would hit the most home runs? Who was the best of the best of all times? Now you could find the dream matches of eternity. Oh, wait. You may all have the same powers in heaven. Drat! If that’s true, you will never know who was the best of the best. At any rate, if you are all equal, then you would all play the games just for fun as you once did on earth. Somehow, it seems like it would be more fun then, without the fighting over salaries and all that.
In any event, for those who believe there is a heaven, simple logic would dictate that there will be sports. As Joe Namath once said, “I guarantee it.”
Jim Earl

The Real Deceivers

THE REAL DECEIVERS

This is what religion is all about, deception and such. Since it has never been proven that a "god" exists, then everything related to this character is speculation at best. The same can be said about satan, or the "deceiver" as some like to call this fictional character. However, it's so easy to blame the bad things in life on some imaginary character, rather than take the blame for our actions ourselves.

No one has been able to show that a "god" exists as the bible presents him but all across our nation, people are deceived about the existence of many various gods. My question is this: who is the real "deceiver" in all of this? The answer is the churches, of course. The churches present to their flock the various dogmas and beliefs of their sect as truth. No proof is provided for any of the dogmas and beliefs. Now it stands to reason that all of them can't be right, so most of them must be wrong. I'll bet you've never heard a priest or pastor say that they are not sure of their convictions, but you should believe them anyway. No, they preach as if they "know" the truth. Perhaps some do know the truth, but you can bet they won't share it with you. The truth is this: no one knows. Period. The end. NO ONE KNOWS. They tell us we must have faith. Let's take a closer look at this problem.

Across our great land there are hundreds of religions all claiming to be the one true religion. Logic will tell us that there can only be one true religion. That means that all religions but one have the wrong message. That also means that the real "deceiver" is religion. Unless you happen to be a member of the one true religion, you are being deceived. Just like there can only be one true god, it stands to reason there can only be one true religion. Right? I believe ALL religions are deceitful. But that's beside the point. Just say for instance, that the Seventh Day Adventist are the one true church of the one true god. I assure you I am not putting them ahead of any other church, but just for the sake of this argument, because at least they worship on the right day. So unless you are amember of the S.D.A. church, you are being deceived. See how easy that was? That is how easy it is to see that the churches are the real "deceivers."


Now I know some of you out there just "know" your religion is true. You "know' there is a "god." You feel it in your heart. Here is a simple test. Do you believe all religions are true, or just yours? If you answer that question honestly, you will begin to understand what point I am trying to explain. Regardless of how you feel about other religions, you have to be comfortable in your own or you would change your belief system, right? So pick your religion carefully, it's probably deceiving you.