Theists expect us to believe in something that is, frankly, quite absurd when you really think about it.
We start with a fairly simple concept: God, an all-powerful being who created the universe. And right there, a lot of skeptics are lost from the onset. And that's completely fair, but the concept itself isn't so absurd. It just lacks evidence. And one can believe in many things without evidence. Maybe not logically so, but it's not completely and totally absurd.
However, we then delve further into what these theists expect us to believe that this deity created the earth as a test for human beings. This is where we start delving into the absolutely absurd. Earth is a 'test'. One that:
-Nobody asked for, or agreed to take
-The rules for which aren't made immediately clear
-Is rigged against us from the beginning
-Has the sole purpose of determining an eternal afterlife
The first absurdity should be obvious to everyone. Nobody agreed to take this test. We're much like Harry Potter in the fourth Harry Potter book here. Magically obligated to participate in a contest for which we did not agree to partake in. And in fact one that we are NOT qualified to partake in from the onset from which the test begins. There's no opting out. The goblet of fire called our name, and according to theists, we're obligated to play along.
The second absurdity is less absurd, I suppose. One could argue that the rules are made clear: It's all in the bible, silly! You know the one that's only inspired so many denominational splits that it's not funny. Apparently one book every 2000 years should make everything clear. Except you know... to people born to different faiths. Might have also been helpful if this book were actually written by the big man, instead of just inspired by. And the book itself definitely reads like it was written to appeal to the people of biblical times. Somehow their morality just happens to match God's. This is in itself fairly absurd.
The third absurdity is that the test is rigged against us from the start. This God, who allegedly created us and expects us to follow the rules for a test that we didn't agree to take... refuses to provide any real evidence of his existence. Instead he expects us to take it on 'faith'. Cause you know... if he revealed himself to us, we wouldn't have free will. Like the people during Jesus's time dind't have free will! If this game is real, then it's rigged against us, making it even more pointless.
The final absurdity is the idea that this determines where we spend our eternal afterlife. This God creates a test, puts us all through it (despite nobody signing up for it) and the reward/punishment for getting it right/wrong is far greater than the test itself. One wonders why (and my kids have asked me about this regarding other people and what they believe--making me glad I'm not a believer who has to answer these questions) God didn't just put everyone in heaven to begin with.
Is it to feed his narcissistic tendencies? Survey says: No. Sure, he comes across as a narcissist. But a true narcissist would reveal themselves to revel in people worshiping them. Much like the God of the Old Testament is said to have done. (Oh yes, but he 'changed' after becoming human. Except not enough to make any logical sense, or provide evidence of his existence).
The only other explanation is: He doesn't want us to know it's a test. He wants to see how we all act when we think we're not being watched. The problem with this, is equally simple. The idea of God itself would destroy the ability to test under such conditions. Besides, we already see plenty of believers act badly. So it's not as if knowing about the test for certain would really change our behaviors. Otherwise you wouldn't have priests molesting children, and Pope's turning a blind eye to that stuff. Everyone forfeits, and the task is cancelled and counted as null and void.
We start with a fairly simple concept: God, an all-powerful being who created the universe. And right there, a lot of skeptics are lost from the onset. And that's completely fair, but the concept itself isn't so absurd. It just lacks evidence. And one can believe in many things without evidence. Maybe not logically so, but it's not completely and totally absurd.
However, we then delve further into what these theists expect us to believe that this deity created the earth as a test for human beings. This is where we start delving into the absolutely absurd. Earth is a 'test'. One that:
-Nobody asked for, or agreed to take
-The rules for which aren't made immediately clear
-Is rigged against us from the beginning
-Has the sole purpose of determining an eternal afterlife
The first absurdity should be obvious to everyone. Nobody agreed to take this test. We're much like Harry Potter in the fourth Harry Potter book here. Magically obligated to participate in a contest for which we did not agree to partake in. And in fact one that we are NOT qualified to partake in from the onset from which the test begins. There's no opting out. The goblet of fire called our name, and according to theists, we're obligated to play along.
The second absurdity is less absurd, I suppose. One could argue that the rules are made clear: It's all in the bible, silly! You know the one that's only inspired so many denominational splits that it's not funny. Apparently one book every 2000 years should make everything clear. Except you know... to people born to different faiths. Might have also been helpful if this book were actually written by the big man, instead of just inspired by. And the book itself definitely reads like it was written to appeal to the people of biblical times. Somehow their morality just happens to match God's. This is in itself fairly absurd.
The third absurdity is that the test is rigged against us from the start. This God, who allegedly created us and expects us to follow the rules for a test that we didn't agree to take... refuses to provide any real evidence of his existence. Instead he expects us to take it on 'faith'. Cause you know... if he revealed himself to us, we wouldn't have free will. Like the people during Jesus's time dind't have free will! If this game is real, then it's rigged against us, making it even more pointless.
The final absurdity is the idea that this determines where we spend our eternal afterlife. This God creates a test, puts us all through it (despite nobody signing up for it) and the reward/punishment for getting it right/wrong is far greater than the test itself. One wonders why (and my kids have asked me about this regarding other people and what they believe--making me glad I'm not a believer who has to answer these questions) God didn't just put everyone in heaven to begin with.
Is it to feed his narcissistic tendencies? Survey says: No. Sure, he comes across as a narcissist. But a true narcissist would reveal themselves to revel in people worshiping them. Much like the God of the Old Testament is said to have done. (Oh yes, but he 'changed' after becoming human. Except not enough to make any logical sense, or provide evidence of his existence).
The only other explanation is: He doesn't want us to know it's a test. He wants to see how we all act when we think we're not being watched. The problem with this, is equally simple. The idea of God itself would destroy the ability to test under such conditions. Besides, we already see plenty of believers act badly. So it's not as if knowing about the test for certain would really change our behaviors. Otherwise you wouldn't have priests molesting children, and Pope's turning a blind eye to that stuff. Everyone forfeits, and the task is cancelled and counted as null and void.
The whole tone of Church teaching in regard to woman is, to the last degree, contemptuous and degrading. - Elizabeth Cady Stanton
