Divine

So a friend of mine states quite confidently that the earthquake in Japan is God's way of telling the world He exists. I find that quite ridiculous, to be fair.

Most people who have studied or read up on philosophy are quickly able to point out how outrageous this is within the context of a loving and caring patron Deity. Last I heard on the radio, the death/missing toll in Japan was over 20,000 and rising fast. That's a hell lot of people. Not to mention the long-term consequences of nuclear fallout (wow) that haven't even begun manifesting themselves.

My initial (flabbergasted) reaction was to point out that if God wanted to prove His existence, ruining the lives of thousands of people wasn't the best way of doing things (unless He wants to try His hand at a good Torak impersonation). Why "announce" Your presence by devastating numbers unfathomable? I haven't even mentioned New Zealand, China, Haiti yet.

I am then told that even a few "wicked" individuals may bring wrath and ruin upon a pious community.

Well, that sucks, doesn't it?

Why then, should anyone be "pious" if a single sacrilegious blasphemer can bring about such earth-shaking consequences? What's the point of prostrating oneself towards Someone who seems to toy with the lives of so many, many of whom are (were?) surely essentially good and fine people? It makes very little sense, if at all.

It's matters like these which made me question such faith and belief so long ago. If one day I hear or read about a child molester or serial killer being stuck by lightning on a cloudless day, I might change my opinion on these things. However, I don't see that happening, surely not as long as apparently "religious" people can point to the deaths of thousands of innocent people as "just another message from God".

A message I'd prefer not to listen to.

Be Cool

Today, someone was told by one of their parents that dating a Muslim guy was a bad idea, because he was allowed to have four wives. That he could, at any time, scoot on over to Malaysia to find a second wife. Presumably, the third would come from Indonesia and perhaps the fourth from China - a nation with more Muslims than Singapore and Malaysia put together.

As preposterous as this sounds in this day and age, this isn't even the first time I've heard something like this. It makes just as much sense as a cock-flavored lollipop - borrowing from the ever-awesome Dodgeball - and it makes me sick. Granted, I'm far from the devout Muslim, but to persecute someone you hardly (or don't even) know with that kind of logic is stone-age thinking at best. It's a good thing not everyone subscribes to such neolithic beliefs.

That being said, it's been a great day and a generally amazing 2011 for me, everything's functioning splendidly.

Oh, The King's Speech is awesome. You should watch it.