The bizarre story of the kidnapping and breeding of Jayzee Dugard came to light yesterday. Abducted from South Lake Tahoe in 1991, she lived in a backyard in Antioch (a community about 50 miles east of here) as was forced to breed with her captor producing two offspring.
How did all of this come to light? The two children were with the alleged perpetrator in Berkeley handing out religious literature and attracted the attention of local cops who tipped off the parole officer of the perp.
He also started a corporation called “god’s desire” to help spread the word, which he appeared to be using the children to do. Between priests that can’t keep their hands off children and preachers who seem to want to have illicit liaisons, and religions who seem to want polygamy, often with children, how can “regular” people still defend religion? And more to the point, where’s god in all this?
I don’t need some arcane ethical or mystical figure to know this horse hockey is wrong. Surely the faithful also see this is wrong. And, where is god? Wouldn’t a just, moral, ethical god smite these sinners – hitting them with lightning bolts left and right – for confusing “real, compassionate religion” from what these sick morons practice?
From the outside, it all looks the same to a non-believer. People talking to imaginary friends. How is it possible for me to determine if the imaginary friend the faithful talk to is saying “be kind, turn the other cheek” or “go kidnap that beautiful little girl, keep her in captivity, rape her, and force her to have your children?”
Since becoming a father, this stuff hits me harder than it used to. I can’t imagine the pain of the child or the pain of the family in this instance. That it was no doubt sanctioned by god makes it even worse. We should wise up as a society and get the god out, along with the morally bankrupt religion that supports and justifies it.
Two comments: First, if there really was someone whispering in this dude’s ear, it wasn’t God. True Christianity is a life transformed, not a life disfigured.
Second, though we can’t comprehend it, there’s a plan by God. The retribution of the wicked and the justice for the good is not an earthly plan, and it’s those that expect that (in both ways, see comment above) that torture the meaning.
Okay, and third… I can see where non-believers view this as absence of God. I don’t agree, but I can’t adequately point out a pattern that I can’t myself see. If you only use the noise to try to find the signal, though, you’ll never find it.
Jim, really, how can non-believers tell who was whispering in his ear? All too often these are “prophets” who are bringing us the word of god. The fact that you’re referencing Christianity is interesting, but what if it was true Islam? I mean really, god must be confused. Wouldn’t it just be easier to show up and set things right unequivocally?
On your second comment, plan by god. It’s incomprehensible that smart people take this as a given. Where’s the proof? Incredible claims require incredible evidence.
Third comment. What if there is only noise? That’s what the evidence strongly suggests.
Well, how many times have you heard that true Islam didn’t cause 9/11? I might question that truth, but I’ve heard it.
God’s not confused at all. He made the universe and the rules by which it runs. To paraphrase J. Vernon MacGee, if you don’t like the rules of the universe, go create your own.
I think the thing we both agree on, but for entirely different means, is that religion is incomprehensible. You believe that because it doesn’t make sense. I believe it because it’s beyond my ability to understand how it all fits together.
And I would say the same thing about Islam, how are we to know what “true Islam” is? We’ve got people hearing voices in their heads and then behaving badly in this world using that as a reason. Now, I’ll admit, they’d likely find another reason to behave badly if there wasn’t a religion, but some segment wouldn’t.
If there was a god that laid down the rules to the universe and civilization, that deity most assuredly is either confused or sadistic or simply has lost interest in at least this tiny little corner of creation. It’s very clear that humans, for better or worse, are running the show here as parasites on a rotating rock.
You’re right, we do agree that religion is incomprehensible and that’s a piece of commonality on which we can build a dialogue.