I was minding my own business this morning when
the doorbell rang. Lo and behold, an older guy stood there holding a
handful of fliers. I knew instantly that he was there to “save” my
soul. (Oh, thank-you-thank-you, kind sir!)
After his initial spiel, I told him that I was an atheist who used to
be a Christian so don’t waste your time. I started to close the door,
but he didn’t get the hint. So, I thought, okay, have at it.
The usual B.S. came up. “God is a spirit person.” Really? He’s just
like us but is a spirit? I asked him how he would define “god,” but
that was the closest he got. Is God omniscient? “God knows all that we
do.” That’s not saying much. Is God omnipotent? “I don’t know what that
means.” Okay. Can God do whatever He wants. “God is all-powerful.” So
He is omnipotent. “He must act within the laws of love and justice.”
Didn’t know those were “laws,” but...okay. Who made the laws? “God
did.” So He can break them? “Why would He?”
This degenerated into more crap about evolution being an “accident.”
“Look at your hand.” More “design” nonsense and circular argumentation.
Where did God exist before He created the Universe? “He’s always been
here.” Where? Blah-blah-blah.
Got the blood coursing a bit, but as I finally told him, “This is a waste of time.”
One cannot successfully use reason to convince someone who implicitly
rejects reason and evidence as the way to come to know something. For a
few minutes I forgot that axiom, but a part of me always hopes to plant
a seed of doubt. I just need to remind myself, though, that even the
best of seeds will never germinate on barren ground.
(from
Don't Get Me Started!, 8-10-07)
