I was listening to a guest author on a popular talk show while driving somewhere the other day, and this guest had written a book about doing away with all religious organizations. His theory was that they are divisive in a social society. Religions are pitted against one another and so on. He felt that the brotherhood of man should be promoted where we all work together to bring about peace and positive collaboration in order to have a better and more peaceful world. The problem with that author’s thinking is that he doesn’t understand that there is order in the universe and that man has a purpose for being here on earth. There is a God, and though all religions do not worship him in the same way or have the same view or description of Him in their mind’s eye, that does not mean that there is not a God. To this man’s way of thinking (not too unlike many other liberal scientists and philosophers etc.), this world was not created by a supreme being who has the power and support of the elements to form and control it. A supreme being who controls all the magnetic forces that keep not only our planet, but all the stars, planets and their moons, etc., in their assigned course and position in the universe. In opposition to a supreme being, he believes it was some sort of a big bang and “there it was” and “here we are.” For me and most Christians, that is a much more preposterous proposition than a belief in a supreme creator whose greater intelligence and justice earned Him the support of all the other elements and intelligences that are found in the universe. The scriptures tell us that by the word of His Power were all things created that were created. Both theories sound ridiculous to their opposition, but the science argument cannot provide a purpose for the big bang nor how all creatures such as you and I were formed from that blast. The scriptures describe how after the earth was created, God then formed man from the clay of the earth. Latter-day scriptures even describe it more plainly than that. That we were spirits formed in a pre-existent state, and those spirits were then placed in bodies formed from the elements of the earth. For what purpose were we formed and placed here? The scriptures tell us that we are literally God’s offspring whom we are not only loved by, but are precious too. We lived in His presence and grew as spirits until we needed
greater challenges and opportunities, and thus and for that purpose was the earth created. We were placed here to be challenged, to learn and to grow and to prove ourselves. When we have thus experienced earth life and die or pass away, our spirits return to a sphere nearby the Father to await a period of judgment. The great plan of the Father allows the faithful to move on to a higher challenge in the eternities. The Father’s plan is called the Plan of Progression or Plan of Happiness. This earth is an earth of order, and it came about in an orderly fashion by the power of the most intelligent, just, and loving being in this great universe. We are not here to only grow and advance ourselves, but we also have a responsibility to others, to serve and inspire them, to encourage and help them along the path as our brothers and sisters.
The Big Bang theory has no logical description of the event and who or what caused it, no describable purpose; it has no value system, no theory as to how we humans came about or why, no leadership or person (god, president, dictator) in charge. It has been described as coming forth from chaos, and thus, to them, it would remain as chaos if liberal thinkers have their way. Yet, that author would have us believe that without religious organizations, there would be fewer wars, less contention between nations, organizations and even between individuals etc. He wanted to take away our choices and our agency. He would take away all opposition. My, oh my, doesn’t that sound familiar? Satan, too, wanted to take away our opposition, and because he opposed the Father’s plan and wanted the glory he was cast out by us, his brethren who opposed his plan.
May we, who have faith in our Father, always be supportive of Him and His plan for us, His children. Even Pope Benedict is supportive of an organized, non-chaotic universe that is supportive of a destiny assigned to man. He stated, “As we reflect on the sobering lessons of atheist extremism of the 20th century, let us never forget how the exclusion of God, religion and virtue from public life leads ultimately to a truncated vision of man and of society and thus a reductive vision of a person and his destiny.”
On a lighter note: I have always enjoyed a little humor along with the serious. It seems that, in Florida, an atheist became incensed over the preparation for all the Christian and Jewish holidays. He decided to contact his lawyer about filing a discrimination suit based on how atheists are afflicted by all the celebrations of Christians and Jews, etc., and atheists have no holidays. After listening to the lawyers passionate presentation, the judge banged his gavel and declared, “Case dismissed!” The lawyer immediately stood and objected to the ruling. He stated, “Your honor, the Christians have Christmas, Easter and many other holidays that they observe. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah…yet my client and all other atheists have no such holiday!” The judge leaned forward in his chair and simply said,
“Obviously your client is too confused to even know about, much less celebrate, his own atheists’ holiday!” The lawyer said, “Your honor we are unaware of any such holiday. Just when might that holiday be?” The judge said, “Well it comes on the first of April! Since our Calendar sets April 1st as April Fool’s day, consider that Psalms 14:1 states, “The fool says in his heart, there is no God; thus, in my opinion, if your client says there is no God, then by scripture, he is a fool, and April 1st is his holiday! Now, have a good day, and get out of my courtroom!
God bless those of us who are religious to maintain at least a little more common sense than they who have nothing reasonable to hang onto.