| The theist viewpoint is abhorrent because the theist insists that life doesn’t really have value, that instead non-existence (under the name 'afterlife') is the real value. In the theist view, life is only 'practice' for death. —Dwight Lyman |
Prayers & Queries June 17, 2007
Posted by Rastaban in : Atheist Culture, Prayer , trackback(On the Subjective Value of Non-Existent Beings)
When I bend my knee meekly
and throw up a thoughtless prayer
to a God greater than me
I feel better immediately.
But it works regardless who I supplicate
with my fevered wishes.
I can pray to the moon
just as effectively;
moreso, actually
since the moon is so beautiful
and moves through the cloudy darkness in such majesty.
Or Mars, or Marduk, or Minerva
Aten, Aphrodite, Athena
it doesn’t matter the god I pray to
so long as I can feel its greatness
its greater-than-me-ness
I feel better immediately.
But if I happen to come out of feeling
if I dare to put a thought behind my heaven-sent address
if my prayer transforms itself into a question
a query or series of queries
then the great ones hasten to disappear.
Even the moon sneaks behind her clouds.
Likewise, if I pierce God with a few hard questions
if I skewer Him with whys,
He runs and hides.
Apparently He can’t take the heat.
No matter.
Whether query or prayer,
I feel better immediately.
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