Ben's Domain- Articles/Essays (June 2007)

June 2007

The Influence of God

God. The highest power. So they say. So they believe.
I believe in God. Honest. But I'm not a religious freak. Far from it. Which is why I'm getting pissed off.
There is no proof of God's existence. However, people all over the country devote their lives to this God. I'm not saying it's wrong to have something you believe in. I'm saying that these people are wasting their time.
I don't completely rule out God's existence. But all that stuff about him "watching over me?" Ha ha. How many people are there on Earth, again? Like 5 billion? At least a billion of them believe in God. How is God supposed to watch over all those people?
Parents tell their children "God created the universe and the first humans. He is watching over you right now. When you die, If you have been good, you will go to Heaven. If you have been bad, you will go to Hell."
Tell me again, how do they get this information? Were they told this by their parents? Okay, parents, you can tell your kids all of these theories. I'm not stopping you. But I advise that you tell them every theory. Let them choose what they want to believe.
So now all these kids grow up and become teenagers, and then adults, and they have a family of their own. The God cycle keeps going and going. Tell me, have you ever considered the fact that this is all baloney? That there is no proof? That it is stupid to devote your life to something that doesn't even exist? Okay, maybe God does exist. But you don't know that, and you probably never will for sure. So why?

The influence of God is high in America, No, in all the world!
Tell me, what's the difference between the word "damn" and "goddamn?" Is goddamn worse? If so, why? Because it is using God's name in vain?
Even though I believe in God, I say "goddamn" all the time. It sounds good off the tip of my tongue. If there is a god, why would he/she care if his name is used in vain? We're not putting you down, God. We're not saying bad things about you. It's just a simple cuss word.
America seems to think that everyone believes in God. One day when I was listening to the radio, the song "I write Sins not Tragedies," by Panic! At The Disco was playing. During the chorus, when the lead sings "I chime in with a haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door," the radio station beeped out "goddamn," or at least "god."
That's right. They beeped out "goddamn" on the radio. However, it would have been all right, as long as they had beeped out "damn" too (not just in this song, in any song or talkshow). But they didn't.
So let me get this straight. They don't beep out "damn" on the radio, but they beep out "goddamn?" Wow. What, is Clear Channel or the FCC worried about being sued by some religious dude? Well, screw that religious dude. He doesn't have to listen to it. Remember, guys, not everybody that listens to the radio believes in God. That's right, you're not special. "Goddamn" is only bad to use if you believe in God. Otherwise, it's just another cuss word.

Another method of brainwashing is the placement of God on paper money and coins. Next time you're digging through you wallet check the front or back of your dollar bills or coins. Yup, that's right. It does say "In God We Trust." That is seriously ****** up. I repeat, not everybody in America believes in God! Some people don't put their trust in God, believe it or not!

Yet another method, though, is the placement of God in America's pledge of Allegiance. The lyrics are below:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

This violates the freedom of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment. True, schoolchildren will not be punished if they choose not to recite the pledge fully. But they will definitely be discriminated, by fellow schoolchildren and possibly teachers, too, especially in states within the Bible Belt (south-eastern US). This also suggests that, (1) monotheists (people who believe in God) are overall better people than atheists, and (2) America is a religious nation. Bull****. America is not affiliated with religion in any way. It's affiliated with the belief that we are the land of the free, and the land of opportunity. Unfortunately, our very religious government is trying to send the message across that America is a religious nation, especially a Christian one. That, my friends, is a load of baloney.