A glimpse of a McDowell: Should We Fire God? (Part 1)

The Characteristics

Hatred. Evil. Neglectful. Merciful. Maliciousness. Uncaring. Love. Selfish. Lazy. Vengeful. Compassionate.

These are all words that can easily be ascribed to people throughout time including our own here in the 21st century. But what about God? Or gods? If there in fact is a God and we can know anything about him, do any of the above words characterize him?

Millennia ago, adherents to a specific set of gods certainly would have attributed those characteristics to them. Generally each god had their own unique niche, such as the Roman gods and goddesses:

Aesclepius: god of medicine
Apollo: god of brightness, music and art
Liber Bacchus: god of wine
Ceres Demeter: goddess of agriculture
Mars Ares: god of war
Nemesis: goddess of retribution
Venus Aphrodite: goddess of love
Vesta: goddess of hearth and home
Vulcan: god of fire

Firing the gods
These are just a handful. It seems there was a different god to account for almost every part of human life, nature, and events. Today we would attribute these same processes with natural cause and effect relationships as found through science, rather than attributing something to a specific god like the Romans and their counter parts did. Those Roman citizens likely would have seen certain gods as carrying the aforementioned characteristics, but does God, as depicted through the Christian scriptures, carry these attributes as well (in addition to others)?

With the progress of mankind, we have “fired” those gods and goddesses, rendering them useless and even nonexistent. We don’t need them to explain how things work, and in fact they are seen as mechanisms that were invented by naïve and superstitious peoples. Today, monotheistic religions thrive and have been doing so since their origins thousands of years ago.

“We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.” – Richard Dawkins

If we go one God further and “fire” the last of the modern day gods/God, then we should not have anything further to say here, unless we would like to conjecture about a non-existent deity for purely educational and historical studies.

If there is a God, what can we make of him?
Let’s imagine, however difficult, that there is a God, or at least the potential for one. Not merely just a creator God, but a relational God. What is he like? Where has he been? What is he doing up there? Why so much unnecessary pain and struggle? Doesn’t he care about his creation? Where was he when my cousin hanged himself? Where was he when my former friends were killed in high school? Where is he when countless numbers of people die, are tortured, and are starved day in and day out? Where will he be tomorrow when it continues to happen?

If there is one thing people can agree about God, whether they believe in his existence or not, it is that he should be our protector. It’s God’s job to make us safe and happy. The American dream right?

Corey Taylor from the band slipknot states:

“ 'O almighty, all knowing, compassionate Lord..'

In hearing these words from a priests mouth one must look at the contradictions and conundrum of faith in regards to the problem of suffering. Just look at the world around you. Read the newspaper once and you'll understand this as every rational human being should.

If this "God" does exist, in co-ordinance with the priests statement, and is aware about the matters of his creations, then either:

1. God knows about suffering and could stop it but doesn't care, in which case he isn't compassionate

2. God knows about suffering, and cares about it but can't do a thing about it, in which case he isn't all-powerful

3. God can do something about it and cares about it, but doesn't know about it, in which case he isn't all-knowing.”

To read the rest of his thoughts on religion, visit Rational Responders.

These are issues man has been wrestling with ever since he was first able to think about it. Epicurus, an ancient Greek philosopher, [341-270 B.C.] is quoted with saying:

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”

These are no light questions. They shape the way we view and think about God, or lack thereof.

“A universe with a God would look quite different from a universe without one. A physics, a biology where there is a God is bound to look different. So the most basic claims of religion are scientific. Religion is a scientific theory.” – Richard Dawkins

If he is right, then how would the world look different without a God? How about with one? One may find that their answers likely reflect their own sense of justice, compassion, ethics, morals and the like.

Next, in Part 2, I would like to take a look at some of my own struggles, doubts, and concerns in this area as well as Jim Pace’s, who recently authored a book titled “Should We Fire God?”.