In previous posts I have made the case for God or at least an intelligent mind running the universe. I have tried to present evidence regarding the beauty and value in existence. Perhaps the most compelling question, which works as a postulation, is Heidegger’s “why is there being rather than nothing”. It’s a very strong foundational point for ontology and it seems to suggest the existence of God. That would in itself carry the idea of meaning in the universe and so we would all be on the safe side, knowing that there’s a moral force in the universe that would guarantee values and somehow restore justice once all is said and done at the end of times. It is a comforting though. Is it real though?
Unfortunately, as I approach half of century of existence, I am more and more sceptical about it. In some sense, my reasoning is quite simple. Let’s indeed start with the most basic of questions. If such a Creator exists, that sustains and guarantees moral values, how can he accept and lay idle in the face of such unbelievable suffering and injustices as exist in this world?
When we address this topic, we normally think about humans who are wronged. It’s a fair argument. But what about animals who are tortured their whole life and have absolutely no way of complaining or change their situation? Animals that are bred in slaughterhouses, in farms where their miserable existence in horror conditions can have no improvement except death? How can an all powerful god suffer this without doing anything? Faucci, left-wing’s hero scientist, kept beagles trapped their whole life with flies bitting their muzzles. It’s common practice for “science” to keep dogs caged their whole lives, interacting with them only to test vaccines (and other types of injections) in them. Imagine such a life for a second. Now imagine that would be your whole life. Chickens babies are grinded alive in many countries if they are male and therefore cannot lay eggs. The ones that are allowed to live to become meat, many times have an excessive body mass that causes their legs and feet to break. That is how they have to live, in tiny spaces, until they are killed.
How this is possible is (kind of, although hardly for decent individuals) understandable in human terms considering human’s greed and malice. But “God” has no excuse. Specially if he is supposed to be Omnipotent. He would have to be a monster to allow for such level of depravity if he could avoid it. That is in addition to all the species that have simply been extinct, some in extremely cruel conditions (the dodos for instance).
And the idea that this life is but a test makes no sense either. An Omnipotent god puts all these vulnerable and powerless creatures on trial and horrible suffering for what purpose? Is he a sadist? It makes no sense.
Don’t take me wrong. I have always tried to be very respectful of religious ideas and of the concept of God itself. But there’s evidence and (horrendous) facts that one learns about during one’s lifetime that can not be ignored or forgotten.
But within human existence itself there’s also abundant examples of extreme suffering and senseless death. One needs to go no further than the Bible itself. There the supposed Creator himself commands the Israelites to commit genocide against other peoples and to not to spare even the lifestock. Even the concept of “Chosen people” is more than questionable, no matter how much mental gymnastics we put into it.
At what point does the evidence become overwhelming to you? In my case it was as I approached half a century. Yes, it is possible that god exists. But if he does, he leaves much to be desired. Even to feable and flawed creatures as us.
In search of meaning 