"Praise the Lord!"

I'm getting really tired of God getting the credit for things other people have accomplished. Too many people respond with something like "Praise God!" when, for example, someone finds a job after a long period of unemployment. Or when medicine starts to work, and a disease or a disorder stops wreaking havoc on someone's life.

Nobody seems to remember the crap that someone had to live through before the miracle came to pass. Worse, nobody would dare blame God for that period of suffering. A lay-off is merely God testing you. A child with a developmental disorder is God trying to teach you patience. When a job appears, or medication begins to work, it's God answering your prayers. No matter how long it takes, it's always God coming through.

So God's in a pretty sweet position, isn't he? He makes your life go to hell, and he's in the right. He fixes the mess he supposedly made, and he's being so merciful and giving. He can't lose! It's not as though saying "I still haven't found a job" would get anyone to respond, "I guess God has given up on you!" They just say, "I'm praying harder for you!" And when something good eventually comes along (not even necessarily related to the original problem), everyone will morph whatever it is to fit the twisted view that God has come through for you, and your prayers have worked.

What a mindset to be in. Any God I'd worship should be capable of keeping me from suffering. Otherwise, what's the point of worshiping him? Oh, right, I have to worship this one because if I don't then my innate sinful nature (that he created) will send me to hell.

How useless a deity to serve. Benevolent? Pshaw. Chaotic and cruel is more like it.

The most frustrating thing about this set-up is that it's almost impossible to point out to people. Psychology pretty much explains the whole phenomenon as a mix between a self-fulfilling prophecy and delusional thinking. People twist their realities to fit into constructs that seem to make the most sense to them, and when you spend years believing in a God, you're not going to start listening to reason without a long, hard fight.

I just hope I can build people's esteems up as they go, so they realize that they are the ones in control of their own lives. Hopefully before it gets too set in their minds that they are powerless.

If anyone is reading this - You're not powerless. God doesn't exist, and therefore cannot grant your wishes. But think hard about this: If he did exist, and he really loved you, would he let you get hurt? Would he let you suffer as you undoubtedly have in your life? Would he let millions starve to death? Would he let pedophiles preach his gospel without any kind of reprimand? Would he create this world in such a flawed manner, only to punish the creation for displaying those same flaws?

It doesn't make sense. But what does make sense is you. Your intellect, your abilities, they have gotten you this far, and they will only continue to grow and carry you forward. Don't waste your brain cells and your future on an imaginary being (who really isn't all that great even if he was real).

Spend your present on your future. Don't spend it on maybes and fantasy. You're worth more than that.