Why doesn’t God pay tax? I’m not suggesting that God actually does the transfer. He has elected representatives among us, apparently — and authorised them, allegedly, to collect funds on his behalf. Some of them have outfits and everything. The ruling that God’s money is safe from SARS can only ensure that shysters and thieves breed under and cling to his holy hem. If we audited churches and had them cough up, surely we would help create a better average quality of believer, surely? Wouldn’t the faithful like the idea that we assist them and close loopholes in tax laws that will keep the worms out? Why would you resist such a suggestion? Because we hate scrutinising our strongest beliefs — faith is like writing or music — the popular kinds are seldom any good. Questioning what you believe is not to destroy your belief, it’s to make sure the thing you believe in has foundations — a house built on rock, I think it says.
I know some people have already started to react to the above words. That knee-jerk is what has kept flimsy houses up for centuries. While most things are open for debate, and for humour, the one monolithic no-no that rapes the simple symmetry of the human horizon is this nonsense that God is beyond us. Even for a religious person, it is ridiculous that this omnipotent Pops we have refuses to play with his children. How much would I love my daughter if I refused to laugh with her, at myself? Would I prefer her to dress in camouflage and be solemn and slaughter my critics, maybe even kill herself in protest? Would I demand that she intimidate cartoonists for humanising me, trying to rationalise the foibles of my imperfect fans? I would be a monster.
What is chilling is all the evidence that, if God does exist, we are his ego. Perhaps our suffering is his conversion to eastern philosophy?
If we write off our deities as completely beyond our understanding, surely trying to venerate them is as pointless as Joost promising fidelity? Religious people bandy words about such as “merciful”. How does that become such mouldy manna in the hands of zealots and blinkered loons who keep punishing each other on behalf of their all-powerful bosses upstairs?
Do people honestly believe that omnipresent and omniscient beings beyond our grasp need something as weak and deranged as a human being to enforce their divine rights? Are we to put all our eggs in the basket of an almighty that needs to hide behind us? Why should we put up with stuffed shirts grabbing cash from the poor and old and sick and desperate, and worse — the faithful — on behalf of voices in books written for God by people? How do you like that, we wrote the operator’s manual for our Creator … pretty shameless if you ask me.
Why hasn’t heaven stepped in for the Jews if they are chosen, or Palestine if they have been so wronged — or before America dropped hell on Japan? Where was God as the planes banked towards the Towers? Do we really credit God with the moral ethics of the CIA, who knew but thought they would wait and see how things would unfold? Are you serious that Blood River was his one chosen moment to kick some butt and he sided with the only people in the fight who had guns? Smart choice but hardly great PR. What about orphans? Everyone loves an orphan. Perhaps during a hurricane, that would be on CNN, and we love a good special-effects piece, don’t we?
What kind of dad would I be if I allowed my child to play with fire, electricity or venomous snakes, or maim other children who said I was an idiot? Or if I allowed my child to spew hatred, or form groups of armed kids, and allow them to go around, breaking other kids’ toys and forcing others to submit to their will? You would not stand for me then, you would stare and shake your head and mutter disapproval, one or two of you might call the authorities and report me. How come our Father can do all of the above, allegedly?
Around now, some may quote fear of hell as a good motivator to avoid such heresy … do you really believe there is a place where people do worse things to each other than here? Look around — we have authored suffering that would send shivers down a devil’s spine. And would a deity who wanted me to emulate their positive essence really dangle me over a pit of monsters to extract a sincere expression of love … come on kids, I’m off to paint eggs so the bunny can lay them to remember a guy who was nailed to a cross to save me, because I was born bad … which is not odd, because on his birthday, a pagan priest visits a pine tree in my lounge to eat sacrifices and leave bribes for children before he vanishes over a ritual fire – oy vey — are we screwed.
You know, atheists may have a bleak Christmas, but perhaps they know how to truly appreciate miracles for what they are — chance dancing with itself.
the greatest thing that this ” God”, u mention, did was and is to give people the power to make choices and decision for themselves and they ( the people)would then take full credit for it( the choices made and decision taken) without being dummies or robots.
Great post. We need more clarity of thought and less belief. I think the Roman Catholic Church is the biggest single land owner due to not paying municipal taxes.
As the fictional rabbi once said, render unto Cesar that which is Cesar’s. I do disagree with you about Christmas being a bleak period of the year for atheists, it’s the one time of year when the hypocrisy of secular religion really shines and makes for some great entertainment when they try to explains this, using logic which is topographically similar to a möbius Strip.
religion is a scam, that’s why i’m opening my own church so i can afford nicer things in life (and guess what? still stand a chance to eternal life)!
God told Paul, when Paul had some serious issues, which he wanted God to sort out:- “My Grace is sufficient”
God does NOT solve OR create problems, I believe He wants us by His Grace, to use the brain cells we have to sort out our own problems. God does not start wars or end wars, God does not create problems or solve problems, we do !
I personally have issues with individuals who “in the name of God” seem to acquire great wealth. I am not against the giving of tithes to any religious denomination, what I question is how the funds are spent.
Do we really need these very expensive and overly decorated places of worship ? Do the people who are placed in a position of leadership and who are there to give us guidance really need to have expensive homes, cars and clothes ?
My God is a humble God who says that we have to take care of the poor and give comfort to those in need, not enrich ourselves and build magnificent monuments to his glory.
I would like to think that I give praise and glory to God by the way I conduct my life and not by the place where I go to worship.
Jesus said” “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s ”
Just a thought … It is so easy to blame God or the Devil for our misfortunes !!
Preaching to the converted hey … Think I’m going to start my own little tax-free religion. Just need to work up a little faith.
Excellent piece! Next time someone asks me why I’m an atheist I will point them in the direction of this article.
Very good, I enjoyed that, especially the bit about faith being like writing or music. I’m currently doing my Masters, essentially in unpopular faith, so I’ll be sure to quote you. (I am an ordained minister)
Whether there is a god or not, it is faith that enables people to accomplish really crazy but great feats. Do you really think it was a foregone conclusion that 470 men, women and children armed with single shot muskets and two small cannons would be victorious against an impi of 15 000? At leat the Voortrekkers themselves didn’t think so, otherwise they wouldn’t have bothered with the vow.
I always thought comedians poked fun at religion and the strange antics of believers because it sells tickets. Seems some of you actually do believe…that religion is just too weird and the antics of the believers is, well… really funny.
Thanks for clearing that up.
Brilliant piece, by the way…
Hmmmm… life after death?
Life is just a tad pointless unless we try to be something beyond what we are.
To be an atheist one has to believe in not believing. So then an atheist is a believer – usually a fanatical one like MsAnnThrope above.
A believer in nothing but dust.
Well said, John – agree with all that you said. But as in Blackadder when he explained how the 1st World war started: “there’s only a teensy-weeny problem. Its all bollocks!”
The problem with religion/God is explained above succinctly. But the problems come in when one considers something as profound as “consciousness”. I still find my mind drifting on sleepless nights into the direction of “Why?” And for all its test tubes, Bunsen burners and white-suited clever people, science (and atheists) have never answered the “why” question, just the “how” question.
I have seen and experienced things that the rational mind and white-coats cannot explain, yet there is no evidence whatsoever for the interventionist god. I’m confused about the whole thing, because instinct and common sense are at loggerheads within me.
That’s why I practice the One True Faith: Agnosticism. My faith isn’t strong enough to follow any religion – including atheism.
@ Ms Ann Thorpe
If you have to use this article to validate your atheism it is truly sad and lacks conviction.
I do not think that the object of this article was to denounce any Deity or belief. I rather think it yet another typical Vlismas warning to be aware that there are charlatans who get rich from the gullible who follow blindly and mindlessly.
To question and seek answers does not destroy faith…
I rather like the idea of perhaps not a tax, but of an obligation for all religions to have an open and transparent system so that all can see how those hard earned tithe money is spent. How much is truly spent in the service of the needy, the poor and the orphans ?
I pay my 10th but not to any particular religion, but where I see a need, and if that means it goes to a soup kitchen, or a particular cause or person then that is where it goes.
And every day I am thankful for what I have and I rejoice in the Grace, mercy and love of my God, who is not going to dangle me over a pit of monsters, but knows just how very fallible I am.
“Look around — we have authored suffering that would send shivers down a devil’s spine.”
Hammer! Nail! Head! Whabaa!!!!
@Gerry
Lovely comment. I feel the same.
I must say that I don’t support the No GOD approach. I rather we debate the tax issue. Churches have become such a quick rich scheme that they should be paying tax. On what basis are they not paying taxes? Every guy who does not have enough education to be employed and has the gift of the gap opens a church and start siphoning money off poor and elderly. Has there eve been a debate on the tax issue by the authorities? At least it will make sure that the books are kept correctly and there is accountability.
“Would I prefer her to dress in camouflage and be solemn and slaughter my critics, maybe even kill herself in protest?”
For some reason that made me can myself with laughter. Maybe its the sleep deprivation, but it could also possibly be the pure analogy it represents. Funny how people have multiple standards when it comes to these things.
~ Wogan
Well put. I am what most people would call a “born-again Christian”, and as such I value belief and thought. I commend you mostly highly for a well thought out and well stated piece of writing. You are right. These are questions that are not logical if we really do believe what we say we believe. As Christians, Muslims, Jews, etc., we really do need to spend a whole lot more time living what we say we believe.
Your analogy of father and children is perfectly in line with (especially) Christian theology and is a wonderfully hard-hitting and much-needed word in the ear of Christians. (I can really only speak within the context of my own belief here.)
Thank you, and may God protect you from the idiots in camouflage.
Nice to see this debate in the public realm, and brazenly so. The challenge to actually think instead of blindly believe must be a terrifying prospect for the religeous mind. This piece must scare the be’Jesus outta them. And who knows, maybe even liberate one or two from their self-imposed oppression. Great stuff
Great article, we all need a shock to make us think. Religions, like all man made things, have faults plus good points. Would you use your sharp and funny mind to pointing out the good that religions and faith does in the world thus logically building those good traits and lessening the bad traits??
Brent
Delightful article, John. Religions evolved to suit the needs of our most distant ancestors for whom existence itself was a great mystery. It still is, regardless of one’s ‘beliefs’. What I find fascinating is the way religion mirrored the development of the primitive mind which attributed ‘creation’ first to animals (a turtle carries the world on its back; a crocodile founds a dynasty, etc.), then a mother goddess (females miraculously gave birth so god must be female), to unseen forces like those that power volcanoes, earthquakes, etc. to gods (Hey, we have power, too, girls and we have the weapons to enforce it, therefore, god is male).
Moving from concrete animism to abstract ‘supernaturalism’ is not, however, progress, except in one particular: the essence of existence is invisible to the human eye. How did visible matter (including us) come from invisible ‘energy’, the wave/particle phenomenon (Heisenberg; Higgs-Boson)? If we posit ‘god’ as the invisible ‘creator’ of all that exists, then ‘god’ is essentially the energy that ‘creates’ matter. I have no problem with that definition–as long as we don’t start attributing anthropic motive and intention to that energy. We don’t know enough about the universe/s to posit anything beyond a vague generative force that we call energy and some choose to equate with the notion of ‘god’.
The ‘miracle’ is that anything exists at all. There is no reason that it should.
Which brings us back to the origin of religion in human origin.
“Worship” is essentially appeasement. It’s a sort of bargain: I’ll sing your praises, god, and in return I expect protection from harm. “Sacrifice” is also appeasement whether it is to ‘honour the ancestors’ or to ‘atone’ for some infraction of the divine rules.
The idea that ‘god’ would plan and permit the ‘sacrifice’ of ‘his’ only son is enough to put me off religion forever–never mind that it’s the most pagan act imaginable! How is torturing and killing a man a ‘redemption’ of anything? “God” lost nothing as his “son” just ‘ascended’ back to where he came from–heaven. (“Hey, Lilith, put the kettle on, JC is back home.”) “God” made no ‘sacrifice’ at all. It was the ‘son’ who did the sacrificing and forgave his torturers/murderers into the bargain. What a great kid. Just the kind every parent would want, right? What the heck, when you’re immortal to begin with, life is cheap.
Religion is fascinating in as much as it reveals us to ourselves–but only if we question it and only if we go to the trouble of tracing the origins of each religion. Only when we discover that our religious myths (the first humans; the ‘Garden of Eden”; virgin birth; spirit doves; resurrection and ascension, etc.) are common to many religions OLDER than the Judeo-Christian or Islamic ones, are we in a position to decide what we ‘believe’.
Ignorance spawns belief , not virtue. Knowledge spawns tolerance of different/no beliefs.
The thorny issue of Tax money and religion is raised in the article below. A Christian students’ group sued the University of California over the issue of freedom of religion being exercised on campus. The US Supreme Court just released its ruling. A great example of why we need the separation of Church and State.
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_15394442
Preach it, Brother John, preach it!
Society needs to grow up and spit out this ancient dummy of superstition.
In centuries to come, people will look back on today’s religions in much the same way as today’s western society looks back on the Flat Earthers, witch burners and the like.
“When one person suffers from a delusion it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called religion.” (Robert M Pirsig)