Friday, April 2, 2010

GOOD FRIDAY

It's Easter weekend. No better time to host an intelligent discussion about God. Some would argue that you can no more prove or disprove the existence of God than you can prove or disprove the supposition that this chocolate rabbit is the creative force behind the universe. It's a matter of faith, believers will tell you. Others won't dismiss the rabbit entirely but may quibble over whether it is hollow or solid chocolate, milk or bittersweet. Not to be sacrilegious (or sacrelicious) some might scoff at the existence of the chocolate rabbit even if it appeared to them Easter morning in a brightly colored basket.



Whatever you may think, you are welcome to your opinion--as long as you respect mine, and respect the divide between Church and State. If my belief in the rabbit compels me to kill you because you believe in the divinity of a Cadbury egg, say, or a chocolate Santa, then I've overstepped my rights. Rabbits and eggs, by the way, are pagan symbols of spring and rebirth and predate Easter by a longshot; the Christian holiday was conveniently superimposed on a pagan celebration. Check your history books. All in all, I mean no disrespect to whatever you may choose to believe, but I dare anyone to disprove my assertion that God is a chocolate rabbit. Solid, of course, and like the Truth, bittersweet.

In the meantime, here are some spiritual thinkers to discuss the matter.

"Atheist Spirituality," a talk by Alan Watts.

Philosopher Bertrand Russell, "Why I am not a Christian."

Christopher Hitchens, author of "God is Not Great," debates Jay Richards of the Creationist Discovery Institute.

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