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Generations of agnostics and religionists a/ike have been ba.ffled. Hot
debate has raged for centuries. Philosophers have long inquired about
God's whereabouts. Theologians have long made excuses for His
absence. But must we make excuses for God? Why has God hidden
Himse/f! /t's time to get a straight answer.
gnostic Arnold finally
got Religious Ralph.
After years of late
hours and vigorous
discussions, Reli–
gious Ralph was
backed into a cor–
ner. He couldn't refute Agnostic Ar–
nold's argument.
Could you? T ry.
Here's Arnie's argument:
"Your God claims to be the all–
powerful C reator of the entire uní–
verse. But man doubts His very exis–
tence! And supposedly man is your
God's greatest creation. That doesn't
make sense.
"If
your God really exists, why
doesn't He show Himself? l f He
openly made Himself known to al!
mankind, nobody could question
whether or not He exists. Nations
would be at peace, our problems
would be solved, man would be hap–
py. But your God has conveniently
chosen to hide! Come on now, tell me
why!"
Religious Ralph was stunned. All
those years of Sunday school went
down the drain . He fidgeted and
mumbled, "God is trying to save the
world. Look at a ll His churches."
26
by
Jon Hill
Instantly a confident smile e rupted
on Agnostic Arnold's tlushed face.
Poor Ralph was stuck. Sensing a kili ,
Aggressive Arnie pressed his attack.
"AH right, Ralphy hoy, l 'll look at
all His churches. What a bickering
mishmash of contradictory concepts,
superstitious incantations, hypocriti–
cal ministers and unconcerned mem–
bers. Open your eyes, Ralph. You
look at all His churches-closeted in
steepled sanctuaries and fighting
among themselves about every ab–
surd interpretation of every irrele–
vant doctrine. And al! the while so–
ciety tumbles from very bad to even
worse. Ralphy boy, mankind is going
to exterminate itself-and your God
is just going to watch!
"You admit that your hypothetical
God could appea r to the whole world
if He wished to. He could clear up
His mess if He wanted to. So 1 guess
He just doesn ' t care. Because He's
staying safely hidden. Maybe He
likes the world the way it is!
"Your God must have made a very
willful decision to obscure His pres–
ence. Therefore, Ralphy hoy, we can
only conclude that what your God
does want is for man to doubt His
existence. Obviously He enjoys gaz–
ing upon little men running a round
blindfolded in the dark- forever
questioning but never knowing, for–
ever searching but never finding.
" Your God professes to be merci–
ful-yet He creates man with a burn–
ing desire to comprehend eterna!
truth and at the same time makes it
impossible for him to ever attain it.
Like a child holding a beetle on its
back, watching it thrash its way to
death, your God has conjured up
man merely to be the butt of a cotos–
sal cosmic joke."
Religious Ralph helplessly an–
swered, " l know God exists by faith!"
With that he pretended to dismiss Ag–
nostic Arnold's argument. But they
both knew that Offensive Arnie's rea–
soning prevailed. So with a condes–
cending slap on the back and with a
brisk walk to the door, Triumphant
Arnie departed. And a whipped Reli–
gious Ralph stumbled back to his chair
and slumped into it.
· Why does God hide Himself? A
dejected Reluctant Ralph bad to con–
fess that he just didn't know!
What About You?
Could you have answered Obnoxious
Arnie's arguments? God tells us not
to debate-but we should be able to
convict (not necessarily convince) the
gainsayers. We should be ready with
an answer to any who ask a reason
Th6
PLAIN TAUTH March 1979