Is This the Best They Can Do?


Recently the Freedom From Religion Foundation felt they needed to get their message out there during the holiday season. Along with the Nativity scene and the "holiday tree" (Pleeeese! - It's a Christmas tree!), they put out a simple sign to somehow balance the festive mood. "There is only our natural world. Religion is but a myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds," the placard outside the Washington state capitol proudly reads. The picture to the right is one I found on the web. It may be the whole message of which the newspaper only caught a part.

But is that the best they can do? Only a negative message during an otherwise positive season? Only a negation on what is not and never an affirmation of what there is to celebrate? How sad. I would have thought they might at least have celebrated their faith in humankind's ability to solve the world's problems. Or maybe their optimism in the boundless human spirit to do good to their fellow man. Something. Then again, maybe they don't have such optimism. Maybe they only see the world as horribly oppressed by all those narrow-minded Christians. Maybe all they have to proclaim is what is not. There's nothing for them to celebrate. Their one shot at encouraging the world sounds no more upbeat than Simon and Garfunkels' "Dust in the Wind."

Don’t hang on
nothing lasts forever
but the earth and sky
It slips away
and all your money
wont another minute buy

Dust in the wind
all we are is dust in the wind
Dust in the wind

I guess there's still a reason for Christians to proclaim the miracle of the Savior's birth after all. There is more than just this "natural world." And something does last forever. It is Christ.

Comments

Bob Hunter said…
I didn't know Simon and Garfunkel had ever sung that song. In any event it was written and recorded by Kansas. Their drummer is a Christian. Don't know if he was then or not.
December 6, 2008 at 10:57:00 AM PST
Anonymous said…
Don,

Where did you go? I realize this time of the church year is busy, but even MY pastor is taking time to go bowling...

Are things OK? Did you take a call to somewhere with no internet?

Missing your insight.

INI
January 25, 2009 at 8:40:00 PM PST
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