spirit-byeI’ve been stewing about this one for several days.

Recently, a Facebook comment had me wondering at the unrecognized arrogance and self-importance of religious believers.

A woman posted a rather long comment praising Jesus and God for the gift He had given her.  Her story is basically this:  She was unable to be at her side when her mother died, and she felt terrible about it.  Once she did arrive however, she felt her mother’s spirit pass through her as it left to ascend to heaven.  This woman ascribed that as a gift from God to ease her grief and regret.

My first thought?  How utterly arrogant and self-centered!

Let me see if I understand this?  You are so important in God’s eyes that he felt the need to comfort you in your loss by letting you experience Mom’s spirit leaving her body?  (one wonders why Mom hung around the corpse rather than heading out right away, but that’s another blog for another time.)

Meanwhile,

starving-child-5 these kids are starving to death.  God doesn’t seem to be interested in helping them feel good.  You know, by providing enough food for them to eat.

God doesn’t want that woman to feel bad about Mom’s passing, but it must be part of his “plan” to let thousands of children die each day from hunger and disease.

If anyone wonders how I can be an atheist, here’s just one small reason.  If your God wants my worship, he’s going to have to demonstrate better priorities.  Starving children come before adults not being sad.