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ATHEISTS AND BAD PEARS Militant atheists are daily seeking “goodies” against religion that they can post on their web sites so as to show the “lunacy” and “irrationality” of religionists – and they do find some. I have a pear tree in my back yard that reminds me daily of how “irrational” these atheists are in their fanatical search for rotten pears. Let me explain. As I peruse some of the more successful and fanatical web sites on atheism, I cannot help but smile at the “irrationality” that drives their authors. Their essential approach is simple to spotlight: find and exhibit anything strange, weird, crazy, illogical within religion and you will succeed in proving to the reader that religion is for fools. Simple, seemingly rational and with some poor souls, effective. Now back to my pear tree. My pear tree is a very fruitful tree. It is so full of pears that branches are curved to the breaking point. I go on occasion to find some ripe, ready-to eat pears and, upon close analysis, I find quite a variety of pears. Some pears are good to eat; some are spotted. Some clearly have worms in them, though part of them may be delicious. Some are partially rotten because birds have been pecking away at them and the remaining part is useless. Some are totally rotten. Some are not ripe yet, but they will be in the future. Some are bitter and I am careful to stay away from them, but unsuccessfully. Religion is like my pear tree. Do you want to find bad pears (Religious groups and individuals)? They are there. Do you want tasteless pears? They are there. Do you want bitter pears? They are there too. But there are also decent pears (groups and people) that live their religion quietly, honestly and lovingly. There are very active groups and individuals that help the needy with money, volunteers, and in various other ways. Whatever you want to find in the “vast” tree of Religion, you can find. If you, like atheists want to be subjective, critical, nasty, go ahead and point your finger at the rotten pears, but know that you are intentionally evading the good ones. I encourage people who have been influenced by the nasty atheist sites to stop and reflect about the whole picture. Look for good pears on the tree of religion and you will find them. Most of all, remember that people choose to be who they are and their choices have nothing to do with the existence of a Creator. In fact, you may find that like you the Creator is also turned off by hypocrisy, lies, distortions, and manipulations that characterize some religious groups and individuals. Read the Gospel and you will find that such were the types of people that Jesus Christ directed most of his strongest criticism at. Yet he knew that good pears were around too and welcomed and applauded their shining example. That is fairness; that is true objectivity; that is honesty. Maybe Christ is not such a bad example to follow after all.
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