I try not to, but I would not really object to praying for a “helping hand.”
Firstly, it is a “hand,” which “helps,” so regardless of the non-existence of
any godhead, any one or a number of human beings can extend the needed
assistance or comfort. I picture the rise of medical science as not only being
through the experimentation and observation of natural materials by
intrigued pioneers, but also the endeavor of devoted human beings wanting
to minimize suffering and save lives. Any and all prayers that are
“answered,” lives that are saved are due to the work of the descendants of
the very first humans who conceived that they can defeat the threats to
their lives on their own – just imagine what a feeling that must have been!
The first time a human saved the life of another…. That religion still endures
is an insult to our esteemed ancestors who started us on that journey, but
the fruits of their labors have only multiplied.
Although the United Nations did not answer the prayers of the people of
Rwanda in 1994-95, neither did any of the gods. Only one of them will hang
their head in shame over it. A conscientious atheist will find it less ridiculous
to watch a person pray to, say, Doctors Without Borders or the Red Cross,
because he or she will know that there is a chance that this prayer to these
particular entities will be answered. The only entity that has repeated their
commitment, in both word and action, to helping humanity is humanity
itself. The gods only demand loyalty, after which they may or may not be
inclined to help. When humanity fails, it is confronted with its failure, and its
members attempt to overcome it. When the world failed Rwanda, we
pledged “never again.” You may criticize humanity for failing that promise
since, but what, pray, did you hear from your God(s)? Has your deity ever
made a single promise of “never again?” To the contrary – divine
interventions are to destroy cities and send in catastrophes to “test” the
believers.... The Red Cross will not stop working if it does not get a “thank
you” from the people it helps; the various gods will not even consider
starting until your loyalty and gratitude has been duly deposited and you
sign away the right to withdraw. By the way, if you have direct scriptural
evidence that god is causing or allowing the problems in the first place, why
do you turn to him to stop them? When we first turned away from religion,
we got medical science. It is only because of it that we have a second
chance to turn away from religion; without it, we would have died out long
ago, leaving none of our gods the wiser….
P a g e | 213