On 17th October 2006, my Mum passed away after a year-long battle with cancer.
Now I know all Mums are special, but I think everyone who knew mine would agree that she was more special than most. Mum had a lot of friends, and at her funeral, the chapel was packed. She lived an amazing life, and influenced a lot of people. She ran a youth group, set up and ran an advice and counselling centre, and gave hospitality to dozens of people from all around the world.
In her late forties, Mum learned to drive; not to go shopping at Tesco, but to join my Dad on an expedition in east Africa. For three weeks they drove around together, camping out in some of the wildest places on earth. In her sixties, they went pony trekking in the Himalayas. In her seventies, Mum learned to use a computer and email. That was the sot of person she was. She was a kind, gentle, courageous and remarkable woman who lived life to the full.
Which started me thinking.
If there really is no God...
If there is no afterlife...
And if death is the end, and life has no purpose...
Then what a horrendous, evil and baseless thing this evolution is - if that is what has given us birth. For it created sentient beings and endowed them with life; surrounded them with beauty, love, excitement, wonder; gave them the ability to understand and appreciate all those things and more; only to snatch that life away from them, without hope of redemption.
What sort of sadistic cruelty is that? What kind of torment? Why do atheists waste their breath railing against God, in whom they claim not to believe? Curse evolution! May it rot in hell! May it's name be covered in shame and disgrace, and may no-one speak of it again! It is the unkindest, cruellest, most worthless and wretched thing ever to blot the face of the earth.
If...
Now I know all Mums are special, but I think everyone who knew mine would agree that she was more special than most. Mum had a lot of friends, and at her funeral, the chapel was packed. She lived an amazing life, and influenced a lot of people. She ran a youth group, set up and ran an advice and counselling centre, and gave hospitality to dozens of people from all around the world.
In her late forties, Mum learned to drive; not to go shopping at Tesco, but to join my Dad on an expedition in east Africa. For three weeks they drove around together, camping out in some of the wildest places on earth. In her sixties, they went pony trekking in the Himalayas. In her seventies, Mum learned to use a computer and email. That was the sot of person she was. She was a kind, gentle, courageous and remarkable woman who lived life to the full.
Which started me thinking.
If there really is no God...
If there is no afterlife...
And if death is the end, and life has no purpose...
Then what a horrendous, evil and baseless thing this evolution is - if that is what has given us birth. For it created sentient beings and endowed them with life; surrounded them with beauty, love, excitement, wonder; gave them the ability to understand and appreciate all those things and more; only to snatch that life away from them, without hope of redemption.
What sort of sadistic cruelty is that? What kind of torment? Why do atheists waste their breath railing against God, in whom they claim not to believe? Curse evolution! May it rot in hell! May it's name be covered in shame and disgrace, and may no-one speak of it again! It is the unkindest, cruellest, most worthless and wretched thing ever to blot the face of the earth.
If...
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