h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There once was a little man who thought that he was so clever that he was better than the person who made him.

He got the idea that he did not like being under the authority of the person who made him, and so invented a strategy to get rid of him out of his life.

He employed a nice little technique, a useful tool, called 'denial'.

This was a very clever little tool, he thought, as it made him feel so good, and free. He could do as he wished with no conscience about it. He simply employed his little tool every time anyone spoke to him about his maker. He would say, "I don't believe it! He cannot exist, because I am denying his existence. Therefore no such person as 'my maker' can exist."

Those who spoke to him were reminded of their childhood, when they saw little friends clap their hands over their eyes, and say, "You can't see me!"

The trouble is, that there was something deep in him that kept nagging him; something which was far deeper than his mind, and the superficial level of day to day life. Still, as long as he kept up his little defence of denial, all was well. He could do as his maker told him not to, and still feel happy. He was untroubled by any conscience.

One sort of person used to irritate him though; those who kept on reminding him of the inevitable, and the fact that his maker has already said what was going to happen when he died. He really did not like them. He would rail at them, and do everything to try and shut them up! He did not want his little tool; 'denial', to be shaken! Hadn't this little god of his given him peace from a bad conscience?! And had it not given him freedom from obeying his maker?! Of course! He was not going to let these people who spoke of the maker get to him! Oh, no! He loved his freedom from him how made him, and being his own lord and god.

Little by little, over his life, our man got harder and harder, as every time he was told of the maker's requirments he employed his little tool, and each time it got easier and easier to brush off these ones who insisted on telling him about the maker. He got to the stage eventually where he was not affected by thoughts of the maker at all, and was so little disturbed by those who spoke of him that he hardly needed to get into employing his little tool at all! "Boy," he thought to himself, "I really am strong and hard now!" Which was true, of course.

One day, as he was enjoying himself he suddenly felt ill, and realised that he was having a heart attack. He reached for his little tool which had served him so well, "This is not happening to me! Did I not say that I would live forever! I got rid of this with that nonesense about 'the maker'!" But he died........and all that his maker said would happen, did happen.

Justin,

Surely it would be possible to argue that your type of faith, or any type of faith at all, is also a form of denial. That's what faith is all about - you constantly deny the idea that there isn't a God, which is equal to the denial of an atheist.

"He cannot exist, because I am denying his existence". Your logic is pretty poor here, to be honest. Not denying something doesn't automatically guarantee existence, it's just a personal opinion. If I woke up tomorrow and suddenly believed in God, that would not (logically) mean that he actually existed, would it?

Your denial argument only stands up if a person has some kind of inner, repressed faith in God. Unfortunately for you, I and many other people do not even possess this basic faith and have nothing to deny.

Little man with his little technique, employing his little tool, using his little defense until - hey - little by little he . . . DIED.

Well, unlike your little man, I don't know anyone who thinks they are going to live forever.

I thought that last parable lacked a variety of adjectives and other descriptive phrases. Notably missing was 'the teeth of death', one of my personal favourites.

az

"This was a very clever little tool, he thought, as it made him feel so good, and free. He could do as he wished with no conscience about it. He simply employed his little tool every time anyone spoke to him about his maker. He would say, "I don't believe it! He cannot exist, because I am denying his existence. Therefore no such person as 'my maker' can exist.""

I wonder who that could be. You've said that knowone who God has revield himself to CAN deny him, even if they want to.

On the other hand, those who have not met God aren't denying him, they simply have no reason to take him more seriously than a person who tells them they are paralized when they clearly aren't.


You see, the only ones who could be using denial to avoid God are ones who you say can't do so.

"On the other hand, those who have not met God aren't denying him, they simply have no reason to take him more seriously than a person who tells them they are paralized when they clearly aren't."

A better way to put this would be using one of your favorite analogies.

You like to talk about someone who jumps of a building and denies gravity. That is denial, because the person has a hidden knowledge that gravity is real. They can pretend it isn't reall, but they're lieing to themself, they know better. Likewise, a person who pretended to be immortal would be using denial--they have plenty of good reasons to know they will die.

On the other hand, the case of a person who says that God doesn't exist is not denial. They have no reason to think that God, as defined by the Bible and your statements, exists. As you yourself have said, the truth in the Bible and your words cannot be really understood by sinners--only the unsaved can recognize it. Thus, a unsaved person who hears you or others talk of their maker is in a position simialar to a person walking down the street who is warned by a passer-by that if they take two more steps they will be on a special piece of pavement that will reverse gravity and launch them into the air, killing them. It may be that the person who warns them is right, and actually knows the person who put the piece of pavement there. Still, what would you do if someone told you that? What would any normal person do, confronted by a statement that makes so little sence in the context of the world they know? They would naturally ignore it. They would not be dening it; they would simply be ignoring a claim that sounds rediculous /

All good stuff folks, but for me this particular bit stands out.

>>Those who spoke to him were reminded of their childhood, when they saw little friends clap their hands over their eyes, and say, "You can't see me!"

Justin's own viewpoint also reminds me of childhood, particularly in view of the present season. Children across the land are currently held in thrall by the prospect of what they may receive towards the end of the month. Parents can command almost instant obedience, simply through voicing an empty threat.

"Remember, you have to be good because Santa is coming. He has a list and will cross you off if you don't behave!"

There is a remarkable parallel, isn't there? Belief is a rod of such power that it can cause us to act against our nature.

For example, Justin has confessed to adultery, but his belief in his god now prevents him from acting on such impulses. However, this would mean that Justin is acting against his nature and therefore IS in denial. Perhaps Justin's sermonising is a reflection of his need to do something other than act in accordance with his nature.

Madent

Oh gosh, I missed the part about the 'little friends'.

Honestly, Justin, why is everybody and everything 'little'? I suggest you get a thesaurus.

az

Hi Azahar

"Well, unlike your little man, I don't know anyone who thinks they are going to live forever. "

Oh yes you do! Justin is going to live forever in a poodle like existence glorifying the genocidal maniac he calls his God.

Blessings,
Matholwch /|\.

I think Justin is trying out his sermons on us. Rather than picking holes I think we should help him to improve his technique, offer some constructive criticism.

I think you could do with making yourmetaphors and examples fir the subject better, that car one was not very good. A farm wold have been better as it needs conctant attention, or a garden.

Go for that, god gives people these plots of land and they have to tend them look at the plants and see when they need wtering, you have to read the manual to know how to treat the plants and if you dont they will wither and your beautiful garden will become overgrown.

Ofvourse dont dig too deep in the garden or you might find fossils of animals and plants that lived over 6,500 years ago. Just stick to the manual weeding out sin and dont ask any difficult questions.

hi Blicky,

In fact, Justin did try a garden parable, but he got it wrong that apple trees could *only* produce apples. Apparently he was not up on basic agricultural methods like grafting.

<>

Well, you see, this always makes me wonder. It's not just 6,500 years ago, heck, we're talking millions of years of life existing on this planet. So where was this Christian God before Christ was born? What was He doing? And especially, what was He doing before he created everything?

I have always wondered about that.

az