Louisville Process Theology Network

Carl Sagan's Search, III

May 14, 2009

Not an Experiment, page 287


?“You see, the religious people ?– most of them ?– really think this planet is an experiment. That?’s what their beliefs come down to. Some god or other is always fixing, poking, and messing around with tradesmen?’s wives, giving tablets on the mountains, commanding you to mutilate your children, telling people what words they can say what words they can?’t say, making people feel guilty about enjoying themselves, and like that. Why can?’t the gods leave well enough alone?

All this intervention speaks of incompetence. If God didn?’t want Lot?’s wife to look back, why didn?’t he make her obedient, so she?’d do what her husband told her? Of if he hadn?’t made Lot such a jerk, maybe she would?’ve listened to him more. If God is omnipotent and omniscient, why didn?’t he start the universe out in the first place so it would come out the way he wants?

Why is he constantly repairing and complaining? No, there?’s one thing the ?‘Bible?’ makes clear: The biblical God is a sloppy manufacturer. He?’s not good at design; he?’s not good at execution. He?’d be out of business if there was any competition.

That?’s why I don?’t believe we?’re an experiment.?”



To be continuted in the next post.