The Nuttiest Nut in the Tree

I'm a bit outraged out at comments from the right about the Virginia Tech shooting, but Dinesh D'Souza's contribution, that when bad things happen, atheists are nowhere to be found, is choice.

What's hilarious is that historically the Problem of Evil has always been a problem for the devout - how can an all-perfect, all-loving God allow evil in the world?

These insane ideologues have actually turned that on its head and now think that the Problem of Evil is a problem for ATHEISTS, as if evil's existence proves God's existence or something. And D'Souza KNOWS this, and even addresses it!

Many responders informed me that tragedies are normally considered a problem for religion, not atheism. Where is God when bad things happen? Yes, people, I know this. My point was that if evil and suffering are a problem for religion--and they are--they are an even bigger problem for atheism.

When there is a tragedy like the one at Virginia Tech, the ones who are suffering cannot help asking questions, "Why did this have to happen?" "Why is there so much evil in the world?" "How can I possibly go on after losing my child?" And so on.

My point was that atheism has nothing to offer in the face of tragedy except C'est la vie. Deal with it. Get over it. This is why the ceremonies were suffused with religious rhetoric. Only the language of religion seems appropriate to the magnitude of tragedy.

Maybe to you. You certainly never asked Richard Dawkins or Sam Harris what they would say to the mourners. And because you can't imagine a world without a God doesn't mean nobody else can. People ask those questions out of a human need to try and impose order on chaos, meaning on the meaningless. Needs do not imply existence. You're building the world that works for you and then insisting that somebody else built it. You believe in God because it makes you feel better. You are more comfortable in a world with Osama bin Laden (D'Souza has previously agreed with bin Laden's critique that American culture is depraved), with a God who is angry and vengeful and enforces strict codes on His subjects, than a world which is secular.

And you have taken a senseless tragedy where even our god-lovin' evangelical President couldn't make up any meaning to it and used it as a club with which to beat atheists for no reason.

Feel threatened?