IT'S NOT BLISS
Steven Rice
You should have seen the look on the face of the nice young girl behind the counter at the bookstore. There I was, decked from head to toe in black, save the telltale white collar of a priest, handing the bookstore employee The Portable Atheist and The God Delusion and my credit card. I don't know for sure, but I got the impression from her look that she was glad she didn't go to my church. No worries for those who may be concerned; I have not abandoned faith. I have, however, become fascinated with a growing number of prominent and intelligent writers who not only do not believe in the existence of God (or any god) but also have made it their mission to tell others why they should not believe in God.

Sitting on my desk right now are five books on the problems of religion, the abuses of religion and the scientific reasons for not believing in God. The thing that really bugs me about these books is not their subject matter; people of faith have been writing books for hundreds of years arguing for the existence of God. In a nation where we are free to express our ideas, we shouldn't be surprised or even bothered when views contrary to our own are published. I just wish those who disagree with me would know what it is I believe before telling me I'm delusional.

I think I owe it to those with whom I disagree to know their thoughts, ideas, and beliefs before dismissing their intellect or sincerity. And Heaven knows many people in my line of work have written books on science and philosophy without cracking the first book, either.

In a world of growing epidemics, the one that concerns me the most is not necessarily atheism or liberalism or conservatism or any other ism. It's ignorance. Being ignorant doesn't mean you're stupid; it just means you do not know. You haven't a clue. Never heard of it. It's news to you.

The fatal flaw of the five books on my desk is that the faith they find delusional is not the faith I hold.

Judging the heights and depths and widths of and breadths of faith based on a limited selection of views and writings would be like me judging all of physics, including Einstein and Newton, based on my 8th grade science class (no offense, Mrs. Strom). It's not fair and it's not intellectually honest.

There's a new slavery brewing and it's subtle; those with knowledge bank on the majority not knowing (or not caring). With an epidemic of ignorance, those in the know can play on emotion and fear in politics, relationships and religion and get what they want from whom they want. The greatest tool we have is our mind. With the Internet, libraries, and seemingly countless avenues for free access to information, we should be steadily and surely eradicating the plague of ignorance, or at least trying.

Knowledge is the great equalizer. Knowledge is the key that unlocks the shackles that keep so many chained. Knowledge leads to truth, which will set us free. I recently went back to the same bookstore and handed the clerk another book, this time it was George Orwell's 1984. Do you remember this book? Do you remember Orwell's terrifying view of a future society controlled by Big Brother with ThoughtPolice and the whole bit?

Big Brother had three slogans to keep the people in check by brainwashing them to actually believe in them: War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength. I don't know if Big Brother is watching. But sometimes I think Big Brother is smiling.