One of my favorite arguments that atheists like to promulgate is: how can you believe in a god that allows children and other innocent people to suffer? The argument is based on two false premises. First, that I can determine the reality of something based on whether or not its behavior is logically consistent with my expectations. Second, that it is HaShem who allows children and other innocent people to suffer.
The answer/refutation of both premises is: Do you believe in gravity? After all, gravity is certainly responsible for the vast majority of all skiing injuries! How can you possibly believe in a law of nature that would be so cruel? "Puh-leeze", you'll say, "I don't expect physical laws to be morally culpable, but I do expect HaShem to be!" Indeed; which is the answer to the question. 500 years ago, no one expected gravity to have anything to do with planetary motion. They were wrong because they had distorted view of how forces act at cosmic scales versus human scales. 100 years ago, no one thought light was attracted by gravity. They were wrong because they had a distorted view of what light is and how gravity interacts with the universe. In both cases (and more), it was not that gravity was doing anything funny, it was that the expectations were distorted. Throughout the centuries, gravity has remained unchanged; nobly remaining above our misunderstanding.
Since the atheist's idea of morality is his own creation, no one should be shocked that his moral compass is distorted. Moreover, the atheist believes with perfect faith that there is no world to come; death is the end. If someone believed there was no life after the womb, he would likewise be shocked and dismayed that people how no compunction whatsoever about cutting into a live fetus -- without even the benefit of anesthesia -- and doing surgery on organs that have no value (to the fetus in the womb), such as eyes and lungs. They are shocked and dismayed. We are complacent and mildly amused at their self-imposed plight.
But there is more. Gravity doesn't actually cause any ski accidents, not a single one. It is mountains, rocks, other skiers, and -- most importantly of all -- the skiers themselves that cause ski accidents.
The star of Pesach in general and the seder in particular is the matzah. Why matzah? Not because matzah is not chameitz. Matzah is not chameitz because we left in a rush, pushed out by the Egyptians -- completely unexpected. The message of Pesach, as exemplified by matzah, is that there is no cause and effect. There is only HaShem who provides us a world in which we can make choices and a Torah to guide us in the choices that will bring us closer to Him.
The answer/refutation of both premises is: Do you believe in gravity? After all, gravity is certainly responsible for the vast majority of all skiing injuries! How can you possibly believe in a law of nature that would be so cruel? "Puh-leeze", you'll say, "I don't expect physical laws to be morally culpable, but I do expect HaShem to be!" Indeed; which is the answer to the question. 500 years ago, no one expected gravity to have anything to do with planetary motion. They were wrong because they had distorted view of how forces act at cosmic scales versus human scales. 100 years ago, no one thought light was attracted by gravity. They were wrong because they had a distorted view of what light is and how gravity interacts with the universe. In both cases (and more), it was not that gravity was doing anything funny, it was that the expectations were distorted. Throughout the centuries, gravity has remained unchanged; nobly remaining above our misunderstanding.
Since the atheist's idea of morality is his own creation, no one should be shocked that his moral compass is distorted. Moreover, the atheist believes with perfect faith that there is no world to come; death is the end. If someone believed there was no life after the womb, he would likewise be shocked and dismayed that people how no compunction whatsoever about cutting into a live fetus -- without even the benefit of anesthesia -- and doing surgery on organs that have no value (to the fetus in the womb), such as eyes and lungs. They are shocked and dismayed. We are complacent and mildly amused at their self-imposed plight.
But there is more. Gravity doesn't actually cause any ski accidents, not a single one. It is mountains, rocks, other skiers, and -- most importantly of all -- the skiers themselves that cause ski accidents.
The star of Pesach in general and the seder in particular is the matzah. Why matzah? Not because matzah is not chameitz. Matzah is not chameitz because we left in a rush, pushed out by the Egyptians -- completely unexpected. The message of Pesach, as exemplified by matzah, is that there is no cause and effect. There is only HaShem who provides us a world in which we can make choices and a Torah to guide us in the choices that will bring us closer to Him.
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