ALTRUISM

Dawkins, the writer of "The God Delusion" makes some interesting points even though in my opinion he repeatedly mischaracterizes faith, argues that there is a gene and its relentless drive for survival that explains the existence of all living things and he argues we humans are at last far enough to be able to rebel again est our genetic imperatives. It is true that science cannot prove or disprove God to those who do not want to find Him. God is not on trial and if one tries like I did to read the book "God is Dead" each story is totally depressing as life becomes not worth living.

Why do most of us value altruism? Dawkins writes "We can even discuss ways of deliberately cultivating and nurturing pure, disinterested altruism--something that has no place in nature [disagree] something that has never existed before in the whole history of the world" [disagree]. What he seems to be saying is that we do good deeds out of a desire for reward and this is the morality of Christianity.

C. S. Lewis writes "If there was a controlling power outside the universe, it could not show itself to us as one of the facts inside the universe-no more than the architect of a house could actually be a wall or staircase or fireplace in that house. The only way in which we would expect it to show itself would be inside ourselves as an influence or a command trying to get us to behave in a certain way. And that is just what we do find inside ourselves. Surely this ought to arouse our suspicions?"

In the end can faith in God seem more rational than disbelief? Faith does not demand proof but is open to the possibility of a spiritual reality that is bigger than us and yet lives within us. There are good and caring people all around us and we can believe in all different facets of the truths. Faith will conflict with reality when we read stories of the horror in places like the refuge camp in the North Darfar region of the Sudan. God remains hidden in the violence of death and hatred. God also remains hidden in our affunence.