Does God not exist?

I can look through my blog and see how may people have looked at each posting. I can't see who looked but I can see how many. The only way I know who read the posts is if you comment, and I'd love to have you do just that. Those who know me know that you can disagree with me and still be a dear friend to me.

I asked my students in my Christian Ed class if I'm really that scary a guy. They hesitated - which scared me - hen said, "Well, if someone dosn't know you. . ." OK, true enough, I guess.

The most-read posting was "Perpathy," the posting about a peculiar American illness, our incomprehensible sympathy for the perpetrators of horrific crimes. I had some help from a niece on that one. She loved my new word. (So do I.) The second most-read was "Does God Exist?"

Interesting thing about that one. I posted it on Facebook. Suddenly, in the "People You May Know" section, I'm seeing all sorts of names of people whose only cnnecting theme with each other is their professed atheism. Now, mind you, one's atheism is no barrier to a warm relationship with me, and don't see atheism as a barrier to having a strong conscience, a real sense of morality. You can't prove to me that you're right, and I can't prove to you that I am right, so let's make our peace with that and just - you lnow - relate. If you are not my brother or sister in the faith, you are still very much my brother or sister in this wonderful family called Humanity. I treasure that fellowship. (And the invitation to join in that family of faith is very much there - invittion, not command.)

But, why would anyone think that, because I ask the question, I must necessarily be atheist? What software at Facebook assumed otherwise? I respect atheists, but it is not my position. I thought that was pretty clear from the posting. So, tonight Iask the question in reverse.

But, we are brothers and sisters all. If you are in favor of finding a more humane and just system of immigration and of dealing with the people who have  been working and contributing here for years, you are my brother or sister. If you are angered by the arrogance of those who forget that they, too, are descended from immigrants, you are my brother or sister.

If trafficking kids 12 - and younger - for sex sickens you, too - you are my sister or brother.

If wage theft makes you boiling mad, you are my brother or sister. If the concentrated effort to deny labor the right to organize makes you see red - you are my brother or sister. People are also trafficked ino forced labor. Mad yet?

And if the fact that one person can do so little about it all frustrates you to no end - you are my sister. Or brother.

Somehow we'll find a way to join hands. Even if I believe and you don't.

Thanks for hanging out!