We stopped watching the hospital drama House for a while because the central character Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) was becoming too grumpy and the plot lines were a tad formulaic. But we drifted back into the program's thrall and of course we watched the season finale the other night.
As with many rating-seeking final shows there is ramped up drama. House's medical team responds to a disaster, the collapse of a building crane. A young woman is trapped beneath the rubble created by the collapse and House bravely goes to her rescue. At one point the scared woman asks House to pray with her. He gruffy tells her that he doesn't believe in God. She responds that she doesn't either.
They say there are no atheists in foxholes, and I suppose they are few and far between in other disasters. Is it "cheating" to play the prayer card in emergencies when it isn't a regular part of daily life? What about invoking God when we are atheists or agnostics?
3 comments:
TOUGH question. Tough scenarios. I know that personally, I tend to bust it to my knees and look skyward when the canon faces the fan in my life.
If others feel moved to do so, I can hardly hold it against them. It probably shows some kind of inherent spiritualism in folks that are moved in that way.
My 12 year old daughter recently told me she is an atheist. It is obviously something much discussed in her class and school, as she stated that there are only two kids in her class that do believe in God.
She was apologetic when she told me this; she knows that I regularly attend church. I had suspected she had doubts about the existence of God, as she had asked me several times over the last few months just why, exactly, do I attend church?
I know many parents who would be upset to hear this from their children. I can only wonder what reaction parents in the U.S. "bible belt" would have. However, I am heartened that she has given it so much thought and was open to telling me her opinion. It also doesn't mean her thoughts about God won't change over time.
I know this is a little off topic for the blog, but your mentioning atheism was the springboard for this comment!
Now, if God can help the Habs for three more games......
I'm inclined to think that we are made to respond to our Creator, even when we aren't so sure that the Creator exists. So "in case of emergeny break glass" prayers count.
There are good reasons for all of us to be atheists and agnostics. Life can be cruel and arbitrary and some people who invoke God don't act as though their lives have been changed for good. Uncertainty about God's existence can be a sign that the individual is paying attention, including a 12-year-old. Let's pray that she eventually comes to a different conclusion.
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