God Please Save Your Planet...from us.

Chapter Twenty- No One Said This Was Going to be Easy

There is a young child on the cover of this book. What  do you think he is doing? Why should you care? For the moment, I'm not going to answer these questions. Your answers will reflect your personal world view. The title alone may have been off putting if you are an atheist. I have carefully crafted this title. Why should an atheist be interested in reading a book that implies there is a God?

As Richard Dawkins indicated in his book: "The God Delusion", you may equate the title of this book with fantasy. That's fine. I welcome your perspective. In fact, as an atheist you can bring something very valuable to the discussion. Over the years, I have noticed that individuals who don't believe in a supreme deity in the universe, usually carry with them a question that shields them from becoming religious. It goes something like this: 'If he's (she's, or it's) out there, why doesn't it do something to stop all the suffering in the world?' Inaction is seen as evidence of non existence. As an atheist, you make a very good point.

On the other hand, you may hold the view that scientific evidence proves there is no higher person or force in the universe. After all, the Bible doesn't teach evolution, and selective species adaptation is clearly how we all got here.

Okay, if that is your particular worldview, welcome. I hear you. I think you might actually find this book enlightening.

Are you an agnostic atheist? If so, I invite you to keep reading. This book may offer the conversation you've been waiting for. You may have been burned by organized religion. You are not alone, but is there common ground between religion and resentment. I respect this term: Agnostic Atheist, because it implies that you are a person who likes to ask questions. Questions are good.

Are you a woman? Thank you for taking the time to read this book. Sometimes it can feel like the Bible and some other religious texts cast women as second class citizens. I don't know how you might personally feel, but I don't believe it is kind, or emotionally healthy to tell you that it doesn't, when in many places it does. Perhaps, a conversation is in order. We will address some of these controversial texts in this book.

While I'm on the topic of unfair treatment of women, this is something felt by many different groups and orientations. There are no minorities in this book. This book is diverse in its scope. It needs to be, in order to achieve the goals that I set out in the Backward.

No one said this was going to be easy, but each person who reads this book is in a safe place. You don't have to answer to anyone else who may hold a different world view. I desperately desire to find common ground in the pages that follow. I am not advocating mere tolerance, but discussion. What does every man, woman, child, animal, plant, and insect have in common? Isn't it the ground on which we are standing, sitting, or lying? Whatever your position, take your stand, or take a seat. Listen or read. Feel or analyze.

Our common ground is not our age, our religion (or abstinence from religion). It is not our political views, nor our living conditions. Our common ground is literally the ground on which we stand. This diverse planet. Our common home. As Greta Thunberg said in her book; The Climate Book: "Stop saying that we are all in the same boat. We're all in the same storm. But we're not all in the same boat."

I think we can all agree that we are indeed in a storm. Everyone may differ in their opinion of what sort of storm it is, but one thing is undeniable. We're all in a lot of trouble. It just might be time to ask for some help. That might be the most difficult thing of all. On the next page, we will consider why there has never been a better time to overcome this common aversion. It's sink or swim.