Yesterday I sat down and spoke with a wise man from the Dominican Republic and he is very ill currently and he firmly believes that God sends us down to earth and our only responsibility is to live and learn. He said some of us have the trial of being ugly, others the trial of being beautiful, fat, skinny, short, tall, rich, poor and so on. He feels that whatever trials we go through help us gain the knowledge and experience that we need in order to be perfected and return to God. Some would argue that Religion is a way to control the masses and keep people content. If they have faith in a better afterlife they will be less likely to complain about what they have now. Thereby keeping the poor from rising up against the rich. Keeping the poor content with their current situation in life. The lack of faith on the part of this second group of people could indicate that they are secular and knowledgeable or it could indicate that they have missed the boat. Would having the attitude of the wise man I interviewed make you a happier person? Would having the attitude of the other group of people make you have a different attitude? Would believing that you could be with your God and your family again after this life give you hope in the future? Would believing that there is nothing after this life affect how you live your life? If you have no thought of consequences after this life then why care about being honest if you can do things without getting caught? When you believe God is watching does that deter you from certain actions if you really believe in him? This question of God arises often today since belief in a God is becoming less and less common. Especially belief in a loving caring God.
