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November 27th, 2008
08:06 AM ET

Making sense of the meaning of life

Leonard Pitts Jr.
Miami Herald columnist

I was crammed into a middle seat. The guy in front was practically in my lap, and I had my arms drawn in tightly as I pecked furiously on the keyboard. God glanced over. "What are you working on?" He asked.

"A column," I said. "About you, in fact."

He lifted an eyebrow. "Oh? What did I do now?"

"Well, not you per se," I admitted. 'It's about this atheist group, the American Humanist Association. They stirred up folks in Washington, D.C., recently by running a billboard on the buses. It said, `Why believe in a god?' "

God was curious, so I passed Him the computer. Just then, the plane lurched violently. The guy next to me spilled his drink and muttered a curse. God paid no attention. When He finished reading, He passed the computer back. "That's not about me," He said. "It's about defending their right to free speech."

"Sure," I said. "What else would I do?"

God shrugged. "Why not just answer their question?"

"What do you mean?"

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Filed under: Leonard Pitts Jr. • Religion
soundoff (5 Responses)
  1. NoExpertsNeeded.com

    A wonderful piece! It makes me recall a recent interview I conducted (on the meaning of life.)

    I explained to the gentleman that to be in my book, he only had to answer one question. He replied, "At this stage of my life, I am not afraid of any question or any answer." I liked that!

    Why be upset about the question when all you have to do is answer it for yourself...and then move on.

    November 29, 2008 at 1:43 pm |
  2. Melissa, Los Angeles

    Cute article for the believers. I wish his column would've addressed the fact that a billboard by this group had to be taken down in San Francisco because religious groups were offended and demanded it's removal. Based on their logic than all references to God on my money and any reference or images to Christmas should be removed because it offends me as an atheist – yah makes a whole lot of sense does it to censor other peoples beliefs just because I don't believe?

    To me the point of Thanksgiving is to be thankful for my health, family, friends and that I live in a country that for the most part is free (I wish religious groups would leave the non-believers and gays alone). That's the great thing about America – we all still have the right to make ourselves heard in the face of the majority.

    November 27, 2008 at 1:31 pm |
  3. Jim,

    Why Belive? A Good lawyer looks at the evidence & God provided it.
    In A Court of Law How many eye witnesses are needed to establish
    the factual truth of an event? Look at the Bible it was writen by several different men over a long period of time each giving first hand accounts of what God has done in the lives of Individuals & Nations- Read The book of Enoch, The book of Job, The Old Testament,The Gospel of Nicodemus, The 4 Gospels-the New testament – Compare Revelation to the eavning news-The evidence is there that God Knows the Past, Present & future, He knows the thoughts & hearts of every person, Sees every action, hears every word spoken in secrect.

    November 27, 2008 at 1:13 pm |
  4. earle,florida

    I cry without tears,I scream silently, I pray knowingly justice will never come, but then the laughter begins,where,how,and why I care not, my soul awaken's me to life,and I am fullfilled....

    November 27, 2008 at 11:19 am |
  5. Gene Penszynski from Vermont

    Why try to 'Prove' that god exists at all?. Belief or Non-belief in God is a personal matter. To be quite frank its really non of anybody's business whether I believe in God or not and don't give me that argument about moral behavior. Theere are plenty of child molesters and criminals of all strpes who profess some belief in God as well a those that don't.

    November 27, 2008 at 9:29 am |

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