Does god exist?

(Yes, I am using lowercase g when I write "god".)

Maybe this isn't the question to ask. I am a scientist, and I have a hard time believing anything I don't have tangible (or mathematical) proof of. And, disclaimer: I am agnostic. I don't know if there is a god or not, I just think you should be a good person and do good things for others, end of story (not just because you fear something bad will happen to you in the afterlife). I think a better question is, what should you do about it? Let's say you don't think god exists - does that mean you can do whatever you want without regard for life/feelings/right or wrong? No, of course not. On the other hand, if you do believe in god, should you abandon common knowledge to put everything in his hands? Or worse, kill in his name?

We know about the Crusades, jihad (in the 9/11 sense), and other horrible things done in the name of god. Then there are the non-deadly, but still horrible things done in his/her name: denying marriage rights to committed couples, civil rights abuses, or the disowning that happens to people for leaving the Fundamental Church of Latter Day Saints. Just because you believe in god doesn't mean you get to run other people's lives.

And then there are the things that are just stupid. This week, a jury in Wisconsin found a father (Dale Neumann) guilty of second-degree reckless homicide after his 11-year-old daughter died at home. She fell ill (she had undiagnosed diabetes) and couldn't "walk, talk, eat or drink." Instead of calling 911 right away, her family sat around and prayed. The father testified that he believed God would heal his daughter and he never expected her to die. He said, "God promises in the Bible to heal... If I go to the doctor, I am putting the doctor before God, I am not believing what he said he would do." Going to the doctor and praying to god are not opposite things! Although I am not religious, I was raised Seventh Day Adventist and we were never taught that doing what you could to HELP a situation went AGAINST god. It's one thing to have faith and pray and do everything you can, it's another to sit back and wait and let your daughter die because you think it's the only way to help.

Whether or not god really does exist, you can't live your life waiting around for things to happen and assume she is going to fix all your problems. God should be a support system, not the only solution to every problem. It gets people in trouble, and it takes innocent lives.

Related links:

Wis. jury: Father guilty in prayer death case - San Francisco Chronicle