On a superficial level, the war against terrorism is becoming a war between God and Science. Of course, both sides claim that god is on their side. But it is clear what side science is on, and so far science does not seem to be winning.

If there is a god, especially a fundamentalist god that can and does control everything, then it seems logical that god is on both sides and is actually responsible for the initiation of the war by both sides. This is not so far-fetched as it might seem superficially, to use that word again.

The real danger to the world is the vast numbers of nuclear weapons in existence and already aimed at most of us, expecially me. So a war against terrorism becomes an excuse to unify the world against a common enemy. We used to think that aliens would have to perform this service for humanity.

The most beneficial outcome of the war against terrorism will be the elimination of all nuclear weapons, lest they fall into the hands of terrorists. Actually dynamiting a bunch of spent radioactive waste is a good enough nuclear weapon that would produce far greater threat to life than flying planes into buildings.

So I can see the logic of god bringing this all to pass before we destroy our planet. All the arguments still apply even if there were no god. In that case, the US may be unlucky to be victims, and in turn we are victimizing others. But in the long run we may all be lucky that its happening now before it all gets out of hand.

In any event this is the most godlike war in recent memory. God is constantly invoked for one purpose or another. Right now god in being invoked the cease bombing on Ramadan. I think that is a decent idea. But I am reminded that the muslins twice attacked Israel on their most high holy day, Yom Kippur. The US government is likely to recall this as well.

• How can god make wars if it does not exist in a physical world? - alexander - November 8, 2001 - 15:56 UTC
  • God's mechanisms - yanniru - November 9, 2001 - 14:25 UTC
• Wow - carefuluniverse - November 17, 2001 - 05:42 UTC