Desmond Tutu Says No - Would You?

As an atheist I deny that theism has proved there is a God and the evidence suggests such a beings existence is doubtful (not impossible) - though I base it more on religion being clearly the work of fallible human imagination.

A retired Archbishop might be expected to be preparing to meet his maker on the best possible terms. Desmond Tutu had this to say on that:

"I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this,"

"I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place."

[Washington Times]

It is a good religious test for those that claim that their secularism tolerates homosexuality in the here and now but God sets the standards for entry in the after life - on a narrow, straight path. Does morality stand separate from a divine law maker that you would say sorry too and deny yourself the divine everlasting homophobic presence, or would you look your gay friends, work colleagues and family in the eyes as they burn, saying "To my God I go"?

Tutu in his book "God Is Not a Christian: and Other Provocations" stated:

Surely it is good to know that God (in the Christian tradition) created us all (not just Christians) in his image, thus investing us all with infinite worth, and that it was with all humankind that God entered into a covenant relationship, depicted in the covenant with Noah when God promised he would not destroy his creation again with water. Surely we can rejoice that the eternal word, the Logos of God, enlightens everyone -- not just Christians, but everyone who comes into the world; that what we call the Spirit of God is not a Christian preserve, for the Spirit of God existed long before there were Christians, inspiring and nurturing women and men in the ways of holiness, bringing them to fruition, bringing to fruition what was best in all. We do scant justice and honor to our God if we want, for instance, to deny that Mahatma Gandhi was a truly great soul, a holy man who walked closely with God. Our God would be too small if he was not also the God of Gandhi: if God is one, as we believe, then he is the only God of all his people, whether they acknowledge him as such or not. God does not need us to protect him. Many of us perhaps need to have our notion of God deepened and expanded. It is often said, half in jest, that God created man in his own image and man has returned the compliment, saddling God with his own narrow prejudices and exclusivity, foibles and temperamental quirks. God remains God, whether God has worshippers or not. [Source]

As an atheist I deny that theism has proved there is a God and the evidence suggests such a beings existence is doubtful (not impossible) - though I base it more on religion being clearly the work of fallible human imagination. To suddenly discover there was a God would not mean abandoning my sense of justice and morality - for they are not based on the dictates of a supreme being but the collection of human thought that I have glimpsed at while developing my faculties as best I can.

In death rather than standing for what I did in life, I imagine it will more likely be as I was before being born.

But who knows for sure.

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