I enjoy a story about baseball great Joe Garagiola. He once stepped to
the plate when his turn came to bat. Before assuming his stance,
however, fervent Roman Catholic Joe took his bat and made the sign of
the cross in the dirt in front of home plate. Catcher Yogi Berra, also
a devout Catholic, walked over and erased Garagiola's cross. Turning
to the astonished batter, Berra smiled and said, "Let's let God watch
this inning."
If I were God (and thank goodness I'm not), I think I would have
wanted to simply watch the inning.
I likewise appreciate the story about an old Quaker who stood during
the church meeting and told his fellow Friends about a young man who
was not a Quaker and who lived an undisciplined life. This young man
invited a pious Quaker friend to go sailing one day. A sudden storm
came up and the wild young man was drowned. Having made his point, the
old Quaker sat down.
Silence returned to the meeting until the old man once again arose.
This time he said, "Friends, for the honor of the truth, I think I
ought to add that the Quaker also drowned."
And if I were God (and again, thank goodness I'm not), I think I would
have felt sadness for both losses. Neither was a greater tragedy than
the other.
I know that religious piety can be a wondrous and beautiful thing. But
it disturbs me the prominent role religions have historically played
in wars and brutality over the ages. If I imagine a god so small as to
favor those who think like me, worship like me and act like me, then I
know very little of life and less of faith. I can't help but think
this world would be in better shape if the gods most of us believed in
were a little bigger.
From Lifesupport
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