God and Domestic Policy.

As an atheist, I’ve often wondered why God appears to control the outcome of domestic and foreign policies in America, a country that prides itself on the separation of church and state. George H.W. Bush essentially declared atheists as enemies of the state--unwelcome and rhetorically stripped of U.S. citizenship. His nefarious presidential son implemented God’s supposed intentions for the world into his foreign policy programs, and President Barack Obama welcomes prayer from all citizens to help quell the damage that BP has brought to the Gulf of Mexico. When will it end, and what does God bring to the table?

By placing the stability of the human race in the hands of an invisible deity, we pass responsibility to a supernatural being, one with an existence that is largely questionable, and neglect our impact on the decisions we make. Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin once urged President Obama to request her aid in the BP oil spill, now she is suggesting that divine intervention is the only element capable of defeating this environmental disaster--a typical reaction. To those without the answers to our questions, without a viable solution to a disaster, God must play a role. It isn’t limited to environmental disasters either--simply believing in God is an intellectual copout for those too weak or too stupid to envision a universe void of the supernatural.

What kind of impression do we make on our children if we assume all of the world’s problems are handled by God? Consider the federally funded study by Dr. Michael Resnick, a sociologist at the University of Minnesota, as proof that our actions influence the young—a study that suggests parents play a role in their children’s behavior well into the child’s teenage years. If instead of rolling up our sleeves we get on our knees and pray to an invisible deity, we are potentially authorizing troubling behavior to our children. Thou shall not pray to Him, for it will poison thy children.

If 81% of Americans identify themselves with a specific religion, we may never see an end to this behavior. We may potentially see politicians utilize the “I’m not responsible, God is,” copout for generations. We can only hope that adults will be smart enough to smirk and recognize the flaw, and pass it on to their children. If not, expect cyclical circumstances.

A combination of ignorance and outspokenness may help abort this behavior quicker than an unborn child with a hooker-of-a-mother and a winning lottery ticket. That’s the only reassurance I can offer. If you are savvy enough to comprehend God’s place in the world (either six feet under or restricted to the church) then perhaps this trend will go the way of Nintendo’s Virtual Boy. Death to God? Godspeed.