Message in a bottle.
The storm blew ashore from the south-east. It drove the red tide eastwards from Apalachicola. People coughed, fish died and the ghost crabs feasted on the unexpected bounty. A message in a bottle had been committed to the deep. It too floated in that storm and was eventually washed ashore. I found it in the sea grasses just above the high tide mark.
In addition to the message, the bottle contained a couple of million dollar notes of play money, a small silver tone crucifix on a cord and a costume jewelry infinity charm that had been woven into a bracelet with yellow paracord. The message was on two note pages, hand written in a style consistent with a teenager.
Here is the message verbatim.
(Page 1)
A note to my wonderful Dad.
He was a man to be proud to say he was your dad
I called him pops.
Pops the last eight months I got to take care of you. It will never compare to you taking care of me my whole life. I miss you today, yesterday and every day. No more pain, only love. I’ll see you soon pops. Hugs and kisses. You were my true love. ♥
(Page 2)
LOL!!!
A little money just because you would have liked this. You always love to joke and laugh, so here’s a million, (make that two) just because LOL.
A cross to let you know my heart belongs to God and I’ll meet you in heaven again some
day.
Infinity – what we have shared will never end.
I Love you Pops!
Your the man.
(Page 3)
I am my Daddy made over
I am who I am because of him. He gave me my courage and my strength to stand tall even when standing wasn’t easy.
Stand for the ones who can’t
To think and fend for myself
I’m my Daddy made over.
Taught me to fight back, to never back down
Gave me my temper, taught me not to take crap
To speak my mind NO matter what
Work for what I want
I’m my Daddy made over
How to keep my emotions in check
How to handle large amounts of pain.
When in trouble he always had my back.
He knew how my mind worked better than anyone.
I am my Daddy made over. ♥
(Page 4)
(Written up the left margin: God has you in his arms, I have you in my heart.)
Even though he’s gone I’ll stand and continue on. I may stumble. I may fall but I’ll pick myself back up I’ll dust myself off and stand tall
I’m honored and proud to say I’m my Daddy made over.
R.I. P. (Note: I have redacted the dates of his birth and death for privacy; he was 47 when he died. Alembe.)
No more will you suffer
I love you, more Daddy. Blow kisses.
I miss you until I see you again in Heaven. ♥
I am conflicted by this poignant, yet heart-felt message. The thoughts and actions are obviously part of the grieving process of a young person (let us call her Jess) who has recently lost her father. As atheists we look on objectively and say, “Well, the message will never reach him and Jess will never see him again.”
Yet, it seems to me that Jess takes considerable comfort in the belief that a) this message will somehow reach her Father and b) she will someday see him again in heaven. At this moment in time, that comfort seems real and may well help her come to terms with and accept his death. If she stays a Christian for the rest of her life, those assumptions will probably not be challenged.
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So religion makes you feel better? That's a surprise. Does that make it true? No. Enjoy your imaginary friend in the sky.
"Yet, it seems to me that Jess takes considerable comfort in the belief that a) this message will somehow reach her Father and b) she will someday see him again in heaven. At this moment in time, that comfort seems real and may well help her come to terms with and accept his death. If she stays a Christian for the rest of her life, those assumptions will probably not be challenged."
here is a very similar story and see how it is seen by sane people:
Jess is an 8 year old girl that loves Santa Clause and writes him a letter once a year:
"Jess takes considerable comfort in the belief that
a) this message will somehow reach" Santa Clause "and
b) she will someday see him again" at Christmas.
"At this moment in time, that comfort seems real and may well help her come to terms with and accept that" the wished present did not come last Christmas.
"If she stays a Santa Clause believer for the rest of her life, those assumptions will probably not be challenged."
Now what is wrong with this flawed reasoning?(if one can call it reasoning)
No one can force you to accept reality as it is, but that means that you chose to remain immature intellectually like an 8 your old child.
Thus the only reason you still have a vote is because you are in the majority.
(achieved by killing anybody that opposed your immature belief for over 2000 years)
So yes you can choose to be naive but then don't expect to have a vote/say either, since you chose temporary personal bliss like drug edicts instead of long term personal improvement, both physical/mental and spiritual.
Just to pun more on his stupid belief; ignorance is a bliss.
God VS Santa Clause
Who is better?
God delivers once, after you die.
Santa Delivers once a year, free shipping and home delivery, right under your tree or in the socks.
We don't have a confirmed delivery by god yet not even by the most devout believers.
Santa delivers sometimes especially to good kids that believe in him.
When god delivers, your family is dressed in black and everyone is either crying or unhappy.
When Santa delivers everyone is happy and celebrating.
God seems to disagree with most parents since they sin often and need to repent all the time.
Santa seems in good relations with the parents, always agrees with them especially since Santa only delivers presents they seem to like.
God seems to be jealous and unquestionable, thus there are things you cannot ask of god to do.
Hell you can always ask Santa whatever you like, even things god may not like.
Thus Santa pawns god good time.
In light of this shocking truth, one should feel more "considerable comfort" believing in Santa then in god.