I believe the mining incident in West Virginia is a real tragedy.  The loss of life is poignant after such effort as was put forth in an attempt to rescue those trapped.  I watched the news with growing detachment as events unfolded and hope began to fade, knowing the clock was ravagely ticking away the time the miners would need for survival.

I lament the deaths of those who were trapped and sympathize with the families and loved ones left behind.  Like electrical workers, mining is a dangerous job, and despite the appearance of callousness I hope that the inherent risk in such a job remains a consideration for those who might now like to place blame.

There are two aspects to this story which need discussion, however, and Greg over at The Talent Show hits both nails on the head.

The first is an observation: take note of the many newspapers he has imaged in the article and slowly take in the truth of the picture deception.  What we see in the photographs may well have little or nothing to do with the story, and this is sadly true for all newspapers — all news sources.  We see pictures and assume they are in fact related to the story and support the premises being spelled out, but Greg aptly points out the same photographs used in polar opposite articles (in one case, used for a “survival” story while in another used for a “tragedy” story).  Mom always said you should never believe everything you read, and in the case of news outlets you should never believe anything you see.

The second point is one of religious confusion: when it was presumed the miners had survived, it was a miracle and an answer to prayers; when it was finally discovered they had perished, it was “God works in mysterious ways” while prayers fell on deaf ears.  This is a cop-out, a pitiful and predictable step backward for religious followers who dare not question why prayers went unanswered and who will challenge anyone that believes their death was not part of some elaborate plan cooked up by their god.

Now that we know the twelve miners were killed, does this mean America’s prayers weren’t answered? Just like gambling addicts remember their big wins but not their losses, the fate of the twelve miners has transformed from a faith-inspiring act of God to another horrible tragedy in which it’s impolite to mention religion at all. Cute little sayings like “the Lord works in mysterious ways” are cop-outs for the logical conclusions that many of us draw from experiences like this. If something fantastic and improbable can be used as proof that there’s a benevolent god, doesn’t the reverse point toward the conclusion that a higher power is indifferent at best? If you believe in a god that could have saved these men’s lives (which I don’t, btw), why didn’t he? People are quick to throw around the word “miracle” when something wonderful happens, so what the hell do we call this?

I couldn’t have said it better myself, and the question begs answering: if it was a miracle when they were thought to have survived, what is it now that we know they are dead?  Why do religious zealots not question the motives of their loving gods who would so unsympathetically and heartlessly ignore the calls of believers for intervention?

While this story is but one example of this inherent contradiction, there are many more which occur daily (rape, murder, disease, accident, etc.) that also represent the lack of answers which religion offers.  Weak minds may require a crutch to get through life without screaming too much; under that condition, perhaps religion serves a purpose.  On the other hand, it also marks the pinnacle of hypocrisy and blind faith: do not question when people die needlessly, do not question when suffering is heaped upon the minions of whatever deity is served, and absolutely do not for a moment assume that you might comprehend the grand plan of some unseen power that directs all things.

I don’t know about you, but living under such hopeless conditions would seem contrary to the idea of religious faith and the belief that there is a god somewhere who loves absolutely and wants nothing more but for us to be safe and cared for.

Derek was hospitalized for two years before he died.  During that time, I expended great effort and energy to help keep him alive and to ensure he was cared for and his affairs were managed in his own best interests.  I lost sleep; I lived under an umbrella of extreme stress — essentially managing two whole lives, only one of which was capable of participating in the effort; I spent money which I did not have; I held his life in my hand and spared no effort to protect it.  And I am but a single person.  Were I omnipotent, imagine what could have been accomplished based on that level of love and friendship.  If I am capable of such things, where was your god when these 12 people were dying?  Where was he when the tsunami killed thousands upon thousands of people, and the earthquake in South Asia, and a plethora of other events both natural and man-made?  Why does he let children die of leukemia and other diseases which ravage their bodies?  Do they deserve this suffering because they have sinned in some unknown way at such an early age?&n bsp; Is your god simply too busy to be bothered with such menial events?

That idea sickens me.  That people so blindly follow the idea of all-loving and merciful gods who demonstrate on a regular basis that they are either disinterested in our welfare or are intentionally inflicting suffering and death upon us is offensive.  Please, someone explain this to me like I’m five years old, because at 35 it makes even less sense to me than it might have 30 years ago.