Consider the following ethical dilemma.
Suppose every "true believer" were to pray that no asteroid hit the earth and one did. What would be the result.
1. They would all rationally realize prayer doesn't do it.
2. They would all get mad at their god for ignoring them.
3. They would all blame other people for not being as true a
believer as they are.
4. Some people would try to take advantage of the suffering and
misery by claiming they know why god did it.
Feel free to add to my list ... but rest assured the correct answer is not number 1.
This is an ethical dilemma only if you believe that prayer works like a vending machine - you put your prayer in one slot and get your diverted asteroid out of another.
It only works if we posit a god that has no mind of its own and is simply at the beck and call of its followers, and could have no possible reason not to intervene when asked.
Blacknad.
