By what measure shall we gauge the greatness of a king? Shall we say he is great because he is capable of crushing his enemies? Is a despot's power to oppress his subjects a claim to greatness? I submit that quite the opposite is true. A king's true claim to greatness lies not in the lives he is capable of destroying, but in the lives he capable of protecting and nurturing. Thus, a king is often likened unto a shepherd whose true worth is measured by the condition and fate of his flock. The shepherd who neglects or abandons his flock, leaving them to fend for themselves, is culpable when disaster strikes. If, as is claimed, Jehovah is shepherd of a human flock, it is proper, we assess His track record and weigh His true worth.

I am sure you are familiar with numerous historical acts of genocide in which scores of men, women and children were tortured and murdered. God, supposedly, knew about these crimes and failed to thwart them. His prior knowledge and power make Him criminally culpable. He did not act and many innocent people suffered needlessly as a result. If, as His fan club claims, God knows everything and can do anything, isn't it just to hold Him accountable or should we make excuses for his contemptuous disregard for human welfare? Around the world, scenarios of human suffering are repeated millions of times each day. On every occasion, without exception, the omnipotent all knowing God exhibits total contempt and disregard for human welfare. He does nothing while his flock is diseased, raped, murdered, tortured, starved or otherwise tragically suffers.

Of course, we are often reminded of the bountiful blessings heaped upon us by this God. The problem is, these blessings consist totally of distortions, exaggerations and abstractions. So much so, a serious investigation finds it extremely difficult to positively link or credit God with anything substantive. The credit given to God for these alleged contributions is, thus, highly questionable. The evidence of God's gifts, is as elusive as is evidence of the existence of God. Despite the lack of evidence, His fan club continues to maintain that He does exist, is all knowing, all powerful and blesses each and every one of us daily. Really?

Being all powerful, you would expect Him to flex a little muscle on humanity's behalf. Not a chance. As I look around my home, I cannot find a single item that has miraculously fallen from the sky. As I look around my city, I cannot find a single building erected by other than human hands. In our grocery stores, I find only food produced by human effort. I find not a single hospital managed by God. He avoids any involvement in soup kitchens, homeless shelters, old age homes, missing persons, crime prevention, health care or any other program of human assistance. In fact, I cannot find a single charitable effort supported by God. Our law enforcement agencies have long needed His help in solving crimes, but He has snubbed His nose at them, too. I have no recollection of Him ever paying any taxes, building highways, or filling my car with a tank of gas. He doesn't deliver my mail, sign my paycheck or massage my aching back. He does not pull the weeds from my flower beds or mow my yard. When I go fishing, He obviously isn't helping then, either. The last time my car battery went dead, He steadfastly refused to charge it up. Once again, I had to get human help. I am not aware of a single environmental disaster He assisted in cleaning up. He was nowhere to be found when millions of His flock were exterminated in Nazi death camps. When the Titanic sank, He could have kept her afloat. Over fifteen hundred people faced a horrible death waiting for Him to show an ounce of compassion. His compassion never materialized. Further, I heard no reports of offers of assistance from Him when Hurricane Andrew leveled most of Homestead, Florida. It was the same old, "sink or swim, don't call me, I'll call you," attitude once again. Apparently, human welfare is at the very bottom of God's priority list, if we even make the list at all.

On the educational front, you would think that God, the know-it-all, could share at least some of His vast scientific knowledge with humanity. Nope! He has contributed not a single tidbit. Human knowledge is solely the fruit of human research, investigation and labor. Further, He has not offered us plans for a single gidgit or gadget. No, God didn't take Edison off to one side and tell him about electric lighting. He didn't help Louis Pasteur develop vaccines and He didn't assist NASA in getting to the moon. Based upon His past record, we need not look to Him for a cure for cancer, AIDS or any other human affliction.

Upon serious analysis, there is absolutely no substantive difference between Jehovah and all the other gods of past cultures. This absentee Christian god is just as impotent as every other imaginary relic of mythology. The abstract claims made about each of them may differ, but the substantive evidence is exactly the same. Yes, on that point, Jehovah, Zeus, Apollo and scores of other gods have much in common.

"Not so!", say believers. Check biblical scripture and you will find the promise that prayer is a powerful tool for soliciting assistance from God. Jesus promised in several scriptures that believers could ask for anything and it would be bestowed. Every prayer offered in his name should result in the bestowing of divine favors. Shouldn't we hold Jesus accountable for statements, long on promise, but short on delivery?

I cannot imagine it possible for Jesus to make statements which promise more. Taking him at his word, we don't need to rub a genie from a bottle to get a measly three wishes. Jesus has promised unlimited miracles, free for the asking. Miracles, resulting from requests for divine intervention, should be an everyday occurrence. One has every right to expect prayer to be a far greater cure for disease than anything medical science can offer. Think for a moment of the many medical opportunities, prayer affords God, to come to the aid of humanity. HIV, AIDS, cancer, and ten thousand other incurable diseases would cease to exist, instantly. The opportunities are mind boggling. Unfortunately, we find not a single substantive case where divine intervention is evidenced. Clearly, these broken promises provide conclusive proof of the absurdity of religious belief. Yet, believers are determined to make excuses for their illusionary gods. The standard response is to ignore the obvious or offer apologetic flimflam: "I can't prove it, but I know God did it." Determined, credit is given to God for healings which are the result of modern medical care and/or our very own immune system.

In the absence of miracles, many in God's fan club assert: "He does His work through human surrogates." However, giving this simplistic idea some critical thought reveals much is wrong with this claim. The first thing we notice is that it is just another abstraction. All claims about gods take that form because it facilitates making even the most ridiculous claims without having to validate them with any evidence at all. Secondly, it is not possible to establish a surrogate relationship with someone with whom you have no communication and agreement. Thirdly, to steal after-the-fact credit for the accomplishments of others, without their knowledge or consent, is nothing less than a very serious form of criminal thievery. Fourth, God's total lack of contribution to the efforts of these, so called, surrogates aptly demonstrates God is not factor in their efforts. If He were, they could not fail. In recap, as the surrogate argument suggests, we are supposed to believe that God, the all powerful, is unable to do anything without our help. He can't even assist us in the effort to do it for Him. Apparently, if we lack the knowledge, tools or power to accomplish the feat, God, the omnipotent, just can't get it done. Sounds incredibly impotent to me!

I hope you can understand why atheists are not filled with joy and thanksgiving over these far fetched claims. Abstract claims do not favorably impress us and we don't believe in giving credit where it isn't due. Based upon all the hallelujah rhetoric, one should expect to find God, the shepherd, everywhere human need exists or disaster threatens. Everywhere, I look, I find only people picking up the broken pieces. I find only human love and human compassion for the human species. Human solutions to human problems are all that is in evidence.

The contrast between the promises of God and the failure to deliver leave no room whatsoever for god belief. Yet, religious indoctrination and fear of the unknown continue to nurture ignorance.

Of course, God's fan club will argue that He cannot be held accountable for what He does or does not do. Hockypuck! No one, including God, is exempt from accountability to standards of ethics and integrity. If anything, His is the greater responsibility. Just as is implied in the scripture of Luke 13:7, "I come seeking fruit on this (god) tree and find none: cut it down; why encumber (humanity)?" This shepherd rightly deserves our contempt and disbelief. It's the ethical thing for us to do.