I think of myself as an average person.I don't hate God. As far as I know
He has done me no harm. But I do find it difficult to avoid God.
I am not an atheist. I am an agnostic. If there is a God I don't want to
know Him. I prefer to live my own life. The last thing I want is for God to
get in my way. So I have set out a personal seven-point plan to avoid Him.
With Bibles on display in bookstores, and churches on almost every street
corner my task has not been easy. But here is my procedure:
STEP ONE: I sleep Sunday mornings.
I personally don't find 'sleeping in' that easy. I have the bad habit of
waking early, even on Sunday. But I have solved the problem. I told my
doctor I was having a difficult time sleeping and he gave me some pills.
About midnight on Saturday I swallow two pills and am good until eleven
o'clock Sunday morning, which conveniently is too late to go to church.
STEP TWO: As a traveling man I keep hotel & motel dresser drawers closed.
In many hotels and motels today a Bible will jump out at you if you open a
drawer. I enter my room, hang up my suitbag & leave my other things in my
open suitcase. I carry an off-color paperback with me so if there is nothing
to do in town at least I can read myself to sleep. By the way, I don't
accept literature from strangers. When offered literature I politely tell
people I am too busy to read it.
STEP THREE: I carefully choose my radio stations.
Many cities carry twenty-four-hour religious stations. Some of their music
is good but you must be wary because they may be skillfully concealing a
sharp hook. Right while enjoying a fine recording, some preacher breaks in to
tell you that you are a sinner & need God. I am on to their tricks, so now I
dial a station that is really rocking and rolling and feel reasonably safe.
STEP FOUR: I avoid Christian businessmen.
In fact, I am a church member. I seldom attend, but my membership has given me
many good business contacts. But one must be careful. I have discovered a
fanatical brand of businessmen who would rather talk to you about God
than about gold. I don't question their sincerity,but it takes money to feed a
family, and that is my first concern. When a Christian businessman invites
me to church or for Bible study, I usually back out with, 'I have a splitting
headache' (that sounds better than a hangover) 'and just can't make it tonight.'
STEP FIVE: I create my own gods.
I have a list of things I would like to do but never have time to get done.
So Sunday I play around with the most attractive items on my list. I have
come to feel that that is what Sunday is for. Every person should have a
hobby and I use Sundays to spend time on my hobbies and to do my thing.
STEP SIX: I see to it that I am' master of my fate.'
It is my privilege to choose to believe in God or to choose not to believe.
I accept the old Roman idea that death ends everything. This makes the whole
business of escaping God a lot easier. It allows one to sing with the freedom
of a bird, 'Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.'
STEP SEVEN: I can always kill myself.
This I call my desperate step. I don't really advocate it and frankly, I am
chicken. But I know it happens many times a day. Self-destruction is a way
of escape. However, it leaves me a little cold. Questions pop into my mind.
Is it a copout from life? Is it really escape? Does one avoid God in this way
or is death the solemn usher that leads me into the presence of God?
Now that I have answered questions on what I can do to avoid God I find
myself faced with an even greater question. If there is a Supreme Being
who loves me, why should I try to avoid Him? Is my attempt to hide from God
inconceivable conceit? Would I not be wiser and happier to accept His love?
Is it not the fool who says in his heart 'There is no God?' Why run from
God? His invitation is pretty inviting for a man who is tired of running:
'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest' (Matthew 11:28)
After running for so long I gave God my worries and accepted His rest. I
found it so easy. I just said, 'Jesus, You please take my sin and I will take
Your salvation.' God and I made the trade and I am no longer running, I am
resting in His salvation. I have thrown my list away. If you will do what I
did, you won't need your list either.
'And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the
Lord shall be saved.' (Acts 2:21).
