Guess who...

There is a group of people in this world who believe a certain way. This is nothing new of course, we all belong to groups like this -- Kiwani's, Shriner's, Harley riders, Jeff Gordon Fans -- you name it.

There is a group out there, though, that doesn't feel we should be able to believe in something they disagree with. They're right, and the rest of us are absolutely wrong -- and they want to make sure they get their way. In some parts of the world, where they control the government, they arrest people who disagree with them, torture them, and sometimes make them disappear for good. In the places where they don't control the government yet, they use it to try to silence their opponents, and restrict their rights and freedoms. They use the popular media to present their case, and ridicule the opposition. They move to get their point of view introduced into educational institutions, while suppressing those that don't agree with them.

So who is this group? Hammas? Islamic Jihad? The Shiites and Sunnis? Nope -- Atheists. They say there is no god, and try to silence anyone who believes otherwise. They were dancing in the streets when Jerry Falwell died (even hoping he was burning in hell, and extremely stupid sentiment from a group of people who don't believe in God, or heaven and hell). Christopher Hitchens leads the charge on Slate.com, blaming all the worlds problems on religion (rather than on the men hiding behind the facade of religion -- how many millions did the atheistic regime of Joseph Stalin murder?). He says the atheists are 'totally winning' -- but what are they winning? Nothing they don't already have -- what he really wants to say is that non-atheists are losing, but that would be politically incorrect.

But see, here's the thing -- I don't lose anything believing what I do. If I'm completely wrong, when I die, I die. I leave behind a rotting corpse, 2 well educated and cared for children who will have fond memories of a loving and caring father, friends who knew they could count on me to help, and a legacy of a consistent belief in a set of standards based on the life of a man I believed to be the Son of God. I lose nothing by being a God Fearing Christian. Christopher Hitchens wins a loyal following of other people who believe what he believes and the accolades that goes along with it, but when he dies he leaves nothing more than I do. Now, suppose I'm completely right -- I have a satisfactory life here on earth, and a perfect one waiting for me in heaven -- so wonderful I can't even begin to describe it here. Hitchens dies and goes to hell -- and spends eternity regretting all the other atheists he helped lead astray.

So tell me again, what are they totally winning?