The vapid words of priests

The pope sent the following message to the grieving families in Newton, CT:

"I assure the families of the victims, especially those who lost a child, of my closeness in prayer," the pope said in his first public comments on the massacre by a lone gunman. "May the God of consolation touch their hearts and ease their pain." 

Thanks, pope. Your meaningless words mean...nothing. But what does fat, red-faced Cardinal Timmy Dolan have to say about the massacre? (I knew he'd worm his way into these events somehow.)

“Even in moments of tragedy, God gives us light,” Dolan said. “We have to seek the light in the darkness that God gives us. Goodness will always trump evil.”

Yes, let's all look for that light from god, and the goodness that is surely all over these events. It must be there...somewhere. Priests offer meaningless words. It's what they do.

Yesterday on CNN, I heard a dreadful pastor speaking nonsense. The anchor asked him what we should tell the parents. I didn't get the pastor's name, but he said we must remember that we are "fallen" and must "seek redemption." You know what, pastor? Fuck you and your filthy faith. Fallen indeed. That's just what the parents need to hear right now. What disgusting words.

Religion is empty. It's a magic fence constructed around nothing. Thus the words of priests are always meaningless. It disgusts me the way these "men of the cloth" cluster around disasters to reap their own Earthly rewards, such as camera time, adulation and donations. They make me sick.

Too much pain

I think what happened in CT yesterday is even more painful for atheists than believers. At least the latter have delusions to distract them. But atheists know those children lost the only lives they'll ever have. That's the reality of the situation and it's too painful to bear.

If the parents recover from this blow and go on to live meaningful lives, they have my utmost admiration. No parent should have to suffer like this. But of course it goes much further than the immediate families of victims. The kids who survived will never be the same. And the echoes go out from there, spreading far and wide. Will any kid in a U.S. elementary school ever feel safe again?

I have so much anger. Radio silence for the rest of the day.