Also, too

I want to add something to what I said yesterday about the media's insistence on lathering disaster news with talk of god and miracles. It doesn't have to be this way.

Some people believe in god. I understand this and have no problem with the tendency of believers who survive a tragedy to say that god saved them. It's an awful, hateful message to those who weren't "saved", but hey, people can believe whatever they want. This is America.

The problem is with the media. If they took their jobs seriously, they could perform such a vital function. (I hear they used to, but this may be just a rumor.)

What I object to is the lumping together of religion and tragedy as one. It would be so much more useful if the media reported on the different ways that people respond to tragedy. Yes, some seek an outlet in faith. And by all means, report on that. But many others find solace through helping people. It should be made clear that these are two separate things.

On the one hand, there are people who talk to an imaginary creature when things get scary. But others respond by getting things done and helping people in need. The problem is that the media doesn't differentiate between the two streams: religious and secular. They just mush it all together, drape a flag over it and say "Here you go!" It would be much more helpful to report that people respond in different ways. Yes, some turn to prayer, but others don't -- they just get out there and help.

There are people that own restaurants and, upon seeing a major tragedy, shut down their place of business and bring a grill and tables to the affected area. Others rush to a Home Depot and buy many boxes of work gloves, to hand out to people picking through the rubble. Others go to half-destroyed houses and try to help the owners pull their lives back together.

Yes, at times these efforts are undertaken because a person's religion makes them feel they should help others. But much help arrives with a simple, secular message: I want to be kind to others because it's the right thing to do. The media doesn't report that second message.

It's not just a big ice cream sundae with god sprinkled over the top. The media could make this clear but they don't. This is what drives me crazy. With a little care and forethought, they could deliver an intelligent news flow -- but that never happens.

USA! USA! USA!

Terror god obliterates Oklahoma town

Tragically, Moore, Oklahoma was wiped off the map by a tornado yesterday afternoon. I can't imagine what the parents of missing kids are going through. Like most Americans, I feel tremendous sympathy for those affected by this event.

Like you, I turned to CNN to monitor the disaster. We humans have a hunger to know what happened to other people, what it was like for them, how many were injured or killed -- and in what manner. This is normal and helpful, in that it focuses attention on the community and gets donations and other aid flowing in. There's nothing wrong with any of this.

But as is the case during every national tragedy, every other word the TV reporters uttered was "god". It's sickening. The last thing people need in times of tragedy is lies. It's not helpful. I even heard reporters say that viewers should pray for the people of Moore. It's that accepted -- anyone can call for prayer at any time in our country. Americans lap it up and scream for more. God, god, god, god, god. Good, good, good, good, good. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. (Which eventually resolves into USA! USA! USA! for the simple reason that all American roads lead toward jingoistic nonsense. It's the American way. USA! USA!)

Okay, back to the TV coverage. This Christian viewpoint -- and make no mistake, that's what it is: Christian, not Muslim or Jewish or Wiccan -- saturates the media in times of disaster. It's useless and dumb and it makes no sense. Seriously, who is this creature they believe in, and how vicious is he? Let's think like they do, for a moment.

Looking at this event through the eyes of believers, god destroyed a largely Christian, American town. After all, nothing happens without god's explicit approval. But why did he do this? And did he really have to kill little kids? Why?

And there's another big "why". Why, after god destroyed the town, would people pray to him? What would be the aim of these prayers? Are they meant to calm the wrath of the avenger god who just destroyed the town, a hospital and two schools? (If that's the case, maybe they should also sacrifice a pet or two, just to be on the safe side.) Seriously, god just axed your town. And now you're going to get on your knees and pray to him? Why?

But of course, there is no god. Weather caused this tornado. Hot air, cold air and wind combined in a perfectly natural way to create a deadly menace. God didn't have anything to do with this or anything else. There is no god.

I don't get religious thinking. It never makes sense. Why don't religious people ask these questions? Wingnuts of the religious variety are fond of saying that Sandy wrecked NY because it's a godless place. So why did the "all-good, loving" god destroy this little town?

Prayer. It's nonsense. It's everywhere. It's America.