THERE IS NO GOD?
There is no God. All of the wonders around us are accidental. No almighty hand made the billions of stars.
itself to keep the
They made themselves. No power keeps them on their steady course. The earth j<p_ins_
oceans from falling off toward the sun. It gave itself night and day and tilted itself so that we get seasons. It
stays the perfect distance from the sun. so that we don't fry or freeze to death.
Why does snow sit on mountaintops waiting for the warm spring sun to melt it at just the right time for the young crops on the fields below to receive water to grow? Also, how does each tree know when it's time to -burst j lito leaf in the spring and when to drop the leaves in the autumn? These built-in clocks of nature are all timely accidents.
Who taught the bees how to form themselves into highly structured societies and how to communicate with each other where food is? How did the bees and the trees begin to cooperate with each other, so that one produces honey and the other bears fruit, both for the benefit of people? Did beautiful flowers invent themselves just so that we canjtdmire and enjoy them? How about the sugar thermostat in the pancreas? It maintains a level of sugar in the blood sufficient for energy. Without it, all of us would fall into a coma and die. The human heart will beat for 70 or 80 years without stopping. How does it get sufficient rest between beats? A kidney will filter poison from the blood and leave good things alone. How does it know one from the other?
Who gave the human tongue the flexibility to form words and the brain the ability to understand them, butdenieiall this to other creatures? Who showed a womb how to take the love of two persons and to kee£_spludjig_a.tiny_ovum until, in time, a baby would have the proper number of fingers, toes, eyes and ears, all in the right places, and come into the world when it is strong enough to sustain life? There is no God?
Discuss the questions:
What is the writer's purpose in this article?
What are some of the wonders of nature mentioned in the article?
What other amazing things in nature can you think of?
How do you think that they originated?
Do you believe in God or in some other power over your life?
Does religion or having faith in God make one's life easier?
Do you think it is good for people to believe in God?
If there is a power in control of our lives, do you think one can or should resist it? Why?
Vocabulary
accidental (a) [teksi'dentl] — happening by chance or accident
and not deliberately intended..................................................
almighty (a) [od'maiti] — all-powerful.......................................
burst into leaf (phr) [ba:st intu li;fj — to suddenly open with
leaves.......................................................................................
coma (n) [ksums] — state of deep unconsciousness...................
deny (v) [di'nai] — to refuse to give............................................
drop (v) [drop] — to let fall.........................................................
kidney (n) [kidni] — organ that removes waste matter from the
blood and sends it out of the body in urine............................
ovum (n) [auvam] — woman's reproductive cell which is
fertilized by a man's sperm to produce a child......................
purpose (n) [pa:p9$] —reason for something............................
resist (v) [ri'zist] — to stop or prevent; to fight or oppose..........
spin (v) [spin] — to turn quickly around a central point.............
...........<L,.^;..:.:;......................................................................
split (v) [split] — to divide into two or more parts.....................
steady (a) [stedi] — without interruptions and not likely to
change quickly.........................................................................
sufficient (a) [sa'fijnt] — enough or adequate............................
sustain (v) [sas'tein] — to continue or maintain.........................
tilt (v) [tilt] — to move into a position with one side higher than
the other..../...•;./...*.-...........;.:.....................................................
womb (n) [wu:m] — part inside a woman's body where a baby
grows before it is born............................................................
WHAT ARE YOUR BELIEFS?
Do you think there ape an v supernatural powers op energies in the universe?
I think that there have to be unseen spiritual powers to explain such things as (clairvoyance / ESP /...).
Many strange phenomena, such as..., can't be explained in
physical terms only. Some people have a (power to healy special inner energy /...). Some have been able to (see into the future/ perform
miracles/...).
Do you believe in a higher power or being that is governing the universe?
í believe that there is (a supreme God who js in control of all
things / a higher power /...). I believe in (a higher power, but 'god' is not a good name for
it / God who made the universe but left it /...). I feel there are (good andjyjlioicfis. competing with each
other in the universe / intelligent beings from'outer space
trying to contact humans / ...
believe that (no supernaturajbeings or forces exist / people are the complete masters of their lives and destinies /...).
Do yojjjbjfeajnjife after death or life before birth?
I feel that (life ends at death and there is nothing more / we had no other life before we were born/...).
I believe in (heaven, hell or.purgatory, depending on our life on this earth / a resurrection back to life on earth /...).
I believe that (one can receive eternaljife / mankind will live with God on a new earth under new conditions /...).
I believe in (reincarnation, that is, going from one type of life on this earth to another/an eternal existence of the soul after the death of the body /...).
Do you feet that religion has a practical use in today's wopld? Why?
I think that each person has to believe in something such as (a higher power /JateJ nature and reality /...).
I believe that a relationship with God is (still relevant today / not only possible but needful in our stressful world / only something imaginary/...).
I feel that (there's not much use for religion in our scientific world / people need_divi.ng.help to solve their problems /...).
Religion has (often set a bad example / not made much difference / had a positive effect on society /...).
Vocabulapy
clairvoyance (n) [klea'voians] — knowing about future events
or being able to communicate with dead people .,.!.<...£.£.;..•' compete (v) [kam'pirtj — to fight, battle or struggle..................
divine (a) [di'vain] — from, provided by, or belonging to, a god
ESP (abbr) [i: es pi:) — extra-sensory perception, that is. knowing things in a supernatural way, rather than through one's ordinary senses..............................................................
force (n) [ft>:s] — power, energy or influence.............................
purgatory (a) [p3:galri] — place where Catholics believe the spirits of dead people are sent to suffer for their sins before going to heaven.......................................................................
resurrection (n) [rczs'rekjn] — rising from the dead.................
superstition (n) [sju.ps'slijnj — belief in things that are not real or possible...............................................................................
90
OUR SUPERSTITIONS
Talk togethep about the following:
Are our lives and destinies directed by the stars as the astrologers say?
Do you believe in horoscopes? Have horoscope.predictions ever beenfulfilledin your life?
Do you believe in talismans? Have you got an object that you feel has brought you luckor protected you?
Do you think that some days are unlucky for example. Friday 13th?                                      —ä±=
Why do some people believe that seeing a cjiimney-sweep or finding a four leaf clover brings them luck?
What other superstitions do people believe?
Why are people superstitious in today's modern world?

Vocabulary
clover (n) [ktauva] — small plant with pink or white ball-shaped flowers.....................................................................
destiny (n) [destini] — everything that happens to a person during their life, including what will happen in the future
direct (v) [di'rektj —to control or guide.................................
prediction (n) [pri'dikfn] — saying ahead of time what will happen .................................................................................
RELIGIONSAND BELIEFS AROUND THE WORLD
Shinto
kami
nature worship
Taoism
Tao
Christianity
Jesus Christ Holy Bible grace salvation Trinity Holy Spirit Satan baptism
Islam
Allah
Muhammad
Koran
Mecca
Ramadan
Hinduism
Brahma
Vishnu / Krishna
Shiva
Vedas
reincarnation
karma
Buddhism
Buddha dharma sangha nirvana
Confucianism
Confucius Analects
vang
Judaism
Yahv.eh Talmud Torah Sabbath bar mitzvah