And then what?

"And then what?" There are so many times in my life that I see something or read something or hear something and think, "And then what?" It seems as if people are very happy to tell us what's wrong without telling us what's right. People like to point out the problems without offering solutions. And on those occasions that they do offer solutions, it seems as if they haven't considered the results.

Take an obvious current event -- the war in Iraq. There are many voices out there clamoring for withdrawal. "It's wrong!" "We shouldn't be there!" "Bring our boys home now!" And I ask, "And then what?" What happens to the people of Iraq when the world's largest police force withdraws from one of the most violent places on the planet? Or is it that we just shouldn't care? "Too bad about those Iraqis ... but that's there problem now." And what impact does that have on how the world views America? "Well, apparently they can't be trusted to bring about what they promise or protect those who are under their protection." Indeed, it seems that most people who are calling for "immediate withdrawal" don't know that withdrawal of men and equipment would take years. Or would they recommend simply abandoning all that equipment? (And what kind of outrage would that bring from those upset about the war?) I've heard a whole lot of "Get us out now!" without a single peep of "And then what?", and I am still wondering about that.

Take the current rush of "atheist evangelists". There are folks like Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris and a rising number of others who have taken it upon themselves to suggest that Christianity isn't merely wrong -- it's evil. There are calls for removal of Christianity from the public arena and claims that it is detrimental to society. And I ask, "And then what?" What are they offering in return? Take away the meaning of life. Take away a Creator. Take away Ultimate Justice. Remove any fundamental basis for morality and any answer for "What happens when you die?" and any possible comfort in tough times that a belief in an Almighty brings. What do they offer in its place? If you leave us with pure science as the world religion and pure materialism as the world truth, what have you left us? Sure, it is possible for an atheist to be a nice guy (or girl). There is no reason to think otherwise. But without a basis for it, how long does it last? If morality is stripped of its basis, we are left with pragmatism -- what works. If humans are merely biochemical bags that grew out of "less evolved" biochemical bags, pragmatic morality teeters on anarchy. What does it matter if you decide to kill your boss to get ahead? It's no different than annihilating a hive of bees roosting in your attic. We're all beings without real significance. We're born in cradles that swing over graves. We go from oblivion to oblivion. There is no reason to consider the murder of hundreds of millions of people under atheists like Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot as "evil" since they're merely animal compounds who are in the way. Or what can you tell the five-year-old who loses her sweet grandmother? "Too bad. She's worm food now. No, it's not possible that you'll ever see her again. She's dead. Get over it. The good news is that some day you will be dead, too, and it won't matter." No, no, I've never heard any of that from an atheist. They desperately seek the comfort of eternity like everyone else when someone dies. But there is no basis for their comfort. Yet they offer their views as if they are offering something better for us all. "Folks, look, you need to surrender all this hope and love and morality. We're offering you something better -- the truth. The truth is that nothing matters, there is no hope, and morality is irrelevant. Now, who wouldn't want that?" They cry, "Get rid of God" and I ask, "And then what?" They're not answering.

These are just two examples. I see it everywhere. When John Kerry ran for president, I understood what he didn't want. He didn't want George Bush in office. What I didn't get was what he did want. "Get George out of office!" "And then what?" In the last major election there was an entire Democratic campaign that ran on "anyone but". "Don't elect Republicans; they've made a mess of things." "And then what?" It's all around. "Allow open homosexuality in the military." "And then what?" "Open our borders to immigrants." "And then what?" "Get rid of Christians." "And then what?" "Legalize drugs." "And then what?" It seems like a lot of people focus on the issue without considering the ramifications or the system in which the issues reside. They focus on the task without taking into account the entire process. I just wish that some of the loudest voices in our society would stop and engage their brains before running their mouths. Ask yourself on occasion, "And then what?" It might give you pause. Or it might not. Who knows?