Beliefs can be very comforting at times. They can encourage, empower and entertain. However, there is a rather hilarious double standard that often accompanies beliefs, especially religious ones. You see it on the news. You hear it from people you know.

"It was the will of (fill in the blank)."

I've got no problem with this saying. The world is a divine place. I can see and even feel the presence of divine power within and outside of myself. However, the problem comes when the will shifts. You see, it's always some holy being's will when the situation is dire, the people are helpless and all must surrender. However, this changes when some a$$#0!e cuts another person off on the highway or say when the devil "possesses" someone's mind. What happened to divine power then? If everything is the will of God, why do we complain about anything? If there is evil in the world, it too must be the work of the holy one. Therefore, everything that happens is part of the "master" plan, including the school massacre and genocide.

I'm not one to tear down another person's ideas, but this notion unintentionally borders cruelty, at best it's just rude. Furthermore, it removes responsibility from the individual, especially when we say "the devil did it" or "it was the work of God". It cannot go both ways. Either the holier than holy is in control or "he" isn't. Either way, it makes people lazy, creates passivity and easily allows and invites manipulation.