People without beliefs lack hope
Philip Martin

Sports Editor

If I had a dollar for every time I have been wrong, I would be a self-made millionaire, and I would be able to buy this place a couple of times.

There are those moments when I know I m wrong, but I won t change my attitude. There are many people like that - I know a few of them. Well, actually, I know many people like that. I get stuck in my ways and won t budge, and dang it, I like it that way.

Recently, I was asked why I don t drink. Well, I have never seen the purpose in it. I don t need to have a couple of beers or smoke weed to do stupid things. I do stupid things when I m sober, that way I can remember.

But, there was something said when I was asked that struck me as odd. The guy asked me if I did it because of religious reasons. I, of course, said yes. And then he said,  At least you have a reason. 

Whoa, hello, he might as well have said,  At least you have something to believe in.  This was a shocking statement, which probably meant nothing to that guy, but for me it struck a chord and made me think. I personally believe you have to believe in something in this world to get through life.

Some people say they can t believe in anything. Well, if someone says that, don t even think about it, because they are lying. Even if a person doesn t believe in God, they at least believe in money, food, cars, porn, whatever. They still believe in something.

While on the subject of beliefs, I would like to answer a question I have heard in the halls, by an instructor or students. But the question always starts out the same,  Why does God let...?  It s either why did he let this happen, or why does this happen if he is a truly loving God. I want to answer one question in particular that hits a little close to home.

 Why does God let people die like dogs from cancer? 

The reason this hits close to home for me is because my great-aunt died of cancer, my uncle died of cancer, and my grandfather has cancer. I personally do not think people with cancer die like dogs. My great-aunt, for example, when she found out she had cancer and she wasn t going to survive, she didn t give up and blame God or her doctor. No, she decided to take part in a government test to help people fight cancer. She would go to Washington, D.C., once a month and take part in the test for about a week, and then come back home. She never once gave up on herself or her faith. She believed, even though she was going to die, she was going to help someone else live a little bit longer.

This goes back to what I said earlier - you have to have something to believe in. She believed in God, and she was going to help someone. No, God does not let people die like dogs from cancer. Rather, people who want to give up on themselves and not believe in themselves, then they choose to die like dogs. But for the people I know who have cancer, and who died from cancer, they chose to fight like soldiers on the front line of a war to hang on and help others.

My helpful advice for the day is: Believe in yourself, and if something bad comes your way, do not back down but go in fighting with your beliefs and you will never lose.