Tuesday, April 17, 2001
Tuesday, April 17, 2001
When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart,
Asimov was quite certain that God, even if he existed, would not mind an honest atheist. He
might, however, grow irritated over a wiseguy atheist. His talk with Frost had only been a taping.
What would happen on the day it was really to appear? Asimov wondered. He found out. For
twenty-one years Asimov had suffered occasionally from the fearful pain of kidney stones and the
day on which he appeared on television with his wiseguy crack about God finding him, he had his
worst (and last) attack. He wrote later: "There's no use trying to describe the bitter, unrelenting
pain one experiences in such an attack. All I could do was clutch my abdomen, stagger about, and
gasp, All right, God. You've found me. Now let me go.'"
(Jeremiah 29:13
NRSV)
Science fiction writer Isaac Asimov was an atheist. A man of great wit and intelligence, Asimov
was brought up in the Jewish faith but like many modern Jews, maintained some of the trappings
of his faith while rejecting its central focus on God. Once on national television, Asimov was
asked point blank by TV interviewer David Frost about his views on God. Asimov was reluctant
to admit his atheism to a large television audience, so he stalled by saying, "Whose [God]?" Frost
would not be put off. He said, "I mean the Judeo-Christian God of Western tradition. You know
that very well, Dr. Asimov." Asimov stalled again. "I haven't given it much thought." Said Frost,
"I don't believe that. I'm sure a person of your wide knowledge and attainments would have
sought to find God." Whereupon Asimov saw his chance and seized it. He said, "God is smarter
than I am. Let him try to find me." In the laughter that followed, the subject was dropped. That
isn't the end of the story, however.
God of peace, please keeping finding me and don't let go. Amen.
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