Choosing religion based on forgiveness

I saw on the “Daily Show” that Brit Hume, one of those fair and balanced people at Fox News, gave advice to Tiger Woods. Mr. Hume stated that he thought Tiger was a Buddhist and that Buddhism was not very forgiving regarding serial adultery. Brit advised Tiger to convert to Christianity because Christianity allowed more forgiveness for such “transgressions.”

Reminds me of Pascal's Wager except, under Brit's version, one is supposed to choose one's particular religion based on the benefits offered – an interesting idea.

Maybe various denominations could compete for new converts by offering deals - three sins forgiven if you join within the next week. Heck, we could win the War on Terror (or whatever it is we are supposed to call it these days) simply by upping the Christianity benefits package to include 75 virgins, then advertising the new bennies on Al-Jazeera - New Improved Christianity! Now three more virgins than Islam!

Yes, Brit, that is a wonderful way to pick one's religion. Forget your fundamental beliefs about the existence of, the nature of, and your relationship to, a supernatural being - concentrate instead on the benefits packages.

Perhaps Brit has been spending a little too much time with Glenn Beck, the Fox commentator.

Rex Clemmensen

Iowa City