"He told the people he was adopting the bum as his son, giving him the full powers and privileges of the Son of the Creator of the Universe throughout all eternity. God said this: 'From this moment on, He will punish horribly anybody who torments a bum who has no connections!'"- pg 110
This is the modern version of the story of God and his Son. It is a version that Billy tells himself while he is suffering at the hands of Weary, the fat soldier who loves to beat Billy up, but at the the same time won't leave him behind. This a version of the story that Billy can relate to. It comforts him, and helps him get through his ordeal. Billy is beginning to show a very reliable pattern of believing in things he makes up so that his life doesn't seem so tragic and horrible as it really is. And it is working surprisingly well for him.
Could Billy's pattern of believing in things to make his life seem less tragic be Vonnegut's feeling on religion itself?
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