Thursday, September 12, 2013

Belief And Unbelief: Matters Of The Heart?

 
Not to start with a trite cliche, but ... some of my best friends are atheists. It really is true, and has been for a long time - back to my college days, actually. There was a time in my life, back when I was a fundamentalist Christian, that that would not and could not have been the case. But as I matured and allowed myself to explore worldviews besides my own, I actually came to respect thoughtful atheists. 
 
Early on I read Ingersoll and was greatly impressed. Ingersoll was technically an agnostic, but he did not believe in God. Then I found myself almost as greatly impressed by the writings of Bertrand Russell and Antony Flew. 
 
Later I was a coworker and then became a close friend with an atheist. We not only debated theology over beer on the weekends, he also introduced me to some of the intricacies of quantum physics. At this time I was no longer a fundamentalist, but a Deist. He tried but never converted me to atheism.
 
I say all the above to say this: I like sincere atheists and have been greatly influenced by atheology. Atheists can help those of us who still feel the pull (seduction, some of them would say) of the spiritual worldiew. Atheists, I believe, have helped highlight areas of theology that need more thought and better expression.
 
Then there is the less helpful variety, the arrogant mocker who patronizes the rest of us by suggesting we just haven't quite outgrown our childhood and need of invisible friends. Ah well, if it makes them feel better....
 
While reading a newspaper article about an atheist billboard that, as it always does, created some controversy and discussion, I noticed one of the less helpful type of atheists posted the following:
 
YAY, finally some real advise (sic). God was only created because the normal human being was so scared at the thought of living their life "alone" they created "god" as well as all mythology but decide god was more feasible to believe so it stayed. If you actually took time to do some ACTUAL research, you would be surprised about a lot of things you find out about what you think you know.
 
I might suggest that commenter should take his own advice. It is possible he might not know as much as he thinks he knows either.  
 
It seems to me, after years and years of thinking about the merits of the God question both pro and con, that a humble agnosticism is more in order. I believe our feelings about God and spirituality are highly personal, that is we believe or disbelieve in a spiritual worldview primarily for emotional reasons. And then we seek out the arguments that best support our bias.
 

I find myself cornered into the position of being an agnostic believer. Of course I recognize the strengths of the atheist position. But I don't find them overly convincing. More to the point, they don't jibe with my intuition and deeper feelings. Beyond that admission, I think that all we have emotional reasons for following or dismissing altogether a spiritual worldview. I therefore think it absurd to write off all nonbelievers as wicked or all believers as stupid and childish as is so often done.

10 comments:

  1. I am soooo tired of fundamentalist, hardcore atheists who think their purpose in life is to abuse religious people and attack people who are not as atheistic or caustic as they are. Every day on some blog or news site I read hateful, ugly, nasty comments by atheists. These assholes may be atheists but they most certainly know nothing of the humanist ideals most atheists ascribe to.

    These atheists send me emails condemning me for being an accommodationist. In other words, they condemn me for being a kind, thoughtful, decent human being.

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    1. Bruce,

      How sincerely I wish we lived near each other. It would be so nice for me to have someone to talk to who really understands - who understands both faith and doubt, and understands the need to find the heart underneath it all.

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  2. I think the atheist and God, or whomever you believe in, is just muck. I do believe in God, but I also confidence in you, Doug, and all of those other people that don't believe in the other world. I have read in all sort of books about atheists, God, Jesus, and agnostics. And etc., etc., etc. Whatever. It's all the same, and I welcome to all of the stuff that they want to say. Like I said, I do believe in God, but, what are you gonna do? Everyone is different ... atheist, agnostic, or some holy thing, it's all the friggin' equipment. You know? Like I said, everyone is different, and who knows? Maybe we'll die, and that's that. Maybe we'll live on forever and ever, or maybe we'll be reincarnated. Who knows? Heck, I would say that my religion would cause me to go to hell, because I'm gay, and I smoke, and on and on and on. You gotta choose what you want to.

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    1. It is complicated. That's the beauty of "I don't know."

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    2. Yep. That would have been sufficient. I was drunk, mind you. Yikes. :)

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    3. I know, I know ... and to think, I wrote this on one hand!! What's wrong with me?? Just kidding ... I've been here for 3 and some odd years, it's doable. Now I'll shut up, but I'm reading your blog ... FYI. ;)

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    4. I'm so glad you are here as one of my cyber friends and readers.

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  3. Yeah, as I say, I belong to the church of inclusion. Our basis is all welcome who do not put down others for what they believe as long as your fist doesn't hit my face, or anyone else.) I can't stand fundies, period. OPEN YOUR MINDS. You want science? NO ONE HAS ALL THE ANSWERS--pure science. What happens after THIS life, well, out of my hands, and my hands are full of living THIS life as best I can. DO GOOD, BE GOOD, FIND GOOD, GIVE GOOD, LOVE GOOD, LIVE GOOD, DIE GOOD.

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    1. DO GOOD, BE GOOD, FIND GOOD, GIVE GOOD, LOVE GOOD, LIVE GOOD, DIE GOOD. Is a slogan I can certainly try to live up to and can recommend to others. Thanks.

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