To most people, the title of this blog seems contradictory. Aren’t atheists rebelling against God and leading people astray? Well, for the most part, no. One of our discoveries in our group’s research is that most atheists (or their cousins, agnostics) are good for people of faith because their honesty keeps us honest. They can help us learn to think for ourselves.
The exceptions seem to be militant atheists like Richard Dawkins, Bill Maher, and Sam Harris, who only appear to be honest up to a point. In my experience, most atheists are sympathetic people, ones like Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Seth Andrews, and Greg Brahe. Regardless, all atheists help us when they expose and reject the irrational, legalistic, and abusive side of religion. That’s good. Atheists actually can help us focus on what really counts: compassion and love for humankind and what’s good for the world.
Here’s three things atheists can teach us:
1 – How to be brutally and intellectually honest – Religious people tend to feel obligated to believe certain doctrines or else. We find it hard to think critically about belief or the church or the Bible. Atheists can teach us to face the hardest questions and use logic to follow where the evidence leads. Rational thought is a part of loving God with our whole mind.
2 – How to be a pragmatist with the Bible, not a literalist – Agnostic Bart Erhman teaches us how to look at the New Testament as a rational historian. The evidence tells us we shouldn’t believe everything we read in our English translations. There are some errors historically—mostly immaterial—but they are there. Small portions have been miscopied, there are mistranslations, and some passages are easy to misinterpret. But at the end of the day, like we do with other historical documents that inspire us, we find gems within its pages. Sacred text doesn’t have to be infallible to contain spiritual truth.
3 – How to put God where He/She belongs – In other words, atheists teach us to take God outside religion and the church, which too often spiritually abuse people. They promote doing good for its own sake, not out of fear of death, hell, and a retributive God. They show us how to put the Spiritual inside the practice of caring for fellow human beings and for the world.
Far from leading us astray, atheists and agnostics can lead us toward a more reasoned and reasonable faith that makes love for neighbor more important than religion. That’s a good thing.
What do you think about this concept? Can people of faith build bridges with atheists and agnostics?
I’ve come a long way from born-againism to non-belief. All that in a couple of years. It first it was just churchianty that bothered me. I left church. But then it was the idea of a god at that bothered me. I saw no reason in god or evidence for god. So I became atheist. Not to find a better god, or be spiritual, or get believers to reason with me. I don’t see any god in or out of religion.
What I do see is human beings trying to be real, to care, to love. I see others who would fight against that, and try to dominate with political coalescence. At least with politics, you are dealing with real people, even if they lie. You deal with real problems. And I do believe that love is the answer. The Beatles were right. Not because of any god, but because hate is destructive, but love is constructive. That is our hope.
I’ve observed that we all tend to come to that same conclusion when we let ourselves shift with our hearts, love is the answer and our hope. After stripping away the misguided stuff and abusive religious systems, that’s the “biblical” conclusion too. Thanks, Pat. It’s been awhile.
What is your definition of “militant”?
In this case, someone unsympathetic to theists with not much capacity for empathy. The “New Atheists” like Dawkins, Harris, and Maher, even though I like them as people, just come across so condescending. They seem like the other extreme of fundamentalism. If I sat down and had a beer with them I’d probably change my mind, lol.
I would agree with your 3 statements (mostly)! Why? I have a deeply religious friend, in fact she is an ex-religious! In her circle of friends, I am one of the few, if not the only one who has conversations with her regarding theology, dogmas and the practice of her church! However, we live in Australia and there really is no stigma attached to being an atheist, you can declare it openly and no one really cares (unless they are are in some way fundamentalist) including Christians, Muslims, Jews and all the other sects! Our dialogue is healthy and includes discussions regarding sects outside her faith and she has advised me that she gains a wider understanding of other groups because I have an interest in all religions and enjoys the fact that she has me as a resource! She is a teacher and at times I direct her to teaching aides about other religions as she is responsible for the religious curriculum in her school. She uses them in her “religions of the world” program! Yes, sometimes we have robust discussions and she makes me laugh when she says that “I am her test of faith and believes that I was put here for that to happen”. Religion is secondary to our relationship, there are many things that we enjoy about each others company and religion is just a small aspect of our difference!
Sounds like you have a good relationship there, Gerri. That’s a good place to be where religion is a fascinating topic but secondary to really being a true friend. Unfortunately, most evangelical Christians in the US have a bias against atheists… they are lost and need Jesus, rather than they are humans and could teach me something.
You made some really good points. If moderate and liberal Christians and Atheists accept each other as allies in the dismantling of fundamentalism, that would actually help everyone, including the fundamentalists. Living as slaves to the Bible and a pastor can’t be that enjoyable. I’m sure it’s comforting for some, but very restrictive and unhealthy for most. The irrationality of fundamentalism is the main problem with Christianity today and the more we think instead of believe the better off we will be as people and as a society.
I completely agree, Dan. I would love to build bridges as a progressive Christian with liberals and atheists for that very reason. There’s no more us vs. them mentality in my view, but I think we do need to expose fundamentalism wherever it rears its ugly head, on right or left.
From the standpoint of a young adult who grew up with one foot in the church and one foot out, it is a relief to hear that there are authors, historians and theologians who take an honest and unbiased look at religion. How can a young person make an informed decision on their religios beliefs, when those he/she is brought up to ‘trust’, don’t respond to the hardest questions about religion with open and unbiased answers. Thank you Dad, and all the other historians, theologians and ‘bible thumpers’ alike, that honestly answer the difficult questions.
Hey Nate, thanks for dropping in. You’re right about those inside a good part of the church that shut down or only give pat answers to the hardest questions. Or, at least say, “I haven’t a clue,” instead of having to be certain because the church or Bible says so.
I think you missed one thing in this blog. Atheists would really like to contribute (and have a long history of contributing) to Christianity it is religious freedom. Atheists almost invariably fight for a secular state. Through standing up for their right to *not* believe something that the majority believes, they in fact ensure the rights of all believers to explore their own faith freely. They fight for every person’s right to not be oppressed by a government or society that cannot tolerate deviation from the orthodoxy. Many members of the majority religion in their country do not appreciate the importance of this act of rebellion against the establishment, because (I think) many of them believe that a theocratic laws in their country would naturally fall in line with their doctrines.
While this may be true, they often forget that what may very well be the most unifying characteristic of Christianity – the overwhelming inability of its adherents to agree on just about any doctrine or creed. We have seen centuries of oppression and warfare by competing groups within the greater whole of Christianity, almost always with the use of an official state religion.
I believe that there are many good things that we can learn from one another, but if there is one thing that I hope that atheists can impress upon religious believers worldwide, it is that we are *ALL* better off if we keep religion out of government. Sorry to go political on you, but ’tis the season and all…
Really good point, Greg. Fighting for a secular government ensures no faith has superiority and all faiths or lack thereof are protected. I’m in for no religion in government too. I think individual religious expression of people in government positions must be protected however, but as long as it’s not dictates, but genuine expression of personal faith. The President saying “God bless America” is fine, but then if we had a Muslim President, then we’d have to be open for him or her to say, “May Allah bless America.” I’m okay with not having “under God” in the Pledge too, after all, it wasn’t there in the original, nor on the currency. Those seem like dictates that we officially must have stamped on things, rather than an individual’s expression of faith.
ugh… sorry for the readability issues. I don’t proofread until after I submit the comments, and now I discover that they can’t be edited…
I agree. I’d actually go so far as to say that if I’m not living a life and adopting a stance/attitude that’s welcoming and engaging of atheists and actually truly listens to them (i.e. hears them well), then I’m not following Christ. It seems to me the radically inclusive way of Jesus invites us to meet atheists where they’re at and include them at the table. What is more, it occurs to me atheists bring a needed prophetic voice/critique to the discussion. An “outsider” perspective that actually helps us course correct, question, and be more faithful to Christ’s Way.
While I don’t typically enjoy debating with atheists (though I haven’t done so in a while), I concur with your comments in this post. Lord known, we Christians need something to keep us honest…
I appreciate all you bring to the “table” in your studies, videos, books. I also appreciate your ability to have open and honest dialogue with those who differ on a wide variety of topics. Peace and love Michael. I hope to add something more to the dialogue in the future, however time does not permit to do now.
Lang, I completely see that point about atheists as outsiders needed to bring objectivity to our paradigm. Rob, yes, something to humble us and help counter the air of moral superiority. Ron, thanks for your kind words and come back some time… “early and often.”