Faith and Charity
John on September 15, 2005 at 4:49 pm
I heard about this piece on Dennis Praeger’s show yesterday. This comes from the Guardian in the UK. An atheist, while dismissing as fantasy all belief in God, notes that believers are nevertheless better people to their fellow man. He ends his piece:
The only possible conclusion is that faith comes with a packet of moral imperatives that, while they do not condition the attitude of all believers, influence enough of them to make them morally superior to atheists like me.
An admirable admission that must have been difficult to make. I’ve spent some time trolling the atheist bulletin boards on the web and I can tell you that most atheists are very defensive about their lack of “good works.” I would just add that this is not, in fact, the only possible conclusion. There is one other possibility, though it’s rather more difficult for someone like the author to accept.
Guardian | Faith does breed charity
Category: Atheism |
If it were not assumed that religious belief shapes behavior, the “atheist four horsemen” would probably never have written their books. The current atheist movement started as a reaction to unsettling consequences of religious fundamentalism in both the Christian and the Muslim world. It would be ludicrous to state that there is not positive side to these belief systems (which is why I don’t cotton much to Hitchen’s position – although I find it entertaining).
The fact is that most people of faith are not extremists, and for most the benefits of belief outweigh the Crazy.
But there is still the Crazy to deal with. Be that as it may.
Personally I always liked John Stewart’s quote on this topic:
“Faith without good works is NOTHING!
Good works without faith is still pretty good!”
Personally I enjoy my good works just fine, but I will concede that most atheists are not into that sort of thing. Too bad really – I think they are missing out. One of the things that I hope to see change over time is that as the atheist community matures and becomes more of a community, we will see more good works. Right now, it’s more of a counterculture movement, and in many ways it’s still finding its identity.
No-doubt we atheists will take some pages from the Christian playbook when (and if) that happens, at which point, members of this very forum will no-doubt insist that Christianity deserves all the credit. When that day comes, I will point back on this post and laugh.
June 2, 2009 @ 8:42 amMaybe atheists will start having children too…
LOL.
June 2, 2009 @ 10:42 am