Atheism as Faith

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

Back in the day, a guy named Plutarch wrote an essay comparing atheism with superstition. In his estimation, superstition is worse than atheism because it puts divinity in a negative light. Of course, the school of thought to which Plutarch belonged did not view jealousy as a divine attribute. The jealous gods were not part of the higher pantheon. This perception of divinity is shared with Buddhism which depicts the jealous gods at a level below the higher gods.

One of my favorite ways to challenge the ignorant is to ask them where they got the idea that there is only one deity. They often point to a biblical passage that fails to support their assertion. That passage does not assert the non-existence of other gods, but instead affirms their existence. The jealous deity seeks to enslave people into his cult at the expense of a higher order understanding.

Which individual has greater faith: the one who is suckered into a cult of jealousy or the one who refuses to pledge allegiance to any of the gods? From where Plutarch sits, the atheist seems the more judicious of the two and hence the one closer to a sublime life path. Those who fail to become seduced into the luxury of ignorance are more likely to follow the path less traveled. The atheist is freer to bond with the eternal than is the religious bigot who has become immersed in a quagmire of primitive precepts.

What does this have to do with public policy? It promotes secularism as a spiritual enabler rather than as a negation of faith. It contradicts the crippling dogma of those who seek to put superstitious supplications back into public schools.

Comments

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

I agree that the single greatest problem in our schools today is that kids spend too much time reading the Christian Bible.

Not to worry...

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

... they say that Obama is working on legislation to make it mandatory to read the Koran in school.

Re: Not to worry...

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

Every educated person should read the Koran.

Re: Not to worry...

[telemann.livejournal.com]

My Catholic High School required it. But that was in the heady post-Vatican II days, now things are a lot more regulated. At least in *that* diocese.

Re: Not to worry...

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

We never read the book itself, but then I think we only read the entire Bible once in the ten years I was there. We did learn a fair bit about "world religions" of various stripes, though.

Re: Not to worry...

[telemann.livejournal.com]

I went to an extremely progressive high school. I had no idea at the time how lucky I was. Hell we even had a class on Kübler-Ross work (which was just coming out at that time). The instructor was surprised the students had picked this as a request for a topic for a semester.

Re: Not to worry...

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

I have one, but I don't know Arabic yet. I'm still working on Greek.

Re: Not to worry...

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

Greek was my downfall, forget Arabic.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

What's the "unchristian" Bible, I wonder.

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

I'd bet on Principia Discordia.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

lol

[airiefairie.livejournal.com]

And I would support that motion!

Frikkin heathen!

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

Re: Frikkin heathen!

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

Does it have a section on Excuses to Give Your Pastor About Going Fishing And Not To Church On Sunday?

Re: Frikkin heathen!

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

Jesus did say "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers."

Re: Frikkin heathen!

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Fishers of men. :P

Re: Frikkin heathen!

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

Pfft. They abridge everything else He said...

Re: Frikkin heathen!

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Eh, only nine sayings are authentic anyway. The rest was filler (if you take Dominic Crossan's word for it).

Re: Frikkin heathen!

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

Well "render unto Caesar" is one of the most commonly shortened of them all.

Re: Frikkin heathen!

[telemann.livejournal.com]

It's kind of ironic that statement is considered by all form critics of the Bible to be an authentic saying of Jesus of Nazareth, including the Jesus project.

Re: Frikkin heathen!

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

In order to establish such an assertion, one would need access to heretical literature such as the Gospel of Thomas. Something akin to, " and render unto Jesus that which belongs to Jesus."

Re: Frikkin heathen!

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Are you Roman Catholic or Lutheran? I forget.

Re: Frikkin heathen!

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

Neither.

Re: Frikkin heathen!

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Well horse feathers!

Re: Frikkin heathen!

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

Oh hamburgers.