Sydney Harris

Rationalism follows economic progress and everyone is already an atheist now.  Everyone on earth is an atheist toward the thousands of gods they don’t believe in.  At some point, they will realize that fantasy affords us nothing and that they believe in their preferred god for the same bad reason everyone else believes in theirs and their children believe in monsters or Santa.  God does nothing for us.  I’m speaking of the concept, not a person.  It explains nothing, it changes nothing, it fixes nothing, it builds nothing, but in its name we kill and destroy.  Human progress is toward a world of truth, reason, and a rejection of the exploitative nonsense called religion, gods with it.

I found this quotation on a debate Web site as to whether atheism will soon drive out religion.  This excerpt disturbed me along with the previous arguments we have discussed in our class.  The other arguments we have discussed are all atheistic views from authors like Darwin, Nietzsche, and others.  These views include the present argument they imply that says atheism will dominate, God is not a necessary and quite frankly an amateur thing ignorant and uneducated people believe in, and natural selection was and has been evident in society and we are better for it.  Arguments like this in my opinion are very idiotic and while I won’t judge these men for their warped ideas, I will establish my beliefs and the reason why I believe in not a god, but the only God.

The above quotation really stuck out to me because this person, along with many, many others probably, stated religion is nonsense and irrelevant in today’s society.  They also said everyone is an atheist, which, to me, is not true.  I cannot be an atheist to something that does not exist.  According to Google, an atheist is “a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.”  So, to me, an atheist is someone who simply chooses to not believe in God.  I have a friend who is currently struggling with religion and knowing the truth and the lies.  She has always been aware of God and His existence, but because she had a close relationship with an atheist who passed on, she doesn’t want to accept the fact that person might be in eternal death.  So, she chooses not to believe in God, because to her and many people around the world, disbelief is always easier and less painful.  It’s exciting in some ways but becoming too vulnerable and getting hurt or finding out you were wrong is too scary for some.

The quoted author also says religion has changed nothing, progressed nothing, and has just as a whole done nothing to better society.  This is strange to me, and I guess it should be as this man has no credentials but I could understand his point better than the authors we have read.  This country was established as “one nation under God,” on perhaps not all Christian beliefs but religious morals and beliefs, which in my opinion was a huge progression from before.  Christianity has given so many people good morals and a good set of rules to live by and the religion in itself, through missions and outreach, it has helped so many people, local and international.  Most missionaries are Christian or come from a religious-based organization.  Similarly, many companies that have accomplished so many accolades were discovered and founded by Christians and religious people.

However, say we did live in a world founded and dominated by atheism.  Do we really think we would be living in the same country we live in today?  The answer is most likely “no” because although some atheists and agnostics live positive lifestyles and are for doing well to yourself and humanity, there are way more that use it as an excuse to act crazy.  Celebrities like Ke$ha and Miley Cyrus encourage people to let loose, party hard, and have no cares.  This is a very dangerous message to send our youth, and if we lived in a nation founded on like principles, to live the way you want and not care, who knows where we would be.

We must be careful as Christians to be strong  and represent the religion in a way pleasing to God. Oftentimes we say one thing and mean another or show something completely different.  I know, from experience, other countries would not survive in an atheistic world.  Countries like the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and others are and are becoming more corrupt and to be a believer there is a very sacred thing.  The Christians there are extremely cautious to be set apart in the way they dress speak and in everything they do.  Atheism and belief in other gods has caused countries like those to become focused on the wrong things with the wrong people in command.  Even the policeman and government cannot be trusted.  This will become America when we put ourselves and our wants before God.

I strongly believe we will not thrive in a world where it is pushed to live the way you want.  I know many people, Christian and non-Christian are itching to have a reason to not care and waste their lives.  I think if our world is surrounded by people who think our world popped out of nowhere and there is no point in living everyone would be sad. It is depressing to know your life is useless because once you die everything is over and dying is inevitable so what’s the point.  We must strive as believers to conquer Satan’s hold on the Earth and not let the wicked ways of the world turn our hearts from the love of God.

Work Cited

Anonymous survey.  http://www.debate.org/opinions/will-atheism-one-day-be-the-worlds-dominant-belief-system.