No, I’m not.
Since I am a philosopher, many people assume I must be an atheist who hates religion. This is not the case. Like most people who fancy themselves intellectuals, I did go through an anti-religion phase. In part, I found the arguments against religion compelling. In part, I was angry at the way people who claimed to be religious behaved. In part, I thought that being an atheist was a sign of being intellectually tough. And, of course, I enjoyed that smug feeling that I was better than the fools who believed.
As I grew older and wiser, I stopped being anti-religious. One reason is that I achieved a better understanding of the arguments for and against religion as well as deeper understanding of ethics and metaphysics. From a rational standpoint, it is difficult to dismiss God with a haughty “bah” after reading and grasping arguments put forth by thinkers such as Aquinas, Descartes, Leibniz, Locke and others. It might be the case that there is no God, but the case against God is far from being a certain one and there are powerful arguments for His existence. Another reason is that I achieved a greater degree of personal and intellectual maturity. Believing something to seem “tough” or because it made me feel superior now strikes me as foolishness. I am still angry at the way some allegedly religious people behave. But I can now distinguish between a belief and those who claim to hold that belief. I do oppose those who use religion to justify their evil, their hatred and their prejudices. But I oppose them because they are evil-not because they claim to be religious.
In all honesty my religious beliefs are not settled. I have never had a definitive religious experience that convinced me of the truths of faith. I cannot believe just because some person in a fancy costume waves a book around and tells me it is true. I cannot believe just because most people do.
Naturally, I do want to believe. I would prefer a meaningful reality in which the wicked are brought to task, the good are duly rewarded and an afterlife awaits us all. I want that very much. But, I know that what I want and what is true are two distinct matters.
At this point, I reject the hateful dogmatism of the extreme atheist and the fanatic theist. But, I do not really know what I believe. Of course, neither do most people. When I speak to people about their faith and their God, they tend to speak empty words and have no real understanding of what they claim to believe. Worse, they often seem completely uninterested in learning anything about their alleged faith. It does strike me as ironic when they smugly judge me for my lack of faith when I am far more interested in what they believe then they are.
Brandon says
August 6, 2008 at 10:12 amWell said. I have oscillated back and forth myself. I have gone from thinking Atheists are irrational for not seeing the obvious to Theist are irrational for not seeing the obvious. Now, I would say I am in your boat. The arguments for either side are solid but I too have not had any real solid experience that would be convincing, but regardless of whether one exists or not, it has and will not change my life. My morals have not changed from each transition, nor has my altruism. Good blog I found you by accident off of Austin Cline’s refutation of your pig cloning article.
Michael LaBossiere says
August 6, 2008 at 4:31 pmThanks. Like you, my ethics have stood independent of my religious views. While people do often argue that there cannot be ethics without God, this does not seem to be true. Also, I think Kant made an excellent point when he argued that being good for the hope of a reward (divine or otherwise) is not really being good.
toddyenglish says
August 30, 2008 at 12:52 pmY’know, I really don’t think you have to be anti religious/spiritual to be Atheist/Agnostic or anything of the sort. I happen to be an atheist, yet I consider myself as a very spiritual person. I consider myself as a person comfortable in his beliefs (erm, non beliefs?)…so much so that I can look at religion with objectivity and not judge the religious. However, some religious people don’t seem to understand it. The whole, “If you are not for me you are against me.” BLEAH.
Iago says
August 12, 2009 at 6:53 am“It might be the case that there is no God, but the case against God is far from being a certain one and there are powerful arguments for His existence.”
Would you like to state what powerful arguments you speak of are? I’ve yet to hear a powerful argument for God’s existence.
Most arguments you ever hear try to point out things that are unknown and state that as reason to believe God exists, those aren’t powerful arguments… those are just trying to fill in the blank with “God” because nobody else knows the answer yet.
But if you have any actual powerful arguments for God you’d like to state then I’d certainly love to hear them…
Michael LaBossiere says
August 12, 2009 at 11:41 amI’d suggest starting with St. Anselm’s ontological argument, then moving to Aquinas’ Five ways. After that, take a look at the modern era thinkers Descartes Meditations and Leibniz’s various arguments. The arguments do not (obviously) establish God’s existence with certainty, but they are powerful arguments. Of course, they do have flaws-but what substantial arguments do not?