30 Days of Stuff: Faith

by Justin 24 May 2011 14:21 30 Days of Stuff

In which I opine about the pitfalls of faith, and whether atheism is a faith in itself...

Last weekend’s rapture debacle has inevitably prompted me to think, as I often do, about the nature of faith. Now, as I also often do, I want to quickly separate my opinions on faith and religion.

To my mind, organised religion is one of the great evils of the world: it’s divisive; it breeds partisanship, separation, hypocrisy; the power it provides for some over others allows far too much scope for corruption; it allows people to abrogate their responsibilities by claiming to answer to a higher governing body (one which society is traditionally unwilling to question).

I view personal faith very differently: while I don’t necessarily understand or share some people’s beliefs, I eminently respect their right to believe what they choose to believe. The dividing line here is that it’s down to the individual: one person believes what they want, another person believes something totally different, and there’s no one saying what one person should or shouldn’t believe (or do).

You’ll see that I don’t subscribe to the Richard Dawkins school of atheism. This is because I don’t believe in unproven absolutes. Sure, you can’t prove that God exists, but neither can you prove that he doesn’t exist (you could, of course, get into a Douglas Adams’ style metaphysical conundrum here about how you disprove the existence of something that you can’t prove doesn’t exist, because it doesn’t exist in order for you to disprove its existence... but I’m definitely not going there).

This has all made me wonder if my atheism is actually a form of faith: I don’t know for sure that God doesn’t exist, and that millions of other people are wrong, but this is the path I’ve chosen and I have to have faith that God doesn’t exist in order to keep Douglas Adams out of my brainspace.

Alternatively, does that the fact that I haven’t absolutely ruled out the existence of God mean that I’m what’s termed (as a friend educated me this morning) a ‘seeker’ - am I still seeking that absolute truth?

 

I read the stories this morning about people quitting jobs and spending every penny they had so they could join Harold Camping for last weekend’s predicted rapture (they’re now broke and still no closer to heaven... unless someone’s got a needle and camel handy?). I could be cynical and say: “Well, look where your religion has gotten you now” but, in truth, I found it all pretty sad: these are people who chose to believe in someone, and that someone let them down. It’s a classic case of misplaced faith, and is partly why I have very little time for those who tell others what to believe and how to express those beliefs.

It also has to be said that, to my mind, these are people who are largely idiots. However, I don’t class them as idiots because of their religion: this is something that could just as easily happen to idiots who have no belief in God. What if someone took it upon themselves to announce that Justin Bieber would be giving free snogs next weekend in Times Square - I’m sure you’d flush a few derps out of the woodwork too. Look at those people who paid fortunes and waited days just to be at the Royal Wedding. Look at the passions that the Star Wars films evoke.

 

The main point of writing this was for me to get a handle on how I can hugely disagree with someone’s beliefs, and yet still cherish them as a valued and respected friend. It would be different if these views were, for example, racist: that would count as something that is detrimental to others (not to mention abhorrent), and that’s one of the cardinal no-no’s in the Book of Cawthorne. A more valid example might be someone who believes in creationism versus someone who campaigns for it to be taught in science classes: I would accept the former and vehemently reject the latter; you can believe what you choose but you shouldn’t enforce it on others (and I would find it no more acceptable to campaign for creationism to be removed from Religious Education classes).

Looking at this from the other side, I should also be hugely grateful that my various religious friends tolerate a heathen such as myself. They might ask themselves the same question: how can I be a friend to this person whose beliefs are the opposite to my own? And, I should point out, at no point have any of my religious friends or relatives questioned my (lack of) faith or ever insinuated that I’m wrong for not believing. I find it puzzling sometimes that some people believe certain things, and people no doubt find it puzzling that I believe certain things (such as Roxette being one of the finest pop acts to grace our charts).

I was about to say that it’s all down to toleration, but that’s not the right message at all. I don’t tolerate my friends because they’re religious: that implies there’s something negative about them which I, nonetheless, choose to endure. No: I accept and embrace my friends, regardless of whether they’re religious, or fans of The Phantom Menace, or even if they diss the Rox. I can’t admit that we’re ever likely to see eye-to-eye on certain things, but it’s the people who are different to me that add the colour to my life: what sort of fool would want everyone to think or act the same way?

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