Atheism and Society: Is it Truly Beneficial to Mankind?
Many people think that in order for people to live happy meaningful lives they need a strong sense of religion in it, a purpose for living, a sort of light at the end of the tunnel. In order for there to be world happiness and peace, we must all find God, and live according to his will. That mind set is wrong and it is dangerous: one man's interpretation of God's will might be to help his neighbor; however another might be to fly an airplane into him.
Imagine the possibility of living a life without the shackles of religion constantly holding society back by forcing man to build religious barriers between him and his fellow beings. The problem does not lie in religion itself, but in the followers. Religion can be a good tool to become a better person, and to help shape the morals and standards of a large amount of people; however, when the proper use of tolerance and understanding are not practiced by the people, an immanent conflict soon follows. Throughout history people have made a habit out of placing their beliefs above everyone else's.
What would be the greater good for the greatest amount of people? Atheism doesn't seem like such a bad choice. It forces you to think about the here and now: suddenly the choices you make become a bigger deal as you realize there might not always be a tomorrow. "There is no afterlife. We just die, and that's it. Which is why what we do in this life matters so much¬¬¬ - -and why how we treat others in the here and now is more important than how they might be treated in some hereafter that may or may not exist" (Shermer 49).
"Atheism arises mainly through a profound sense that religious ideas and values are at least inferior to, and possibly irreconcilable with, the best moral standards and ideals of human culture" (Mcgrath 4).
Let us take a look at the moral value of atheistic perspective vs. a religious view. A religious man serves his Lord and does his work so that he might find salvation in the life hereafter; meanwhile, a similar man who holds atheistic beliefs serves his fellow man for his fellow man. One act is out of pure selfishness and greed of eternal glory in heaven, while one is to help benefit mankind because he finds his immortality in the good deeds he does to the only eternal life he knows of, the fact that life lives on even long after he is dead. "The greatest virtue of atheism is its moral seriousness-its criticisms and passionate demands for justice directed against corruption" (Mcgrath 4).
"We are supposed to be good and do the right thing not because it will make us rich, get us saved, or reward us in the next life, but because people have value in and of themselves, and because it will make us all better off, individually and collectively" (Sherman 49).
Atheists have been given a bad rap for a long time throughout history and I am not really sure why. They never went on a crusade, killing thousands of people to cleanse the earth of the infidels. Atheists never massacred over a hundred people in mountain meadows. Atheists never flew airplanes into buildings in hope for virgins in the next life and the glory of Allah. Atheists never cut the heads off of innocent journalists because they were of different faith. Atheists never burned anyone at the stake because of bad crops or sick children. When it comes down to the greatest good for humanity, perhaps atheism is not so bad after all, especially compared to the other alternative of everlasting religious intolerance. (Word Count: 666 that's Irony)
Works Cited
Falikowski, Anthony. "Experiencing Philosophy." New Jersey: Pearson, 2004.
McGrath, Alister. "The Twilight of Atheism." Lexis Nexis Scholar Dixie State College Lib., St. George, UT. Mar, 2005.
Shermer, Michael. "Science is My Savior." Lexis Nexis Scholar Dixie State College Lib., St. George, UT. Aug, 2005.
Published by Howard Roark
I grew up in Southern Utah, graduated from highschool in 2005, currently attending the University of Utah majoring in Economics. View profile
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75 Comments
Post a CommentI agree with you that you should not follow anything blindly. The veracity of the Bible is open to anyone that wants to investigate it. I am sure that you would do it if you wanted. I prefer to leave that to you, as each one must come to their own conclusion. It was nice talking to you.
Aside from the fact that I think a God that would create man for the soul purpose of to love him is evil. Where are you getting your information that shows why God created us, the world, man, his plan etc? I obviously know that you get it from the Bible but why is that a legitimate source? You are just taking the word of someone? Thats a nice story and makes you feel good but that does not make it true. That is why I don't blindly follow it. I think we have an understanding of each others beliefs nonetheless.
But He was going to raise Jesus and with him create a new creation, a new beggining inside the old one, the promisse of a new man, ressurrected with a new body, and that one day the entire world would come back in balance and in love with God and with itself. What about hell? That is the place God created not for man, but for the angels that went against God. And that idea of hell that the catholic church placed in our culture is not what is that all about. Hell is about absence of God, complete absence of balance and love. Hell is about man left to himself, his own selfcenteredness corrupting himself nonstop forever.
God hates religion, hates this entire religious system that man created to make themselves look good, and God is going to come back to this world to bring justice and love back. That is the God in whom I believe.
God chooses the jews, and gives them a blessed land. Did God tell them to fight with the nations around them? Yes. God used the jews to execute jugdement to the nations that were not caring at all about God. The jews also did not follow God, they still though that outside God there was balance, peace, happiness. God decides to come to the world and show men what all His love was about. That He was willing to die for man, to bring back that balance. That He loved man so much that He was going to give his only son for man to mock, make fun of and kill.
(I am sorry about the double post) continuation: Well, outside Gods love, there was something: death. Because man was made to be one with God, and without God there was no more balance, there was sin and death. God let men keep living, but angels came to earth (or ET as you want to call them) and seduced again man to breed with them (you can find more about that in the book of Enoch that is not part of the Bible). From that resulted the giants that began to slave man. God decided to stop that. The flood happens. God gives man another chance. Men chooses to live without God again, giving themselfs to violence, death and destruction. God decides to choose a family, a nation to love and to bring blessings to all humanity.
I agree with you that the Old Testament has passages with lots of blood and violence. But lets, for a moment, see things from the God of the Bible perspective. (this is going to be long but then you will know all that I think about God and if you want to end the conversation, that is fine). First God decided to "create" (whatever that means scientificaly) man. He did not have to. But he decided to create a being that He could love. He gave the best for men. Paradise. Supplied all his needs. And even made man in his own image. God wanted to show man how wonderful was to love, love God, love nature, love the relashionship between man and God. Do you know that good feeling when we help someone, when we love someone? God wanted man to experience that. But man thought that there was something else that God was hiding from men. Man thought that outside Gods love there was something better. Man betrayed God. Men listened to Satan, the lyar.
I agree with you that the Old Testament has passages with lots of blood and violence. But lets, for a moment, see things from the God of the Bible perspective. (this is going to be long but then you will know all that I think about God and if you want to end the conversation, that is fine). First God decided to "create" (whatever that means scientificaly) man. He did not have to. But he decided to create a being that He could love. He gave the best for men. Paradise. Supplied all his needs. And even made man in his own image. God wanted to show man how wonderful was to love, love God, love nature, love the relashionship between man and God. Do you know that good feeling when we help someone, when we love someone? God wanted man to experience that. But man thought that there was something else that God was hiding from men. Man thought that outside Gods love there was something better. Man betrayed God. Men listened to Satan, the lyar.
I am not placing my anger there, I get that from the God of the Bible, trust me I am a libertarian I dislike Government greatly. The problems of the world that we have I place sole responsibility on humans. However if you read the God of the Bible, and especially the old testament, I could quote all day sections of the bible that would describe him exactly as I have.
I respect the opinion that you have about the God you don't believe, but that is not the God that I know. The God that I know is not at all like the person you described. In fact, the description could apply much more to the governamental system that man created in this world and that is making sheep out of you and I. Look at our country, look at our world, people are being slaved by the minute by a system that is going to take everything that we have, our freedom, our money, our health, our jobs, our future. Don't place your anger at God for what men is doing to this world.
First off I am not waiting for God to be proven, because that will never happen simply because he does not exist. I don't understand people that want to be slaves to a tyrannical supernatural being in their imagination. Jesus had it right when he called his believers sheep. That is all you are and ever will be. I do not want your selfish, jealous, evil, murderous God who is nothing more than a child with a magnifying glass and humanity ants to be tested, tortured, and demanded to kneel when we could stand. Don't give me this holier than thou attitude because you are so confident that you are nothing more than a sheep that needs to be ruled, which is probably the only thing you have right.