Stop Worrying Already, Dear Theists
By Jeanne
Two years ago at this time of the year, we figured my Daddy would not be celebrating the winter gift giving event with us, but here he is looking forward to his 90th birthday bash on January 2, 2004. No miracles, not even much in the way of wondrous medical science, but just a monumental testimony to the loving care of my Mom, his 84 year old wife.
As my father regresses in his mental and physical abilities, I wonder if he is also becoming, or would it be returning, to the innocence of childhood? Where is the concept of God and the soul, of morality and an afterlife?
The other day, I was "hanging" with him while my mother had a cardiological stress test, and over ice cream, I asked him if he believed in God. With a quizzical look, he repeated, "God?"
"Yeah, you know, the magical spirit who made everything just by snapping his fingers. Some people believe he made the moon and sun and trees and animals and bugs and people and all the stars and planets and oceans and mountains...Snap! Just like that," I said.
He laughed. "Oh for Pete's sake, I think they are trying to pull your leg."
"Yeah, that's what I thought, too," I replied.
So what does God think about my father? He has never been particularly religious, but was, during the past few years, very emotional about saying grace before meals, and there was a sense of gratefulness that he was "blessed" with a wonderful family. He has been a good man, a true gentleman, a loving and forgiving husband and father, a believer in the equality of all humans, a soft hearted animal lover, and a devotee of all things tennis.
But where is God in the scheme of things, now? When all things to my father are elemental, and his life is absolutely in the here and now, that is, what he sees and hears in the current moment, there is no room for the abstract concept of God and heaven. Is my father an Atheist?
As we are born Atheists, is he returning to Atheism as he regresses to a state which is defined only by the material world and the present tense? If he were a devout Christian, would he still be saved, even if he denied the existence of God? Would it matter to a family of devout Christians if their patriarch spoke of their god as a joke? Would they be concerned about his soul's chances in heaven? And if not, then why wouldn't they?
If Christian logic (bear with me on the oxymoron) would allow them to feel secure in their patriarch's ascent to heaven by a loving and forgiving God, then why wouldn't the same work for the good and ethical Atheist who dies denying God?
Since all things are assumed by Christians to come from God, then the Alzheimer's which robs a Christian of God belief is also from God, and a part of His mysterious ways. It seems necessary to accept, then, that Atheism is also from God and part of the mystery, and therefore, not a threat to any supposed immortal soul. That is, on condition that the Atheist leads a good and ethical life, he/she will also ascend into heaven.
This is certainly no reason for me to deny that I am an Atheist or to affirm any belief in an afterlife, but is rather a reason for theists to stop worrying about my "soul" that they believe will burn in hellfire for eternity. In short, it is reason to believe that what matters is how you live your life, not that you have faith in the divine supernatural. If Atheists are wrong and there is an afterlife...all is cool...no worries. And if we are correct, it won't matter.
Discuss this article here.
By Jeanne
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As my father regresses in his mental and physical abilities, I wonder if he is also becoming, or would it be returning, to the innocence of childhood? Where is the concept of God and the soul, of morality and an afterlife?
The other day, I was "hanging" with him while my mother had a cardiological stress test, and over ice cream, I asked him if he believed in God. With a quizzical look, he repeated, "God?"
"Yeah, you know, the magical spirit who made everything just by snapping his fingers. Some people believe he made the moon and sun and trees and animals and bugs and people and all the stars and planets and oceans and mountains...Snap! Just like that," I said.
He laughed. "Oh for Pete's sake, I think they are trying to pull your leg."
"Yeah, that's what I thought, too," I replied.
So what does God think about my father? He has never been particularly religious, but was, during the past few years, very emotional about saying grace before meals, and there was a sense of gratefulness that he was "blessed" with a wonderful family. He has been a good man, a true gentleman, a loving and forgiving husband and father, a believer in the equality of all humans, a soft hearted animal lover, and a devotee of all things tennis.
But where is God in the scheme of things, now? When all things to my father are elemental, and his life is absolutely in the here and now, that is, what he sees and hears in the current moment, there is no room for the abstract concept of God and heaven. Is my father an Atheist?
As we are born Atheists, is he returning to Atheism as he regresses to a state which is defined only by the material world and the present tense? If he were a devout Christian, would he still be saved, even if he denied the existence of God? Would it matter to a family of devout Christians if their patriarch spoke of their god as a joke? Would they be concerned about his soul's chances in heaven? And if not, then why wouldn't they?
If Christian logic (bear with me on the oxymoron) would allow them to feel secure in their patriarch's ascent to heaven by a loving and forgiving God, then why wouldn't the same work for the good and ethical Atheist who dies denying God?
Since all things are assumed by Christians to come from God, then the Alzheimer's which robs a Christian of God belief is also from God, and a part of His mysterious ways. It seems necessary to accept, then, that Atheism is also from God and part of the mystery, and therefore, not a threat to any supposed immortal soul. That is, on condition that the Atheist leads a good and ethical life, he/she will also ascend into heaven.
This is certainly no reason for me to deny that I am an Atheist or to affirm any belief in an afterlife, but is rather a reason for theists to stop worrying about my "soul" that they believe will burn in hellfire for eternity. In short, it is reason to believe that what matters is how you live your life, not that you have faith in the divine supernatural. If Atheists are wrong and there is an afterlife...all is cool...no worries. And if we are correct, it won't matter.
Discuss this article here.
September 06, 2003