B
Sure.
"If your God is so loving, why do millions of children die of starvation every year?"
You've undoubtedly heard similar themes. People like this, in my mind, aren't ready to give up their faith in God. They're angry at God. They blame God for the evil in the world, and they shake their fist at him. Like the bratty child who, when punished for something, says, "You're not my real mom," these people call themselves "atheist" to "get back at" God.
"Oh yeah? Well, just for that, I'm not going to believe in you."
These people don't realize that that is what they are doing, of course, but the anger makes it clear -- to me at least -- that that is what is going on.
A true atheist isn't angry at God. A true atheist says, "Children die, it sucks, life goes on. There is no god to blame. Sometimes there's a human to blame, but sometimes it just happens." They don't seem to be trying to blame anyone. They are at peace with their atheism, they aren't up in arms about it.
I hang out on an atheist support board on facebook, and it's fascinating; I see these "faux-atheists" all the time .... the ones who don't want their children to read the Bible or attend church, for fear that it might "poison their mind." A true atheist doesn't care. He or she might even say, "Yes, the Bible is an important piece of literature, and has influenced much of the western world."
Does that make sense?
"If your God is so loving, why do millions of children die of starvation every year?"
You've undoubtedly heard similar themes. People like this, in my mind, aren't ready to give up their faith in God. They're angry at God. They blame God for the evil in the world, and they shake their fist at him. Like the bratty child who, when punished for something, says, "You're not my real mom," these people call themselves "atheist" to "get back at" God.
"Oh yeah? Well, just for that, I'm not going to believe in you."
These people don't realize that that is what they are doing, of course, but the anger makes it clear -- to me at least -- that that is what is going on.
A true atheist isn't angry at God. A true atheist says, "Children die, it sucks, life goes on. There is no god to blame. Sometimes there's a human to blame, but sometimes it just happens." They don't seem to be trying to blame anyone. They are at peace with their atheism, they aren't up in arms about it.
I hang out on an atheist support board on facebook, and it's fascinating; I see these "faux-atheists" all the time .... the ones who don't want their children to read the Bible or attend church, for fear that it might "poison their mind." A true atheist doesn't care. He or she might even say, "Yes, the Bible is an important piece of literature, and has influenced much of the western world."
Does that make sense?