Atheism

ATHEISM

Last Thursday at my Philosophy of Religion class, we tackled about Atheism. Our first topic for the preliminaries period. Our professor asked us to write our views about atheism related to the article given to us to read. The article was about modern christians being Atheists before really believing in God.

First Question:

Explain the meaning of the statement: "God is intellectually superfluous"

Why did Atheist come up with this view?

Would You Agree?

Second Question:

Explain the meaning of the statement: "God is emotionally dispensable"

Why did Atheist come up with this view?

Would You Agree?

Before answering those questions, let me tell you first about me and my side on religious views. I'm born Christian. Catholic to be exact. One of the strongest faith in the whole world. As Catholics we are required to believe what the priests preach and what the bible tells us. That's the very basis of our faith, our guide, "the right way" in the fulfillment of God's will. But why do i still have questions? Why am i still not sure of my faith? Why do i question the existence of God? 

I've known the word atheism in high school where they teach Christian Living Education. Before, I never really believed in Atheism because I am afraid that God might punish me for it because the priests said so. I was naive, I know. Until I quite understand what it really is. A few months ago, I was exposed in a forum of Atheists. Believe it or not it was a forum on a gaming website. But let me tell you,  it might be a gaming website, but some people there talk sense. After being exposed to a lot of things I before didn't believed in, I started questioning my faith. Is there really a God? If there is, why don't we see it? Why don't we feel it? These are just some of the questions i keep asking. It's been 2 months now since I last went to church. I don't know. I just don't have the drive to go to church anymore. And it's been days since I did the sign of the cross.

Anyway, going back to topic and to answer the questions above. God is intellectually superfluous. Superfluous means unnecessary. Why is God intellectually unnecessary? For some circumstances, people don't need God anymore on matters affecting their lives. For example a student. A student doesn't need God to pass his exams. He only needs to study. Simple logic: If you don't study, you fail. If you study, you pass. There is no hocus pocus to pass a subject. So therefore, God is irrelevant. We do this on our everyday living. Well at least I do. Most of the time.

To answer the following question, why did Atheist came up with this view? I think it's because some of their questions were answered not by religion/God but by some other means. Science is one. As the world progress, men's intellect evolves leading to discovering new things thus the progress of technologies. With this technology, it helps in looking for unanswered questions. Religions never answers questions. They only say, "God is the answer". For a practical human being, God is not the answer. Action is the answer. And if people rely on "God must be the answer", it will make people intellectually lazy because when something is unanswered they would just say, "God must be the answer" and no more research will be done to explain things.

Do I agree with this? Partly yes. I agree because everyday we

seldom remember God in our daily routine. If we are not reminded of it, we don't say "GOD". Sometimes, we are just forced into submitting ourselves into it because we don't want other people thinking of something else.

But my professor said, Science doesn't answer all questions, like personal questions such as, what is my purpose in life? What's gonna happen after we die? Science can never answer that question. But can religion do? Maybe. So according to him, saying that Science has all the answer is wrong same as when saying God must be the answer. For him, God maybe the answer. The safest thing to say is a possible statement. A possibility that God might be the answer to these questions.

To the second statement: God is emotionally dispensable.People nowadays see God as a last resort. When all fails, they run to God for help. It's their defense mechanism. When they think they can't do it anymore, they look for comfort on someone they believe in as a higher being. It's an illusion that their is a higher being that is willing to help. But is there really a higher being? Or is it just a state of mind. A placebo effect they call it.

To quote Jolin Robinson's article, Can a Truly Contemporary Person Not Be an Atheist?: "According to this line of attack, religion is a prop or a sop. it is not merely something incredible and superfluous; it is a dangerous illusion which can prevent men facing reality and shouldering responsibility." With that said, when men is praying to God, they forget about the reality believing that there is something/someone higher to help thus leaving/dropping their responsibilities because they let God do the job. That's my point of view. God is their escape. Because they believe that God is there to catch them.

Why do Atheist came up with this idea? Atheist wants to stop this illusion of refuge to a father figure or God. Atheist create their own destiny or their fate based on the reality they are in. Their success is their own and not by some being they don't see.

Do I agree with this? Party and sadly yes again. We create our own destiny and no one else. I don't belive in miracles. coz reality wise, miracles never happen, circumstances does. Living our lives is really up to us and not to God. It is our responsibility to control it.

To conclude, I don't yet fully understand Atheism. My stand on this is well in the middle. I'm still confused whether or not I believe in God. 25% of my whole being says I don't and the rest does. I was raised in a Catholic environment. It's hard to suddenly believe in something that I thought I should never believe in. My beliefs are in conflict. I'm hoping to find solution to this dilema. I'm not closing doors. I'm just being open to both sides. As for now, I may or may not say prayers, do the sign of the cross or whatsoever. If there is really a God, please enlighten us in ways that you alone knows.