Godriddance

 

Meaning

 

I live in the great state of Alabama, and because of this I run into my share of evangelicals eager to share the message of Christ with me. I often spend a few minutes discussing the issues with them, for no other reason than the chance to open a mind or two. Usually, after several minutes of conversation, I’m hit with questions like “Well what meaning is there to life if God does not exist?”

I think that meaning exists to our lives because we create it. Rational and reflective beings are capable of creating meaning, and we, being such creatures, are able to endow our lives with meaning. The works of great philosophers like Aristotle and David Hume have value because people love them. If no one cherished their writings, they would have no more value than a used tissue. People create value for all things, including their own lives and the lives of others.

 

Morality

 

Perhaps the most important, and emotionally charged question I am asked is “If there is no God, what reason is there to behave morally?” This is a question which also plagues theists: “Even if there is a God, what reason is there to behave morally?” If their answer is that God will send us to Hell if we do not, then I can likewise appeal to the negative consequences I will face if I do not behave morally.

In a debate with Michael Shermer, Dinesh D’Souza asked (and I’m paraphrasing) “If there is no ultimate authority to which we answer, why not take Machiavelli’s advice, which is, ‘Cheat, but don’t get caught’?”

There are at least three good reasons: 1) Because you want to maintain your self-respect (you cannot respect yourself if you do not behave like someone you respect), 2) Because you can never be sure that your actions will remain secret, and so it is wise to avoid the risk of being punished for your actions, and 3) Because immoral actions almost always involve hurting or damaging someone else, and you should not do things that are not in accord with your desire to help your fellow man.

Now we come to another important question concerning God and Ethics: “What moral system should be followed if there is no God, and we cannot rely on the Bible, the Qu’ran, or any other holy book?”

My reply is that, first of all, we don’t really rely on these books for moral guidance anymore. Most people would never, under any circumstances, condone the murder of a child for cursing his parents (Leviticus 20:9) or the murder of a woman for committing adultery (Deuteronomy 22:20-21).

Secondly, there are excellent moral systems that have nothing to do with religion, and those who think differently really ought to take the time to read and study about them. One moral system, Utilitarianism, calls for us to act in ways that minimize harm, or increase happiness, etc. It is beyond the scope of my book to go into detail about this, but essentially my moral system calls for one to act in ways that increase (in order of importance): happiness, justice, and pleasure.

Now, if morality did not come from God, who or what instilled it within human minds? No one has a fully developed scientific answer to this question (yet). I think that a lot of human morality comes from human beings taking note of the behaviors lead to happiness and well-being for society and the behaviors that do not. A society that condones theft cannot stand economically, and so human beings took note of this and taught it to their children, and enforced adherence to these rules.

Another explanation for morality is that it evolved: Individuals that cohere as a group have a greater chance of survival, and so this was selected for. A more detailed account of the evolution of morality may be found in Freedom Evolves by Daniel Dennett.

Some theists claim that without the fear of God, (some) human beings would commit awful crimes, and atheism is to be avoided for this reason alone. As evidence for their position, Christian Apologists (Such as Dinesh D’Souza) list the crimes committed by atheists: Stalin, Pol Pot, and many other atheists killed millions of people.

What D’Souza and others overlook is that the communists did not murder people because they were dogmatic atheists, but because they demanded adherence to the state. The communists demanded that people recognize the state as the supreme authority. Kim Il-Sung, the old leader of North Korea, was reputed to be a god in his country and shrines were built in his honor[i]. In a debate, atheist journalist Christopher Hitchens said that the North Koreans were taught that the birds sang at Kim’s birth. Similar stories can be found about other communist leaders. Clearly the communists do not have a problem with supernaturalism, but with allegiance to anything except the state!

Finally, we can actually test the idea that it is atheism, rather than totalitarianism, that makes one immoral. If atheism is to blame for the crimes of the communists, then non-communist, atheist-majority nations should be far less moral than theist-majority nations. But they are not: The Journal of Religion and Society reported that Japan, Norway, and Great Britain all have far lower rates of belief in God than the United States[ii], yet these nations also have lower crime rates than the U.S.[iii] Clearly atheism does not lead to immorality, indeed, it may even lead to greater moral character.

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