Monday, September 8, 2014

Should Atheists Criticize Religious People?



It’s tempting to try to shake religious people’s faith. After all, religion is irrational--How could anyone find comfort in a God that would allow billions of people, including infants, to die in agony of diseases like cancer. And religion has caused so much prejudice and death--from the Crusades to Radical Islam. Plus, religion often urges disempowerment: Don’t act; wait for God. Trust God above reason. For example, consider these exhortations from the Bible: 
  • “Be not wise in your own eyes. God shall supply all your need.” Philippians 4:19. 
  • Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:1.
  • "Ask and it will be given to you." Matthew 7:7  
  • If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20. 
But my PsychologyToday.com article argues that, in many cases, it's wrong, even malevolent to try to to disabuse religious people of their faith. 

HERE is the link.  
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1 comment:

  1. Jayson LevineSeptember 8, 2014 at 2:04 PM

    Very interesting article. One other time that I believe it is crucial to address religion's harmful effects is when it comes to imposing your (the collective "your," that is) biblical (or other holy book) worldview on an otherwise free society in the form of legislation. One is free to believe in the tooth fairy, for all I care, but in the words of Wayne Dyer, "your right to swing your fist ends with my right to have my nose shaped the way I want it to be."

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