The public debate about atheism is having an impact at Leeds Trinity. It all began when somebody gave me a poster which I put up. It reads as follows: "Atheism. The belief that there was nothing and nothing happened to nothing and then nothing magically exploded for no reason, creating everything and then a bunch of everything magically re-arranged itself for no reason whatsoever into self-replicating bits which turned into dinosaurs. Makes perfect sense." I must confess that I found this rather amusing but some students who enjoy the life of the Chaplaincy but who do not believe (yet: I'm working on them) were offended by it and I took it down. Then somebody from the United States posted on to the Chaplaincy Facebook site a YouTube clip of Bertrand Russell in which he purports to explain why faith in God is ridiculous. Some trusty Leeds Trinity students saw him off (verbally). I see now that both acts (mine and that of the American) were discourteous. None of us like to be ridiculed. I remember that Pope Benedict invited non-believers to join the representatives of many of the faiths of the world at Assisi last year: he was being characteristically respectful. He showed us that the key thing in evangelisation is to be present to the other, valuing the other's difference. (Having said this I must say, respectfully, that I cannot understand how people who are far more intelligent than I can deny the existence of God: if God does not exist, human life is ultimately purposeless; so what in their eyes is the purpose of the debate in which they are engaging? The hotter they get under the collar, the more I admire their intellects, and the more I wonder at the origin of such fine minds).
Thank you bookoverblue for the following comment: "I was once on a night out with a friend - he's an atheist, and I'm Catholic. We ended up having quite a in-depth discussion about why I believe in God and he doesn't. It became clear that both of us had valid reasons for our beliefs and could justify our choices.
I respect his views and he respects mine, and it's not fair to say that either of us is "stupid" just because we believe in God or not. I simply think that it's a matter of mutual respect."
I was once on a night out with a friend - he's an atheist, and I'm Catholic. We ended up having quite a in-depth discussion about why I believe in God and he doesn't. It became clear that both of us had valid reasons for our beliefs and could justify our choices.
ReplyDeleteI respect his views and he respects mine, and it's not fair to say that either of us is "stupid" just because we believe in God or not. I simply think that it's a matter of mutual respect.