Believer: So you don’t believe in the existence of God?

Myself: No, not really.

Believer: But why? Isn’t it terrible to be an atheist?

Myself: Well, I know that the word has very negative associations, such as immoral behaviour, intellectual arrogance, but really, all I’m saying is that I’m an a-theist, that is not a theist, not a person who believes in a god, a creator who intervenes in the affairs of the universe, especially human affairs. So I’m using the term in its purely technical, neutral sense, like ‘asymmetrical’, ‘amoral’, ‘asexual’, etc. and not with any emotive meaning.

Believer: But why? Why did you give up your Catholic faith?

Myself: It’s a long story, but I suppose I could say the real reason was reason itself, that is, religious faith often requires the suspension of one’s reasoning processes and I found it extremely difficult to do that, especially when on a daily basis, I’m using reason all the time. Indeed, without reason and logic, it would be virtually impossible for anyone to communicate with anyone else. We all operate on commonsense which is really nothing but basic reason and logic, such as an effect must be preceded by a cause; evidence is usually provided by our five senses, particularly the sense of sight; two and two make four; the sun will shine tomorrow since it’s been doing so from time immemorial, ; the chances of my winning first prize in the world lottery are virtually nil, but it could still happen, etc, etc.

Believer: Surely there are things that are beyond reason and logic .

Myself: Yes. An example is the power of emotion, that we so often witness in ourselves. It could even overpower reason and logic.

Believer: I’m not talking about emotion. Surely you believe in miracles which are beyond reason and logic?

Myself: Well, there are many things that are still mysterious, but I would like to seek an explanation within a naturalistic framework first, before believing that a miracle has taken place, that God or an angel or some other supernatural agency caused the event. For instance, we don’t fully understand the power of the mind over the body. A good instance is the placebo effect; a patient with a complaint is given a totally innocuous injection by his doctor who tells him it is some potent drug that will cure him, and presto! he is cured, although the cure will probably last as long as the psychological effect. Might not so-called miracle healings be the effect of some powerful auto-suggestion? Again, might not so-called visions of God, angels, saints, heaven, etc. be caused in the same way? The more neuroscientists study and experiment with the mind, the more astonished they are about how it works. It can even cause us to deceive ourselves.

Believer: You know, all that reasoning, all that reference to scientific studies, will not alter the most important goal of human existence: to live good lives. And the only way to achieve this goal is through God.

Myself: Well, if by good lives you mean decent, honest lives of not only avoiding evil, but doing good to others, then one can achieve all that through paths other than religion, for instance, by following one’s conscience, by following the good example of others, by reading about what ancient philosophers have thought and reflected about.

Believer: But everyone needs God! Without God, there’s an emptiness in one’s soul. Nobody can do without God! Even atheists need God!

Myself: Well, thank God I don’t.

Believer: What did you just say?

Myself: I just said, ‘Thank God I don’t.’

Believer: GOTCHA!

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About Vignettes...

A continuing flow of little, readable pieces that will constitute what I feel is an important 'legacy of values' to leave behind. Read more about Vignettes...