A most uncharacteristic link!

In a moment, I shall explain why I am presenting a link to the Positive Atheism site, though some of you may continue begging me to stop. :)

As a prelude, this is one of those weeks when I feel as if I have passed through the looking glass. Recently, and entirely by chance, I have witnessed a stranger, who happened to be conversing with some people outside a Catholic church I visited, speaking of how, in some Arab nations, those who steal have a hand amputated. I've no notion of whether this is true - yet, appalling though that would be, my ranking on the appalled scale was much higher by this man's applauding such efforts as great deterrents to sin. I usually am not quite so stupid as to respond to such people, but I was caught off guard, and expressed my surprise. He reminded me that Jesus said to pluck out one's eye if it gives offence... My own impression, considering the arguments into which Jesus entered with those trying to trap him (or possibly just enjoying tossing about theological ideas with unusual vigour), is that He was underlining that it's much better one just look at something else. I'm glad to report that I refrained from further comments, because I'd been thinking of how some of the greatest saints, who freely spoke of themselves as penitents (Francis and Augustine come to mind), could have been hampered by being too literal. We'd never have Augustine's writings - he'd have been rendered incapable of writing following the unfortunate incident with the pears. (Good taste prevents my speculating of what other body parts he may have been deprived later.)

There is much in the Office these past few weeks about the different charisms we have as members of the Body of Christ. I suppose I'm most fortunate that mine is strictly that of 'teacher.' If someone already is interested in a point of dogma, church history, doctrine, kerygma, whatever, I'll respond to their questions. But I have no vocation to seek to convert atheists, or indeed anyone else - and most of the devout whom I know, including hundreds of clergy, would hold the same position as do I. Heaven knows my own efforts at responding to the universal vocation of metanoia are quite exhausting enough.

I included the link to Positive Atheism (which is intended specifically for atheists - so please do not write to try to 'save' them, since I'm bored enough by the occasional fundamentalist who tries to save me) because many of the quotations they include are worth some consideration by theists. (Not all of their quotations are from atheists - and there is undue attention to US separation of church and state, which I would think another matter entirely.) I am, to borrow Dawkins' term, a "dyed in the wool faith head," in case you have not noticed - though I shall concede that there are days I'd find deism very restful. One dear friend of mine is an atheist, and when, coincidentally, both of us were going through extremely difficult periods in our lives, I was telling him that it just might be easier to believe there is 'no one out there,' than to think there is an all-powerful, all-loving Deity, who acts within creation, but who either rejects one or doesn't give a damn.

Those of us who are devout often can fall into platitudes, clichés, 'cop outs' such as "it's what the bible says" or "it's what the church teaches." We tend to fear saying "I don't know." We know, just from a glance at headlines on any day, that there are many things in this world to fear - and still want to shrug this off with 'anything that happens God wills or permits.'

I personally am a hopeless idealist and romantic, so I perhaps know, even more than most, how very important it is to think! Not everyone quoted on the Positive Atheism site is an atheist, and there is undo inclusion of quotations from Americans who are writing of separation of church and state. Yet there are quotations which can give the devout Christian pause to think - and often even to think "I not only understand what the writer is saying - I often have thought the same thing." I would consider it worthwhile, as well, for Christians to read the 'de-conversion' accounts. It could remind many of us of the hypocrisy, cruelty, stupidity, and intolerance which we are capable of propagating. (I nearly cried when a woman with a digestive disorder, for which even repeated surgery can offer no full cure, wrote of how she was considered to be faking or sinful - her vomiting taken for defiance.)

One favourite "let's get started thinking" quotation of mine, which is not included in the Positive Atheism site, is from Bertrand Russell. "The world in which we live can be understood as a result of muddle and accident; but if it is the outcome of deliberate purpose, the purpose must have been that of a fiend." Obviously, I believe in a creator, and one active in His creation - how could I accept the Incarnation and resurrection if I did not? Yet it would do us well to consider Russell's observation, before we are in pastoral (or even friendship) situations where we are quick to respond with such tiresome and (unintentionally) cruel clichés as "but it's not what you want, it is what God wants that matters." Much in this world indeed is muddle and accident! Even those who argue most strongly for omnipotence believe in God's being beyond our understanding - or see Him as the author of all things in the sense of being Creator (and holding all in existence), not as directing every action on the planet.

I had the good fortune, unlike my medieval and renaissance friends, to live in an unheralded period of their being saintly popes, so what I quote here is not to be taken as a slur on the brilliant Benedict XVI. Still, assuming many of my readers have a higher than average church involvement, can we not identify, at least the tiniest bit, with 'What is wrong with priests and popes is that instead of being apostles and saints, they are nothing but empirics who say "I know" instead of "I am learning," and pray for credulity and inertia as wise men pray for scepticism and activity.' (Bernard Shaw, The Doctor's Dilemma) Of course, one of Shaw's other comments, that "All great truths begin as blasphemies" is both illustrated in much history, theist or otherwise, and one a Christian can see with irony - Jesus was condemned on that charge, and the Babylonian Talmud refers to him as one who 'practised sorcery.'

Quotations from atheists (or sceptics of any kind) can be valuable to the Christian in teaching him a little humility or compassion - we do tend to be highly smug! I think it may even lead us to prayer if we can admit, "Heavenly Father, I feel so much like Bertrand Russell today..." (In everything except religious matters - don't I wish!)

Pray, my friends - but think. Many Christians who have not lost all faith have wanted nothing more to do with Church because of the ugly points of view to which they are exposed. (I still wonder how I cling to the Church after having worked for her for 29 years...)

In my experience, those who are convinced that everyone who didn't go through some process (known only to them... how Gnostic..) of being 'saved' is bound for hell are not from Catholic traditions. Nonetheless, for all the brilliant minds there have been in Catholic tradition, there is a regrettable remnant who fear that exposure to ideas other than those in, let us say, the elementary catechism will damage faith. (In fact, there is a sub-set worse still - the catechism is not enough, because there are all sorts of 'family values' addenda which are more often Puritan than Catholic.) I'm inclined to doubt that anyone who can endure reading my posts is in either category, but, just in case anyone fears the link will place faith in danger, I believe one must have a very weak faith indeed (in anything, not only religion) if one could be damaged merely by knowing others believe differently from oneself.

I can't resist ending with a reference from playwright Samuel Beckett: "Enough of acting the infant who has been told so often how he was found under a cabbage that in the end he remembers the exact spot in the garden and the kind of life he led there before joining the family circle."