Theism/Atheism

The recent Global Atheist Convention held in Melbourne generated some interesting conversations and commentary. The ones I found most fascinating were the people who asked the organisers “as you believe in nothing, what will you be talking about” or “will you be discussing the devil”. Both of these questions demonstrate a scary level of ignorance. Theism is the belief in a supernatural higher being who may or may not interfere in our lives. While a tight definition of this doesn’t really include the devil, if you think about it, he is a supernatural being who is said to interfere in people’s lives.

I found it fascinating that people would think that atheists believe in nothing, they simply don’t believe in a higher power, they still believe that when they flick the switch the lights will come on, they still believe that we are “a rock revolving around a golden sun”. You can believe in global warming, without belief in God, you can believe in the innate goodness of people without belief in God. You can believe so many things without believing in God. So the Atheists would have been able to find many things to discuss at their convention, besides their lack of belief in God.

I definitely believe in the innate goodness of people, I watched my babies from birth, and their only desire was to be good and to please their parents, they loved us from the first day. I don’t swear, my kids don’t swear, they never invented their own swear words, which they certainly would have done if they were born evil. I know night waking is often seen as babies being naughty, but I don’t think it is any naughtier than Lily not doing differential calculus, she’s only eight and hasn’t learnt it yet, a 2 month old hasn’t learnt to sleep through the night yet either. Both need time to learn things, and both are trying very hard to fit our expectations, because they are born good.

So what do I believe, well … I definitely believe in God, but I don’t believe in the Devil, I don’t see the need for an opposite number. God shows people the way they should travel and then gives them the choice, they don’t need the devil to tempt them off the straight path, they can stray all on their own. So to all those who say the devil made me do it … I don’t believe you, I think you did it on your own accord. I believe that God has a plan for the world and all the people on it, but he gave us a choice and as a result he has to sit back and watch us suffer sometimes because choices go wrong. He is always there to help if we ask for it, just as a loving parent is for kids who fall off the swings.

I really hope the Atheists enjoyed their convention and got a lot out of it. I think everyone needs the chance to gather with others who share their beliefs, and to have the support of like-minded people. That is after all one of the reasons for organised religion, that people can get together with like minded people and share their beliefs. Atheists have just as much right to this as the rest of us, and I do think, that at the moment, they possibly need it more.