Recently, a friend claimed that Secular Atheism gives him meaning, morality, and hope.
I found that incredible. I couldn’t see how that was possible. Unless, that is, we define meaning, morality and hope differently.
So, although a discussion could be prickly, we got talking about this in a serious way …
Secular Atheism
He believes there is no God, and desires to live in a society where there is no mention or dependence on anything spiritual. OK. That is his thought and that is his wish. I am the opposite of this in worldview and belief, but we can still relate!
Meaning
He thinks that he can make the most of his life by living with the worldview of evolution/big bang, incredible good luck, accidental existence, Existentialism and making the most of what ‘just so’ happens.
Morality
His argument was that since there is no creator, then no moral law maker or moral laws, and so you can do what you want, as long as you “don’t hurt anyone else”. But how many do get hurt?
Hope
Concerning this, well, he hopes he is right, and that at the end of the day, if not the end of his life, he will have been a help to others, as well as to himself. After that, nothing… As if the plug is pulled out of the electrical wall socket, and that’s it forever!
What will reality prove to be?
I don’t mean to sound critical, but I also have thoughts, and all of that just doesn’t fit with what I think reality, history, and the Bible show as a life of fulfilling meaning, morality and hope.
Meaning
– for me has become the desire and pleasure of seeking to please my wonderful Jesus in how I live and think. That for me has become so satisfying and fulfilling.
Morality
– comes from God’s directions in the Bible, so that it reads like: If you want to be happy, don’t act immorally. Remember, without holiness, no one will see God, a Bible principle. In case anyone is wondering, I don’t claim at all to have that level of holiness from just myself. No. Just the same as the rest of us. However, Jesus, as the Son of God, specifically came down from heaven to die for people like me on the cross, thereby taking my shame and judgement in my place, as my substitute. He came back to life again as he predicted, and that way gives me the holiness and forgiveness that I could get no other way.
Hope
– is such a positive word, but for hope to be real hope, living hope, it has to be based on solid foundations with evidence. I have found that hope to be in many of the words of Jesus. For example,
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 (NIV) (http://www.laridian.com)
This can become a problem for some people as it definitely seems exclusive, which is anathema to many these days. Yes, it is exclusive, but that just shows that it is a truth claim, rather than just a nice thought claim, a nice wish, nice for me, but no one else.
What do you think?
