{"id":821,"date":"2013-04-23T05:30:00","date_gmt":"2013-04-23T11:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/69.195.124.95\/~redletu4\/why-the-atheist-has-far-more-faith-than-i\/"},"modified":"2013-04-23T05:30:00","modified_gmt":"2013-04-23T11:30:00","slug":"why-the-atheist-has-far-more-faith-than-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davidrupert\/why-the-atheist-has-far-more-faith-than-i\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the Atheist has far more faith than I"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

There are a number of popular books by modern-day\u00a0atheists<\/a>\u00a0like\u00a0Christopher Hitchens<\/a>,\u00a0Richard Dawkins<\/a>,\u00a0Daniel Dennett<\/a>,<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0Sam Harris<\/a>. These new atheists are convinced that religion\u00a0shouldn\u2019t be tolerated. Instead it should be openly countered, criticized, exposed, and mocked if necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
<\/span>\n
\n

<\/p><\/span><\/div>\n

They have legions of fans. And those who follow their\u00a0teachings\u00a0are now emboldened to post billboards, ads on the sides of bunches, and open mock Christianity.<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
\nI\u2019m not afraid of their arguments or their pronouncements. I\u2019ve had many discussions with those who stand opposed to faith and haven\u2019t withered from one point.\u00a0<\/span>In the Public Square, I would much rather hear an argument than watch someone slither away in apathy. And, truth in the end wins.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
Many of their\u00a0arguments\u00a0center on religions negatives \u2014 those who took up a sword in Jesus name, or who bombed a building because they heard God\u2019s voice. And they think Christians have taken all the fun out of sex. (Little do they know!) Despite their examples of the \u201cgodly\u201d going bad, there is little evidence that godlessness is good for humanity.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
I wonder about the quiet.\u00a0But after these speakers give their speeches, listen to the mockers wag their tongues and shake their heads, what do they hear in their heart of hearts?<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
How do they shake the haunting emptiness in their soul? What do they fill it with? Learning? Materialism? Humanism? Hedonism? Selfishness?<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
When they look at the stars at night, do they ever wonder \u201cwhat is at the edge of space<\/i>?\u201d When they contemplate the bookends of our existence, do they ever think \u201cwhen did time begin? And when will it end?\u201d<\/i>\u00a0Do they ever wonder, \u201cWho am I?\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/a><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

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<\/p>\n


<\/span><\/div>\n
Writing for The Week, Damon Linker has an article called, \u201cWhere are the Honest Atheists?\u201d<\/a> \u00a0He writes this stunning paragraph.<\/span><\/div>\n

Learning that we\u2019re alone in the universe, that no one hears or answers our prayers, that humanity is entirely the product of random events, that we have no more intrinsic dignity than non-human and even non-animate clumps of matter, that we face certain annihilation in death, that our sufferings are ultimately pointless, that our lives and loves do not at all matter in a larger sense, that those who commit horrific evils and elude human punishment get away with their crimes scot free \u2014 all of this (and much more) is utterly tragic<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

While they hold my faith up as foolishness, theirs takes a serious turn to a bleak and empty world \u2014 one which none of us experiences.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
The bottom line \u2014 God won\u2019t go away.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\"Enhanced<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n
Please, share with a friend if you feel moved.
\nRead all past issues at http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davidrupert<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are a number of popular books by modern-day\u00a0atheists\u00a0like\u00a0Christopher Hitchens,\u00a0Richard Dawkins,\u00a0Daniel Dennett,\u00a0and\u00a0Sam Harris. These new atheists are convinced that religion\u00a0shouldn\u2019t be tolerated. Instead it should be openly countered, criticized, exposed, and mocked if necessary. They have legions of fans. And those who follow their\u00a0teachings\u00a0are now emboldened to post billboards, ads on the sides of bunches, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2375,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,131,140,189,341,676,733,750],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-821","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-atheism","category-christianity","category-christopher-hitchens","category-daniel-dennett","category-god","category-public-square","category-richard-dawkins","category-sam-harris"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy the Atheist has far more faith than I<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are a number of popular books by modern-day\u00a0atheists\u00a0like\u00a0Christopher Hitchens,\u00a0Richard Dawkins,\u00a0Daniel Dennett,\u00a0and\u00a0Sam Harris. These new atheists\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davidrupert\/why-the-atheist-has-far-more-faith-than-i\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why the Atheist has far more faith than I\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There are a number of popular books by modern-day\u00a0atheists\u00a0like\u00a0Christopher Hitchens,\u00a0Richard Dawkins,\u00a0Daniel Dennett,\u00a0and\u00a0Sam Harris. 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