Can you have faith but not believe in God? There are a growing number of atheists who declare themselves "faithful," but not all religious leaders think their belief system makes sense. On the final day of our week-long series on Faith In America, we feature a debate between humanist chaplain Greg Epstein, author of "Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe
The Takeaway is a national morning news program produced in partnership with The New York Times, the BBC World Service, WNYC, Public Radio International and WGBH Boston. More »
The show is a co-production of WNYC Radio and Public Radio International, in collaboration with The BBC World Service, New York Times Radio and WGBH Boston.
Major funding provided by:
Comments [6]
Too bad that conversation had to end so quickly. I think Mr. Epstein blew past Mr. Wilson's point. It's not that Christians can be horrible and atheists good (relatively speaking). The point is that when a Christian acts wickedly, he acts <i>against</i> the ethics of his worldview. When an atheist act wickedly, he does not act <i>against</i> the ethics of his worldview.
It's not so much that atheists fail to be moral, it's that atheism fails to provide any basis for a consistent, rational, and binding morality.
The statement that the Buddhists don't believe what the Christians believe, and the Muslims don't believe what the Buddhists believe, etc., everyone doesn't believe something, and the atheistic humanists just don't believe any of these things, is a tricky argument.
Right now we are seeing religions work together against the secularization of society, and we see them stressing what they believe in common. Belief in one God, and even if not that, then good will.
And atheist humanists are really saying they have good will.
But the other view is that the Catholic Church is the fullness of the truth, and other religions have pieces of that truth. Atheistic humanists are people who deny all of that truth (unless they hold to good will, which is part of it).
Let us not forget that Buddhism is an atheist religion also one of the most pacifist. Can't recall any crusades, wars, bombings, massacres caused by blind faith in "fundamental" Buddhism.
"Faith is man's response to God, who reveals himself and gives himself to man, at the same time bringing man a superabundant light as he searches for the ultimate meaning of life." Catholic Catechism, p.17.
Faith is always belief in something or someone good, just, true, or beautiful (including orderly), or of love. But these are all attributes of God, so these people believe in God without acknowledging it.
Sure it is...
To have Faith in...Yourself.
To have Faith in Your...Fellow Man Or Woman.
To have Faith in a ..Brighter Day
To have Faith that All will Turn Out Right, when All Appears Wrong.
To have Faith is Not just Spiritual, it is Moreso [[Natural]]
There are Billions of People Around the World, that Worship No Form of God or Follow any Religion, yet they have Faith In themselves and Others.
[[THINK]]
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting.