THE HOPE OF ATHEISM

Philosopher and atheist, Alain de Botton, believes that atheism is suffering from a lack that religion can satisfy. However, in a Ted Talk, he assured his listeners that they could have the benefits of religion without adopting their beliefs. De Botton identified three things that the atheists should adopt: Repetition, Ritual, and Integration. https://www.ted.com/talks/alain_de_botton_atheism_2_0/transcript#t-727563

REPETITION: De Botton believes that the key to religions’ successes is their sermon as opposed to a mere lecture. He advocates that the atheist needs to drive home their points as a preacher does in the sermon. However, it seems that atheists are already well-trained in the art of the sermonic.

RITUAL: The Church is able to reinforce their talking-points through the use of rituals, like baptism or the Lord’s Supper. Likewise, de Botton believes that atheism can profit from their own rituals. However, reinforcement doesn’t seem to be a problem for the atheist. They already have many spokemen who have become idols and who are reinforcing each others’ sermons. Therefore the problem doesn’t seem to be one of ritual and reinforcement but content, where the atheist has taken a radically different road from the Church.

INTEGRATION: De Botton laments the way that art and meaning have become divorced in secular West. He contrasts this with religions’ use of art to complement their beliefs.

However, Christians will be puzzled by de Botton’s recommendations, as would a passenger on the Titanic watching the crew reordering the deck-chairs as their ship was going down. Why? They are drawn to Jesus because they have become convinced that He has forgiven their sins and has received them as beloved children. But this is doctrine, the very thing that the atheist rejects. However, to believe in this is to find peace and joy. Without this belief, the atheist is left alone to struggle to achieve self-forgiveness and meaning in the context of a “meaningless” existence.

The Christian will also mention their hope based upon their belief in a Person who actually died for them and will return to bring them to a place of everlasting joy. What can the atheist offer that will compete with this hope? Instead, since the atheist will not trust in a superior Being, he derives his hope from trusting in his superiority. How? By believing that he is a “freethinker!” However, atheism cannot even support a belief in freewill.

Here is my suggestion to de Botton. Talk to some Christians to understand what they get out of their religion. I am sure they will not name “Repetition, Ritual, and Integration.” Instead, they will probably answer, “What good are these reinforcements if you don’t believe in what they are reinforcing and if these beliefs are not validated by real-life-experiences and a God who answers prayer?”