Atheist, Tim Urban, has courageously written that we need
religion:
·
I’ve spent most of my life thinking “the more
atheists, the better.” Looking back, this now feels like a “be careful what you
wish for” hope. It’s easy for non-religious people to look down on religion,
but we take for granted the extent to which a good society is good because of
the moral structure it provides. https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/how-we-changed-our-minds-in-2021
However, true to an atheist, Urban believes that it’s just a
matter of latching on to the “moral structure” provided in the major religions,
which has been fine-tuned over centuries of use.
However, I think that this is a matter of building your
house on sand. It might look good until the tsunami comes. The sand I’m
referring to is pragmatism. According to this philosophy, we are always doing
cost/benefit analyses to determine what gives us the best results for the least
cost. Urban surmises, I think correctly, that the “moral structure” of the
Biblical Faith offers lots of benefits. Just look at the success of the West
while it still held to the Biblical Faith!
However, can secularism retain this “moral structure” when
removed from the God who gave and underpins it. For example, who is willing to
pass up a job advancement if it only requires one “little white lie?” For the
faithful Christian, this might be tempting, but pleasing his God of truth is
more important.
The atheist might agree with his moral inheritance and conclude
that it would be wrong to lie. However, he is confronted with a dilemma. He has
adopted this moral system because of its benefits. However, he perceives that
he will derive greater benefits through the one lie, and these benefits might
last for a lifetime.
Eventually, he will live his life as he always had.
Self-interest and its immediate benefits will gradually take charge as it does
over every New Years resolution.
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