Don't Atheists Worship Themselves Instead of God?

Friday, 5 April 2024. FFP#60

About the Friday Freethought Perennials in general: This subset of my blog is to answer questions, nearly always already answered by me and by many others but posed again and again—over many years and in many places—on freethought, atheism, secular humanism, secularism/church-state/”This is a Christian Nation,” and similar topics. These answers are mostly not intended to be original analyses, breaths of fresh air, so much as just putting a whole series of things on the record (I’d say “forever,” except I know better). One source for many of these answers is the 2012 Prometheus Books book by me and my son (Michael E. Buckner), In Freedom We Trust: An Atheist Guide to Religious Liberty—and that is where footnotes and careful citations of sources can be found. It’s available in many libraries and pretty readily in the used book after-market. I’ll cite writings of others that answer these things in more depth if I’m aware of them when I post these.

Don’t Atheists Substitute Self-Worship for Reverence for God?

No.

And for pretty much the same reasons as last week’s question about atheists hating god—if an atheist by definition doesn’t think any god(s) exist, that would necessarily mean he couldn’t think he himself was some kind of supernatural being or he’d be thinking his own existence wasn’t possible—and even Rene Descartes would admit that made no sense.

Of course, most critics of atheists probably don’t mean that atheists literally think they (we) are god(s) as much as that we’re just too selfish, arrogant, and self-centered to see how foolish we’re being to not see the reasons for “God’s” existence right in front of our eyes.

So, can atheists be arrogant, self-centered, and selfish? Sure. (Theists, too.) Is that self regard the only thing keeping them/us from seeing “The Truth”? Maybe for some atheists who are just not thoughtful and reasonable that has something to do with their irreligiosity.

But for the great majority of atheists I’ve known—lots of us—that really isn’t the problem—we have carefully reviewed all the proposed evidence and logic and simply aren’t persuaded.

Let me try a (doubtful?) parallel: imagine, my Christian friend, that I’m a devoted fan of a sports team—say the Atlanta Falcons—and I approach you and say, “The Falcons are going to win the Super Bowl for the next ten years in a row and by more than five touchdowns each year!”

Would you accept my prediction—or would you be skeptical? Maybe even real skeptical?

Do you think my great enthusiasm increases the chance that the team will do well?

Does my support make you more likely to become a fan?

Does my declaration convince you that I’m a fan?

Does the fact—and it is a fact—that my prophecy could come true—make it more credible in your opinion?

If the Falcons win their first game of the first season, would that be enough evidence to persuade you that my prediction will come true? That it is even slightly more likely to come about? And would it matter that I experienced the thrill of that victory in person from my 50-yard-line seat?

What sort of evidence would change your mind about my prediction?

What if I told you—”You’re being selfish by not accepting my prediction. Quit being so ‘logical’ and ‘cold’—the Falcons deserve your confidence, not your hard-hearted cynicism.” Would that make you more likely to become a believer? Why or why not?

If I told you that I could explain why I’m sure my prediction would surely come about, similar to what Christians say about their beliefs (“…be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear”—1 Peter 3:15), what could I possibly say then that would convince you?

I’m pretty sure my Christian readers are muttering, by now, that the fortunes of the Falcons are not remotely as important or meaningful as Christian faith. (I’m not really even a Falcons fan, by the way.) And if Christian faith is in fact justified by the truth, you’re correct. But first you must get me past my inability to think it is justified.

And, I remind you, I don’t claim that my unbelief means you’re wrong or even that my unbelief counts as evidence that you are. But your belief doesn’t count as evidence for theistic truth, either.

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