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Frank Gillispie

OPINIONS: Why do atheists always attack people of faith?

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Frank Gillispie

in Opinions

Friday, February 5. 2010

Comments (10)

Mother Teresa is scheduled to be honored with a U.S. postal stamp later this year. And naturally, someone has decided to protest the honor. The organization, Freedom from Religion Foundation, argues that postal regulations prohibit honors for “individuals whose principal achievements are associated with religious undertakings.” I have problems with this story.

First, other religious leaders have had stamps. The Rev. Martin Luther King, a Baptist pastor, has a stamp. Malcolm X, an active member of the black Muslim faith, had a stamp, and there were others. I do not know what Freedom from Religion Foundation had to say about those, but I do not recall any significant protest about them.

Second, Mother Teresa devoted her life to helping the poor people of India. She worked to help all who came her way without regard to their religious faith. Her work may have been in response to the teachings of the Catholic church, but her assistance was given to people of all faiths.

Now, I am fascinated by people who make such a big deal out of not believing in a God. Why are they so driven to punish those of us who are convinced of his existence? What if they are right? What if there is no God and no afterlife? What if we are the results of a stray cosmic ray rearranging the DNA of an ancient amoeba? If they are right, then we are created by the mixing of genetic material from our parents, we live our lives and simply cease to exist when we die. If so, what difference does it make if we believe or not believe? The results would be the same.

We cannot determine by our senses if God exists or not. If he exists, then the universe is filled uniformly with his presence. There would be no differentiation that we could detect. If he does not exist, then the universe is uniformly empty of any spiritual presence. Again, we have no way to determine if that is true. Believing in God is an act of faith. But non belief is also an act of faith. Therefore, atheism is just as much a religion as any other belief system based on faith.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1)

Now back to my question: Why do they make such an effort to attack religious belief? I think they are convinced that they are superior to the rest of us, that they are convinced that they have a right and a responsibility to force their opinions and beliefs on the nation without regard to the opinions of the masses. I think their attacks on people of faith are the results of their desire to have power over the inferior masses, and as long as we see God as the primary power in our lives, they get shut out.

I never try to impose my religious opinions on other people, and I resent those who try to impose their opinions on me. If they are right, it does not matter. If I am right, they have a problem.

Frank Gillispie is founder of The Madison County Journal. His e-mail address is frank@frankgillispie.com. His website can be accessed at http://www.frankgillispie.com/gillispieonline.

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#1 Joe Christmas on 02/05/10 at 11:24 AM [Reply]

An interesting column. The argument could be made that it is easier to be an atheist since they believe that when you die it's over and there's nothing more to worry about. The believer is going to be a little more uneasy about death. It is also easier to believe in God if you are poor or unhappy in this world, you can look forward to the next world. I personally believe that any power mighty enough to create all this will also be smart enough to see through the b.s. on both sides. I'll trust him (or her). As far as the stamps I like Mother Teresa being honored, but the Malcom X stamps were much cooler.

#1.1 Deepanjan Nag on 02/06/10 at 04:41 AM [Reply]

An organization protests Mother Teresa being honored with a US postal stamp and you hit back with a belligerent punchline. 'Protesting' and 'attacking' are the same thing to you? Even a mere dissident voice is construed as an attack on faith? Might I ask what's your Tolerance Quotient? Well, I have seen enough religious tolerance all over the world and was wondering just how well the atheists measure up against your camp's exemplary track record. If Hitler's anti-Semitism and Islamic fundamentalism are anything to go by, atheists have at least the right to voice their opinion and peacefully protest without outraging the likes of you. Wouldn't you agree?

By the way, I'm a very proud atheist from India.

#2 huh? on 02/05/10 at 12:10 PM [Reply]

It seems it is the other way around! Atheists cannot speak of not going to a church, or lowering their heads and saying amen without being kicked out of society. One mention or a little question about religion and said person would be on the tongues of every housewife, newspaper editor and barber in town. Heaven forbid if they wanted to be a Wiccan or a Muslim. They might be burned at a stake!

I have always said, I don't mind god, it the followers that scare me.

#2.1 freethought on 02/05/10 at 01:59 PM [Reply]

Atheists have always been felt to feel subserviant to the mind of the great christians. For not having a "belief" they have been called godless heathens and made the subject of christian discrimination. At least they have stopped burning any non-christians at the stake. I love your history, though. Just finished a book on the inquisition. Talk about a bunch of sick and perverted christ followers. These people created ALL of the torure devices that we use today, all over the world. Nothing to be proud of for sure, but we can thank the christians for the water-boarding that is in much discussion still today.

#3 Anonymous on 02/05/10 at 12:33 PM [Reply]

The difference is all the people the "believers" subjugate, inflict misery upon, torture or kill in their "God's name."

#4 I believe in Allah on 02/06/10 at 07:06 AM [Reply]

Who makes a big deal? Ted Haggard? Pat Robertson? Jerry Falwell? Frank Gillispie?

I enjoy reading your columns, although not for the reasons you might think.

#5 tom on 02/06/10 at 04:09 PM [Reply]

"But non belief is also an act of faith."

That is one big load of crap, Frank. I "believe" you are an idiot. Are you trying to fertilize the Elysian Fields?

#6 Susan on 02/07/10 at 09:57 AM [Reply]

Frank, I have no problem with a Mother Teresa stamp and I'm not attacking you for whatever you want to believe in, be it God, Always-Evil Yankees, or the Tooth Fairy. But I do take exception when you say "atheism is just as much a religion as any other belief system based on faith." That's just wrong.

The most common false stereotype about atheism is that it is a religion and it's often implied that "atheist fundamentalism" is as intolerant as conventional religious fundamentalism. I hate to break it to the anti-atheists, but another crucial distinction between us and them is that we have no sacred, authoritative texts. I accept scientific advancement, but science is not God.
 Integral to the myth that atheism is a religion is the false proposition that atheists claim to "know" there is no God, as if there is a difference between atheists and agnostics. There is no difference. The agnostic is an atheist. The atheist is an agnostic. The agnostic says: "I do not know, but I do not believe that there is any god. The atheist says the same. The religious "believer" says he knows there is a god. But he does not know. He simply believes. He cannot know.

Atheists cannot know that God does or does not exist. Today, as in the past, atheists can say only that on the basis of the available evidence, we don't think an omnipotent deity has anything to do with either the ultimate origins of the universe or the ethical dilemmas that human beings confront every day. Indeed, we do not "know" how the first particle of matter came into being any more than believers "know" how God came into being. Atheists admit this. Beleivers don't.

#7 It takes faith? on 02/07/10 at 01:42 PM [Reply]

If I look at an empty glass and see nothing in it, does it require faith for me to believe that the glass is empty?

#8 Ben Had on 02/13/10 at 06:39 AM [Reply]

I think the reason Atheist keep such a close eye on religious folks is that we know given the opportunity,Christians would rule this country just like the Taliban ruled Afghanistan.
Think that's crazy?
Some Christian sects IN THIS COUNTRY don't allow their women to cut their hair or wear make up already. What if someone from their sect(cult)is elected President? Here comes the veils ladies!
We're going to make sure that doesn't happen.

MLK was a civil rights leader. I don't think that is listed as part of the job responsibilities of a Baptist Preacher. If it is,well nobody else was doing their job besides him,were they?
I don't believe that's the same thing as being a nun,and doing the things a nun should do.

Whine about something else,Frank.
Two words for ya, Confederate Flag.
(that should keep you busy for awhile)

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