Scientific Atheism
by Len Schwee
Newsweek, September 25, 2006, published a letter
to the editor that really annoyed me. The letter, written by Ray Sachs
of West Chester, PA, was full of misinformation if not disinformation.
The letter stated, "Both the faithful and the atheists need to
keep in mind the difference between belief and certainty. It is possible
to believe there is a God or that no deity exists, but this is not
the same as being certain. There is much about the origin and scope
of the universe that we may never know for certain. I have no problem
with any religion as long as it remains about belief rather than absolute
certainty. Belief is compatible with respect and tolerance for other
beliefs. Certainty is an arrogance that leads to intolerance, disrespect
and, all too often, terror and war." |
I do not recognize any difference between belief and
opinion, and I do not think of atheism as a belief or opinion. Science
is knowledge based on experiment. My atheism is based on science,
which has no need of a God. Contrary to the opinion of Ray Sachs,
there is much that science has uncovered about the origin and scope
of the universe. Take, for example, the fact that the big bang occurred
13.7 billion years ago, plus or minus a percent. If belief is compatible
with respect and tolerance of other beliefs, how can all the religious
wars be explained? Religious beliefs are almost always intolerant
and insist that they alone are true. Witness the factions of Islam
killing each other today in Iraq. I will agree that certainty of one's
beliefs is an error that can lead to intolerance, disrespect, terror,
and war. We should be very skeptical about beliefs and even retain
some skepticism about science. |
A prudent trust in scientific knowledge and atheism
does not necessarily lead to intolerance, terror, and war. However,
it can and does lead to disrespect for religion. Atheists are not
the ones who are blowing up abortion clinics and persecuting gays.
As Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg observed, "With or without
religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people
doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes
religion." |
We ought to be grateful that we do not have to choose
between beliefs or opinions that can hurt us or lead us to do evil
things. Unlike 500 years ago, we have a vast source of knowledge based
on experiment that we can choose to know. Atheism is not a religion.
There is nothing to believe in atheism, but much to know. Atheism
demands no sacrifices, suffering, or penance, and it is easy to accept
mortality in place of the fear of eternal hell. |
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