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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