Expert: Bob - 6/29/2005

Question
Bob,

Thanks for your reply.  I agree with you on many counts, especially the convenience of our world, as I see it as a series of mutations which led to the possiblity of us being here today.  I am still just questioning the existence of god because it is possible, albeit remote.  I often feel that religion is the crutch of society, and that it's more divisive than beneficial.  Like in the case of Kansas, where many are trying to remove evolution and add creationism.  To me that smacks of pure ignorance.  It's that mindset that drives me from religion--its blatant lies, ignorance, and the way it prevents society from embracing new technologies.  Stem cells being one of those things that perturbs me, as I see it as a promising way to extend life, while those of the other side of the issue want to protect the rights of embryos that will never be implanted in the womb.  What keeps me holding on to the idea that there could be a divinity, is that I can't imagine the world without me.  It's a hard thing to grasp, but it's probably at the very core of why people believe in God to begin with: for the hope that their life will extend past this world.  Socrates believed that if you died and there was nothing past death, it was ok because he would be unaware of this and would therefore be unaffected.  He also felt that if there was a heaven after death, that would be ok, because his life would extend onwards.  I'm paraphrasing from "The Trial and Death of Socrates", but my views are in accord with his.  I just can't get past the idea that this is all there is and that all evidence of our existence will one day be wiped away, thanks to broad devastation by man, or the inevitable transformation of the sun to supernova.  Does that ever bother you--that what you do and who you are, along with your accomplishments, dies with you?  How do you come to grips with this lack of hope?


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Followup To
Question -
Dear Bob,

I too consider myself an atheist, or if not an atheist, then I'm definitely agnostic.  I feel that a decent portion of my adolescence was devoted to following something I didn't understand and couldn't make sense of.  Today I'm even less believing in a God; especially the more I embrace science.  I look at religious zealots as crazy people, believing lore that was passed down from an era not that far removed from mythology.  The flood story alone cycles through many ancient texts and religions.  I think my true struggle comes from the fact that those dearest to me tend to have beliefs diametrically opposed to my own.  My girlfriend is a devout Catholic, my mother a devout Episcopalian.  My brother and I share a similar mindset on religion:  that it is a divisive element in the world, and often a means for hate (ironically enough).  Still, I can't shake the idea that there could be a god.  Like many of the forefathers of America, some believed that the world was set up so precisely that there must be a divine architect.  What is your take on the convenience, if nothing else, of how perfect our world is set up for us to inhabit?  Is there a glimmer of belief in you or are you completely shut off to the idea of there being a god?  Have you studied philosophy (e.g. infinite regression of God, the problem of good and evil)?  That's what really pushed me over the edge towards atheism.  

Thanks for your insight!

Sincerely,

Ben
Answer -
Hello Ben,
  Sorry for the delay in getting back to you but I've been away for a short trip. To answer your question, no, there is not a glimmer of belief in me concerning the presence of a god. In your question you made an interesting statement... "What is your take on the convenience, if nothing else, of how perfect our world is set up for us to inhabit?" I say just the opposite. I propose to you that if the grass was blue, the waters of the oceans black, and the sky green that you would be asking the same question. We as humans have evolved so that we fit into our settings. If the world was on average 40 degrees colder you would still ask the same question. You may be sitting there with a hairier body as you do it but the world would seem the same... The earth cares little for us either way. It has not been formed to meet our needs. We have evolved to fit into our surroundings.
 I would also question your assumption that "how perfect our world is set up for us to inhabit" I have heard this same preposterous remark from many religious people. To this day it still puzzles me. Are you looking at the same earth that I am? Ask the victims of the recent tidal raves in Asia how perfect the world is, Ask the millions that die of famine and disease every year. Ask the hundreds of thousands that have parishes due to volcanos, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Once upon a time dinosaurs ruled the earth, for millions of years they ruled the earth. One of them, could they have talked might have asked the same question. They might have asked the same question that is until a rock from outer space covered the earth in flames. Maybe the religious will ask the same thing until it happens again.
 My advice is that you take some time and try to figure out what you truly believe. This perfect world is filled with religions and beliefs of all kinds. If after some time you come to the realization that you are not an atheist, and the thought of being a Christian still turns your stomach, I am sure that you will find something that fits your taste.

Bob.  

Answer
Hello Ben,
 Don't get me wrong, I understand exactly what you are saying. I think that once upon a time it did bother me, at least until I came to understand that I or mankind truly is not the center of the universe. I am here solely to continue the species, I am only here to bred and that's really it. All the other stuff is great but in the end none of it really matters. Anyway, you may want to consider rather or not you are really an agnostic. You believe in a higher power, you are unsure what it may be but you are sure that none of the existing religions are right.
Think about it, you are not at the end of your journey yet. Keep searching, in the end you will find what you truly believe.

Bob