Comments on: “I Am Legend” and Those Awful, Incredulous Atheists

By: Aaron Ross Powell

Aaron Ross Powell — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:38:00 +0000

Matt, I haven’t read that book, though I am familiar with its variety of arguments. The trouble with scientific arguments for god’s existence is that they fail to prove anything meaningful about god. Even if we establish that there must have been a first cause for the universe, that doesn’t mean Jesus is Lord or Yahweh made a covenant with Abraham. It only gets us a first cause.

As to your last point, about the Jewish victim, it expresses a troubling attitude toward humanity. It says that we will only behave morally if we believe there is punishment for doing otherwise. That means, effectively, that we’re all evil and just scared of bad stuff happening to us. I like to think we’re better than that. Additionally, the staggering weight of horrible acts perpetrated by religious believers — and often explicitly in the name of religion — indicates that fear of divine retribution is not an effective deterrent of immoral acts.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:29:58 +0000

I would highly suggest for you, and any one else interested to read the book ""The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and its Scientific Pretensions." by self-professed secular Jew and mathematics/philosophies teacher David Berlinski.
This tells the story of a Jew who was forced to dig his own grave prior to being shot by a German soldier. Prior to being shot, the old Jewish man advised the German that “God is watching what you are doing.” The Jewish gentleman pointed what i think is the real problem with atheism. "If you have the time please check the book out

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:29:00 +0000

I would highly suggest for you, and any one else interested to read the book ""The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and its Scientific Pretensions." by self-professed secular Jew and mathematics/philosophies teacher David Berlinski.This tells the story of a Jew who was forced to dig his own grave prior to being shot by a German soldier. Prior to being shot, the old Jewish man advised the German that “God is watching what you are doing.” The Jewish gentleman pointed what i think is the real problem with atheism. "If you have the time please check the book out

By: Carnival of the Godless #97 | Kieran's Commentary

Carnival of the Godless #97 | Kieran's Commentary — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:17:34 +0000

[...] blood the just God is not prepared to countenance. Attacks on our belief, our way of life, our very Christian culture must not be tolerated! These purveyors of foul smut must be [...]

By: Aaron Ross Powell

Aaron Ross Powell — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:13:00 +0000

I think it is possible, Ian. Not frequent, but possible. I know Christians who recognize the double standard and the Catholic writer, Andrew Sullivan, has talked about it on his blog. There's hope. And thank you for the kind comment on my writing.

By: Ian

Ian — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:06:00 +0000

Would you agree that the idea is entirely futile though? For a religious person to acknowledge this double standard they wouldn’t be religious in the first place. It’s somewhat of a paradox.

You write some pretty good stuff. I enjoyed The Value of Life, it resonates many of my own feelings on the topic.

By: Aaron Ross Powell

Aaron Ross Powell — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:31:54 +0000

@Forty: Thanks for the link. As I was writing the piece, I was trying to think of a positively portrayed atheist who doesn't have his beliefs "corrected" by the end in any film I've ever seen. I couldn't. From that link, it sounds like this wasn't due to my lack of film knowledge.

@Ian: I'm with you entirely. I wasn't trying to compare atheism to a religions (you're quite right that it's not) but instead to other groups delineated by their beliefs (instead of, say, ethnicity).

By: Aaron Ross Powell

Aaron Ross Powell — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:31:00 +0000

@Forty: Thanks for the link. As I was writing the piece, I was trying to think of a positively portrayed atheist who doesn’t have his beliefs “corrected” by the end in any film I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t. From that link, it sounds like this wasn’t due to my lack of film knowledge.

@Ian: I’m with you entirely. I wasn’t trying to compare atheism to a religions (you’re quite right that it’s not) but instead to other groups delineated by their beliefs (instead of, say, ethnicity).

By: Ian

Ian — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:59:00 +0000

I liked the movie but this bothered me a great deal too.

One thing I’d like to say in response, I don’t find it appropriate to make the analogy that if Mr. Neville was Jewish that the film would be viewed as politically incorrect. Atheism is not a religion and I don’t even wish the comparison to be made. I would assume that we could agree that atheism is the default position and because of this, religious people like to proliferate their culture with reasons why they aren’t wasting their time praying. People of faith must have reinforcement to justify their theologies and the default position they must resist to satisfy their faith.

I guess I’m just saying, I don’t want to play on the intellectual level of religions. Atheism is not a religion. It has no organization, no moral code, the only thing common from one atheist to another is the recognition of the default position we all take regarding anything but these taboo areas as you make reference too.

By: 40yearoldatheist

40yearoldatheist — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:53:00 +0000

Funny, I thought it was just a monster movie…

Kidding. I hadn’t made the butterfly connection, but your analysis certainly makes sense. Here’s a link you might appreciate:

http://www.flickfilosopher.com/blog/2007/10/what_does_god_need_with_a_star.html