We often hear conservative clergy describe scientists and Atheists as people who “hate God.” If we think about this notion, even for a minute, we would realize how silly it is.
You can’t really hate something if you believe it doesn’t even exists. Most Christians don’t hate Zeus, we just don’t believe in him. There certainly are some people who leave the simplistic religion of their youth with a chip on their shoulder and, for a time, remain mad at God for not existing. Such people can be obsessed with attacking their former beliefs and in rejoicing in disillusioning people who still believe. This, however, is a very small minority of Atheists.
Most Atheists simply don’t find the symbol “God” helpful. What they “hate” is the pain and damage caused by superstition and sectarian ethics. Religions of love should want our faith to be purged of these impurities as well.
“Faith” isn’t when we hold onto the last shards of our religious teachings in spite of overwhelming facts. Faith is not protecting yesterday’s understanding from the bright light of honest criticism. Faith is the courage to willingly offer our beliefs into the thirsty flames of reason and science because we trust the Phoenix of hope will arise from the ashes of our former certainties.
A religion that has to be protected from hard thoughts will probably be of little help in hard times. Religion that crumbles before a good argument will probably be a leaking vessel as we lay dying.
The word “Atheist” is actually a theological word. It sounds like a negative philosophy, only because we are looking through a theologically narcissistic lens that measures others by itself. Most Atheists are not best understood by the fact that they don’t use our religious symbol “God.” The overwhelming majority of Atheists are best defined by their positive values- like naturalism, humanism and intellectual honesty.
If we are wise we will appreciate the harsh light Atheists bring to the haunted caves of our unexamined beliefs. A religion of love recognizes loving Atheists as allies not enemies. Only such radical honesty prevents religion from becoming a passion deadening sedative for the heart and a incurious straight jacket for the mind.