Nobody Lives Like An Atheist
You may say that you’re an atheist, but the way you live suggests otherwise.
For this post, I am giving you a break from reading my own writing. Instead, I want to shout about a piece that a good friend recently shared with me — “The Gods of Atheism”, by Joseph G. Trabbic.
Trabbic writes an excellent short essay following a train of thought from Aristotle to Tillich via Aquinas, showing how each one of us — every human being — has some kind of ultimate concern that governs the way we live. In one sense, we are all theists.
“[A]theists live their lives as if something were divine, that is, atheists too treat something as of ‘ultimate concern.’”
Trabbic also brings into discussion different types of atheism. Theoretical and practical atheism. These two types, having parallels in what is termed ‘confessional’ and ‘functional’ theology, communicate how there can be a distinction between what is professed and what is actually lived.
Trabbic makes the claim that “atheism is…contra naturam”. He says,
“Atheists do, indeed, have gods and…no matter how hard they try, they can never be rid of them.”
Whilst this point may sound somewhat bold, and indeed it is controverted, many philosophers and theologians will be agree with Trabbic.
I, for one, certainly do.
If I have whet your appetite, please do take this link to read Trabbic’s piece for yourself. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
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