Recently, I had a conversation with a person who described himself as an atheist. It was an enjoyable conversation. As we probed many of the issues at the forefront of life today, there was much common ground. Although religion in various forms has been part of my life since I was a child, his experience was different. He felt that the churches he had attended had not fulfilled his needs. Religion simply had not given him answers that fit with his personal experience.
Apparently, he is not alone. A recent Gallup poll concluded that the number of adult Americans who believe in God continues to trend downward. Seventeen percent of Americans report that they do not believe in God and among “religious” Americans, only 64% are certain about the existence of God. What this means is hard to say. What it may come down to, really, is how people define “God”.
As we talked, I discovered a person who was deeply concerned about marginalized people here and abroad. He fought for women’s rights, and he called out racism when he encountered it. He was angered about school library book bans as well as efforts to suppress the teaching of inconvenient historical facts. In each case, he felt that religious dogma contributed to the problem. I couldn’t disagree. One can hold different opinions on these issues, but the vehemence and certainty with which they are often presented by certain religious spokespersons leaves no room for discussion or dissent.
For myself, when it comes to thinking about these matters, I start with the teachings of Jesus for guidance. For example, I find that Jesus didn’t speak about the topics mentioned above. His instruction was primarily to love God and love one’s fellow man. He healed and comforted marginalized and often maligned people — not the wealthy, the connected or the religious officials of his day. His entire life was spent bringing the message of love to the world and showing, by his example, how that is done. If God is love (1 John 4.16), then it follows that any use of Christianity to condemn other people or to scape goat persons of different faiths, cultures or beliefs is anathema to the man for whom Christianity is named. That, to me, should be the template for thinking about the contentious questions that concern us today.
After my discussion with the gentleman, I had to question the label of atheist that he claimed for his himself. He was loving toward people of different persuasions. He cared about equal justice and fairness. He was not hateful, nor did he condemn those who thought differently from him. I might suggest the next time I see him that the label he claimed for himself may not fit.
— Reflections appears regularly on the religion page. The column features a variety of local writers, coordinated through the Monroe Area Clergy Group. Charles Wellington is a lifelong student of the teachings of Christ Jesus and regularly meditates with the Great Plains Zen Center in Monroe.
