Christianity, post-Reformation and post-Luther, with its teaching of a direct, personal, two-way link between the individual and God, unmediated by the collective, and unsubordinate to any other human being, smashes straight through the philosphical/spiritual framework I've just described. It offers something to hold on to to those anxious to cast off a crushing tribal groupthink. That is why and how it liberates.This sort of talk is anathema to many atheists. (And I'm sure the usual suspects will accuse him of neo-colonialism.) Why should we substitute a new set of superstitions instead of relying on reason? From a purely philosophical standpoint I agree. But as a practical matter, I understand where the author is coming from. Many atheists focus on the negative aspects of Christianity and ignore its many positive features -- including the ability to transform people's lives for the better. That doesn't mean the Christian God is real, or that its doctrines are true, but the utility of the religion and its positive works in certain areas are undeniable. The article is well worth reading, especially for atheists.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Atheist Supports Christian Missionaries in Africa
Matthew Parris has an interesting article in the Times Online called, "As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God." He argues that Christianity has a transforming and liberating effect that enhances the everday life of people who are held back by tribal customs and superstition. In his words
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The problem is that in Africa, the religion that seems to have the most positive effect is Islam. There's a very strong negative correlation between an African country's adherence to Islam and its AIDS prevalence. I don't think that it's causal, but I do think that someone writing paeans to Christian charities in Africa should at least mention it.
ReplyDelete"the religion that seems to have the most positive effect is Islam."
ReplyDeleteThat's highly dubious. What countries are benefitting from Islam? Islam in much of Africa, as in the Middle East, is backward and oppressive, particularly toward women.
"There's a very strong negative correlation between an African country's adherence to Islam and its AIDS prevalence."
That may be true, but AIDS is hardly the only problem in Africa.
Islam in much of Africa, as in the Middle East, is backward and oppressive, particularly toward women.
ReplyDeleteIt is, but Muslim areas in Africa are no more patriarchal than Christian and animist areas, so you could say the same about Christianity.
Of course, AIDS is not the only problem in Africa. But in much of the continent it's the biggest, and I'd say that citing one major problem a religion correlates negatively low is better than citing none, as Parris does.
"It is, but Muslim areas in Africa are no more patriarchal than Christian and animist areas, so you could say the same about Christianity."
ReplyDeleteYeah, those Christians are big on encouraging things like female circumcision. If you have to have a religion, I think the benefits of modern Christianity vs. that of Islam are pretty self-evident.
Parris is pretty clear on what he thinks, and he has apparently spent quite a bit of time in Africa. His article is pretty remarkable coming from an atheist, so I find it unlikely that he's overstating the impact of Christian missionary efforts.
FWIW, I don't think Parris has said anything of genuine concern to atheists here. He's said, at most, that (Protestant) Christian missionaries have succeeded at throwing some beneficial new ideas into the prevailing culture of rural Africa. To the extent they have done so, I join him in patting them on the back.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't follow that they're preaching the truth. They have some true and useful ideas in tow, but it does not follow that Jesus is the son of god born to a virgin who died for our sins and rose from the dead yadda yadda yadda.
"It doesn't follow that they're preaching the truth. They have some true and useful ideas in tow, but it does not follow that Jesus is the son of god born to a virgin who died for our sins and rose from the dead yadda yadda yadda."
ReplyDeleteYes, exactly. He's making a religion can be a useful tool to alter people's lives for the better argument. For atheists I think the main point is that Christianity is more useful in this instance than promoting atheism. Since atheism is an absence of belief and not a religion, it doesn't easily lend itself to be used as a tool for the self-improvement of large groups of people. Atheism is much more individualistic.
I'm not convinced that Atheist supporting the Christian's mission. But I thinks it is not really a matter. The most important is to spread the word of God!
ReplyDelete