I Don’t Believe In Atheists
Many charges have been leveled at foreign correspondent Chris Hedges over the years, but shrinking from conflict isn’t one of them. Hedges spent nearly seven years as Middle East bureau chief for the New York Times, covered the wars in Bosnia and Kosovo, and was part of the New York Times team that won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of global terrorism. He took on the American military-industrial complex with his books “War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning” and “What Every Person Should Know About War,” and provoked the rage of the Christian right by likening them to Nazis in last year’s “American Fascists.” Hedges now cements his reputation as an intellectual provocateur with the charmingly titled “I Don’t Believe in Atheists.” While speaking out against the Christian fundamentalist movement and its political agenda, Hedges noticed another group — this one on the left — conspicuously allied with the neocons on the subject of America’s role in world politics. The New Atheists, as they have been called, include Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins and bestselling author and journalist Christopher Hitchens — outspoken secularists who depict religious structures and the belief in God as backward and anti-democratic.
Though Hedges, a Harvard seminary graduate and the son of a Presbyterian minister, considers himself a religious man, his quarrel with the New Atheists goes beyond theological concerns. In “I Don’t Believe in Atheists,” he accuses Hitchens and the others of preaching a fundamentalism as dangerous as the religious fundamentalist belief systems they attack. Strange bedfellows indeed — according to Hedges, the New Atheists and the Christian right pose the greatest threat facing American democratic society today.
Hedges spoke to Salon by phone from his home in New Jersey.
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Thanks for that, interesting stuff.
A while back I wrote on the idea of belief and faith as inherent for every human being. What do we mean when we say, “I don’t believe…”? Do we mean that there is no need to believe in that thing. Or that there is a conflict between what we already believe and another presentation. But is there a antithesis to belief? Can there be a lack of belief? I think not. Belief is part of each human beings substance. I hold to a motto, ” I believe in God and all else is phenomena.” But I must admit to using a heck of a lot more belief and faith in my action around the phenomena of the world.
[...] March 30, 2008 · No Comments This is a totally interesting read:The Cultist [...]
Atheists as dangerous as stubbornly religous? And alied with Neo-Cons « The Hunter S. Rob Times said this on March 30, 2008 at 9:48 am |
Man, this is a totally bad ass read.
Although there is a level of truth that modern day atheists are trying to influence public opinion, as well as public policy, it can’t be compared to the level of influence religious institutions have. Let’s look at two great examples … Christians and Stem Cell Research, Muslims and Freedom of Speech. Atheists are simply trying to be heard as well. They would like the world to know that there is another option to ‘faith’. Personally, I find it very difficult to believe in any modern day faith, especially Christianity, Islam and Judaism. But people are varied, and everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Those that wish to ignore atheism may do so. However, criticizing their influence on Public Opinion and Public Policy seems more to do with trying to maintain their personal influence than belief that they are wrong in doing so.
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what about the republicans? just kidding, but honestly a great article.
I love Christopher Hitchens. I do believe in God, just not religion and I think his last book “god is not great”
was spectacular. I understand the frustrations of atheists because in the year 2008 it’s ridculous that world still hasn’t learned any lessons about the brutality that religion has inflicted for centuries. Most, not all religion is just another form of control over the masses,since no one actually knows what happens when we die, they can say and do whatever they want to scare and control people. It’s the greatest racket thats ever been run, I don’t care what anyone says. I think with my heart, but also my brain, and something in my head as always told me that this bible stuff doesn’t add up.
Agreed. Fundamentalism can be dangerous. I’m not sure atheists are nearly as likely to kill someone over it, however. Murder and superstition are a powerful combination over hard pressed logic.
owen59 says, “Belief is part of each human beings substance.”
On what do you base this claim? Personal experience? Well, yeah, if you’re a believer, your personal experience might very well tell you that belief in something for which we have no proof is part of our nature (human nature is something I also don’t tend to “believe in”).
I believe that my friends and family generally will do right by me, because, well, they have given me reason to. I believe that if I turn on FoxNews (or just about any news station these days), I’ll get frustrated within a few minutes, because, well, personal experience tells me that this will happen. But do I believe in some supernatural being that created the earth and the heavens? No. I tend to “believe” what science has proven to be true thus far, speculate on what that means for the future and the past, and wait to see how new scientific studies or evidence will change my belief and/or speculation about how the world works.
I personally don’t see things so black and white. To me, spirituality is a science and can be studied with scientific method. Metaphysics, philosophy, the study of energy and the human body. These are all things that can be approached from a real level. Religious institutions cringe at this sort of things except for more liberal churches, and I don’t understand how atheists can ignore the science of energy and metaphysics. -Ed
I am an atheist – I have always been one. I don’t see how belief in God would anything to my life. I have studied the history of religion – I consider myself to be sensitive to the spiritual needs of our human natures – and I tend to be sympathetic to those who want it in their lives – I just don’t see how an educated mostly secular person in the 21st century can swing that, or would want to.
I read Hedge’s book on war as a force in human society, and I thought it was a powerful statement of his point of view, but not very illuminating otherwise. I must say, however, that this statement in the Salon interview:
>Do you think Hitchens really believes what he writes?
>I think he’s completely amoral. I think he doesn’t have >a moral core. I think he doesn’t believe anything. >What’s good for Christopher Hitchens is about as moral >as he gets.
is ABSOLUTELY wondeful! I TOTALLY agree, and I have felt this way for a long time about CH. Hearing the sound of his own voice is his supreme intellectual value. His political shifts are motivated by his deep seated emotional needs.
I find the New Atheists a bit disappointing because so many of them have the shrillness and narcissism of True Believers of other “cults” of the past, like Bolshevism. I don’t put Dawkins in this group, but he edges close because his tone is so clearly one of exasperation and frustration with the religious. He needs some historical perspective.
Thanks for pointing me to this interview!
Ed, I am not sure I agree that believing in the Metaphysical contradicts Atheism. Atheism is simply ‘Knowing that there is no God’. There doesn’t necessarily need to be a God for there to be a Metaphsical Universe. I, for one, have never seen proof of a Metaphysical Universe, nor can I fathom what Science can say about this fact, but I am always open to new experiences. This doesn’t in any way change the fact that I am an Atheist. Spirituality, however, does bear resemblance to Religion if you tie the Spirit to a Diety of sorts. But, I guess that all depends on perspective.
[...] theological concerns. In ???I Don??t Believe in Atheists,??? he accuses Hitchens and the others ofhttp://thedailycultist.wordpress.com/2008/03/29/i-dont-believe-in-atheists/Presbyterians, Their History and Beliefs – Google Books Resultby Walter Lee Lingle, John W. [...]
fundamental presbyterian said this on June 13, 2008 at 1:39 am |