The Atheist

Discussions with atheists are always rather interesting. I italicize interesting, because I've often said that "deserve" is the most subjective term in the English language, perhaps excluding interesting.

With that being said, a recent discussion with an atheist quickly centered around "objective reality."

Now, as you the reader well know, truth is perception is a theory I have had for quite some time.

A continuum within my philosophical repertoire is the concept that “truth is perception.” This hypothesis is derived from the theory that mortal man is incapable of knowing absolute truth, only relative truth. Since we are unable to escape the limitations of human consciousness, the lens of perception becomes absolute for the observer. 

That post was from 10 years ago, and I still think it rings true today.

This isn't to say that objective truth doesn't exist, it's to say that our perceptions aren't objective in the abstract sense. That doesn't mean that some couldn't be objectively true, it just means they are esoteric and metaphysical within the course of debate.

While atheists don't view their "belief" as a religion, I wholeheartedly disagree. Sure, it can be looked upon as just a reactionary or deconstructive mindset, but when it becomes one's identity, to the point that it is devoutly espoused and overtly dogmatic, it is religious.

It is rather obvious, to the point it doesn't need to be discussed much, the reason atheists don't want to consider their religion a religion: atheism is a belief-system in nothing. 

Who wants to worship nothingness?  

Any religion with a god is better than a religion without one.

This leads me to my interesting discussion. The atheist insinuated that "objective reality" was his god. Now, he didn't say this in so many words, but this was essentially his rebuttal to everything ("I have faith in objective reality."). When I pushed him on "objective reality" by asking him what is was, and to "show it to me," he ironically said to "open my eyes."

The reason for the above-cited "truth is perception" reference was to say that he and I both have a belief system. He can't prove his anymore than I can prove mine. However, if we are attempting to establish objective truth by "opening our eyes," it would seem that logic would be on the side of creation or God. That doesn't make me "right" anymore than he "wrong," but to view reality through a subjective lens and proclaim it "objective" is by my own definition, "perception of truth."

I've always thought that any serious contemplation of existence can't be equated to zero. There has to be a god of some kind, even if that "god" is a computer programmer from the future running a simulation program:

The simulation hypothesis proposes that what one experiences as the real world is actually a simulated reality, such as a computer simulation in which humans are constructs

My personal opinion is that there are 3 different kinds of atheists: 

- the pseudointellectual LARPer who thinks atheism is for smart people.

- the nihilist who oozes discontent and self-loathing.

- the former Christian who lost faith and is looking for the convincing argument to return to the faith.

I think most Christians go through a phase where they doubt their faith. I'm sure God even expects that from most of his flock. I know I went though a phase during my intellectual years where I questioned everything. That's the entire premise of individual enlightenment via intellectualism. 

I never proclaimed myself an atheist, that was just too silly to fathom. But I did go through a time of agnosticism, in which I never denounced God, but I did adopt the fence-sitter position of, "How do I know if there is a God or not?" 

I eventually concluded that even taking the wrong position was better than taking no position at all.

I slowly realized that this is the essence of free will. That when one comes to the knowledge that there is a God, God's free will give us the choice to accept or reject his grace.

If you haven't already, I encourage you to read last Sunday's post: For the Glory of Truth. 

For God is the truth, the life and the way.

Amen.