Reflections on Atheism and Faith

Q&A With Fr. Sebastian Athappilly

Q: If someone were to say, “There’s no need to believe in God, whose existence cannot be proven or disproven. It’s enough to be a good, kind person”, what would your response might be?

A: First, if you prove the existence of God, like any other entity, then God becomes one entity among other entities, which means, God ceases to be God! Secondly, where there is proof, there is no faith; one cannot believe in something that is proved, one can only know it. Where there is empirical or scientific knowledge, there is no room for faith or trust. There is in this case no possibility of believing in His existence. Still, there is the possibility of believing Him and believing in Him.Believing Him means accepting whatever He says as true and confiding in His abilities. Believing in Him means fully surrendering to Him personally, in complete trust, love and obedience.

I would say that there is no need to believe in God for a certain end. The beauty of love, trust and faith is precisely that we can love, trust and believe without any need to do so! All this is not need-based, but out of freedom and joy. There is no business involved here. I love someone, for instance, not because of any need. In other words, it is a pure and voluntary personal gift, out of joy in loving and giving!

Now, as regards the question, whether being good is enough. Enough for what? Enough to live, or enough to achieve the purpose of life, in terms of eternal life?

A good person will also be a grateful person. Goodness does not exhaust itself in being good to others, but also in seeking and accepting the Source of everything, who is God. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to be truly good and compassionate without faith in God, precisely because real goodness demands many sacrifices from oneself. Without a higher motivation, one may not take up selfless activities for the sake of the others, especially when it demands sacrifices of time, money and comforts. Although such sacrifices could be to a large extent possible in the circle of one’s own near and dear ones, as is also the case with the animals, when it comes to be really good to others beyond the circles of one’s own family and friends, it needs faith in God to be good, kind, just, honest and conscientious. Faith in God is always a strong help to become good, provided that the God in whom one believes is really the true God, whom I characterize as love, truth and goodness in person. The True God is universal, the Creator of all, and the One who loves all.

Q: Do you think there could be something positive in the growing phenomenon of atheism across the world? Might atheist critiques of religion be able to help people of faith reform and refine their understandings of God, religion and spirituality in some way?

A: Yes, atheistic critiques of religion can help us refine our understandings of God. For instance, Marxist atheism has criticised certain notions of God, religion and spirituality that have tolerated social injustice. This is, in fact, a call and reminder to believers to return to the original message of the scriptures, where God, through the prophets, always condemns the oppression of the poor and social injustice. Authentic religion is not merely a private affair between oneself and God but also has something to do with the society and the world. In this connection, one may distinguish between religiosity and spirituality. Religiosity is preoccupied with mere dogmas, certain religious practices and cultic acts; while spirituality is intent on practising goodness, love and justice. Spirituality is the same as holding some dogmas, making some prayers and observing certain ascetical practices, but a life that takes into consideration the socio-political situation of the fellow humans as well as the earth, our “common home”.

Q: You will probably agree that it isn’t just belief in God that is important but also doing the will of God—through leading a life of compassion, working for justice, and so on. So, how would you see an atheist who is compassionate and works for justice for the oppressed or for conserving the natural environment but doesn’t recognise God? How would you compare him with someone who says that he believes in God but whose lifestyle is not based on seeking to do the will of God?

A: A so-called atheist who is genuinely altruistic and works for love and justice for others is for me an anonymous but real believer in God. Conversely, someone who merely believes in God but does not practise the values of God, such as love, truth and justice, and does not do God’s will, is, according to me, a so-called theist and a real atheist!

Q: Do you think atheism appeals to some people not because the claim that God is a fiction necessarily sounds more intellectually convincing to them but simply because they reallywant to believe that God doesn’t exist so that they can live as they desire, without feeling accountable to, or controlled, by God and without any moral restraint or fear of Divine judgment or retribution, in this world and the next? In other words, might their atheism be a result simply of a desire to be the master of their own life and doing with it just as they please—leading a life of self-indulgence, sense gratification and corruption—instead of submitting oneself to a higher authority (in this case, God), abiding by moral values and principles and subduing the urgings of the ego that such submission entails? Do you think their atheism might then be a result of simply their ego and its impulses?

A: Atheists claim that nobody has proved God’s existence. An important point to remember is that no atheist has also proved—and nobody can also prove—that God does not exist! Their theoretical argument for the non-existence of God and for their rejection of God is merely the absence of an empirical proof.

Now, coming to your point, atheism appeals to some persons precisely because these people do not want to accept and acknowledge God. They want to be the master of their own life, as you mention.

God is, on the one hand, someone who consoles and supports us. At the same time, God is someone who also demands and challenges us. Those who believe in God do not make life their life easy and comfortable with their faith, unlike what some atheists might claim. Precisely because of the moral demands and other obligations that come with faith in God, many people do not think faith in God is comfortable. But instead of frankly admitting this egoistic impulse of theirs that drives them to deny God, they pretend to have discovered that there is no God! They frame their own norms to fit their arguments in this regard and resort to all possible objections to admitting God’s existence. In short, their atheism is a result of simply their ego and its impulses, for the sake of leading an easy and comfortable life without being accountable to any higher authority.

Q: Some people might be what could be termed ‘practical atheists’. They do not deny God in theory but in practice they live as if God doesn’t exist. They don’t pray or even think of God although they don’t call themselves atheists. They might say in their defence that God is a loving and merciful God, and that even if they haven’t made any room for Him in their lives, in the Hereafter He will forgive them because it is in His nature to do so.

Your comments, please.

A: In addition to people who call themselves atheists there are those who think of themselves as theists but who live a life of practical atheism; they are theists in theory but atheists in practice. They are intellectually honest to accept the existence of God but they do not want to accept the consequences or demands of this acceptance. They make their own idea of God that suits them. For example, they do not care to live according to God’s norms or commandments and yet hope to receive mercy and pardon for their failings. This is deliberately missing the mark, which is sin. Violating the values of truth, justice, love, mercy, etc. and following the impulses of the ego, even while claiming to acknowledge God, are not really in the spirit of God.

Genuine faith in God is more than simply knowing and believing that God exists. It is also accepting God’s will and values and seeking to fulfil these in one’s life. Exploiting God’s forgiveness as a licence for an unrestrained or unregulated life while claiming to believe in God is as bad as avowed atheism itself. Just as many atheists make use of atheism as a shield for their egoistic life, many theists can turn into practical atheists by envisaging God as someone who allows us to do whatever we like with the claim of a sure guarantee of forgiveness. This concept of God of theirs is actually an idol!

It is true that God is merciful and forgiving, but we are not to abuse this for a licentious life. That would be contrary to faith in God. That is why in the Bible, God says: “these people draw near with their lips and honour Me, while their hearts are far from Me” (Isaiah 29:13). In addition, Jesus reminds us: “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21).

Making room for God in life is important and necessary for salvation. Mere lip service will not work.