Worthy of Derision

Considering the continually growing voices of atheists in our society, who make arguments against religion on grounds that religion is unreasonable and even immoral, I was taken aback upon opening The Texas Catholic and seeing an editorial about how it’s foolish to argue with atheists. The Catholic News Service editorialist asserts, without any evidence, that atheists have a hidden agenda and have set their will against believing. Therefore, they won’t let you convince them.

I could point to a number of blogs by former atheists who became convinced of God’s existence, and I doubt not that I could find blogs by former theists turned atheists. Believers and unbelievers change their minds. Struggles happen, evidence is considered, arguments are made, and minds change. There’s no universal hidden agenda here.

In his editorial, Fr. Father John Catoir continues to assert that theists shouldn’t argue with atheists because atheists laugh at theists at their mentioning of angels. Atheists are in denial, he says, and “would rather enjoy their delusion than admit they are subject to God and his supreme law.” It couldn’t be that atheists are atheists because they have come to the conclusion that their position is true, could it?

The editorial concludes:

The next time an atheist asks you to prove that God exists, just say, “I don’t have to. God will do that for you one second after your death.”

Or say, “Albert Einstein is arguably the most brilliant scientist in the history of the world. He was convinced that there has to be a supreme intelligence behind the universe. Are you smarter than Einstein?”

With all due respect, if I were to say such things to my atheist friends, they would deride me, and they would be right to do so. I understand that the arguments of Aquinas, Anselm, Descartes, and others may not have the sway the once had, but these snarky gibes just aren’t the way to spread the Good News in our postmodern society.