Zizek about atheism

Paul Mackin paul.mackin at verizon.net
Wed Mar 15 12:50:27 CST 2006


On Mar 15, 2006, at 3:24 AM, KXX4493553 at aol.com wrote:

> http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/03/13/opinion/edzizek.php
> Atheism is a legacy worth fighting for
> Slavoj Zizek The New York Times
> TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 2006
> LONDON
>
> For centuries, we have been told that without religion we are no  
> more than
> egotistic animals fighting for our share, our only morality that of  
> a pack
> of wolves; only religion, it is said, can elevate us to a higher  
> spiritual
> level. Today, when religion is emerging as the wellspring of murderous
> violence around the world, assurances that Christian or Muslim or  
> Hindu
> fundamentalists are only abusing and perverting the noble spiritual  
> messages
> of their creeds ring increasingly hollow. What about restoring the  
> dignity
> of atheism, one of Europe's greatest legacies and perhaps our only  
> chance
> for peace? [...]
>
>
> kwp


"Our only chance for peace" is a pretty vague statement. Aren't there  
bad atheists as well as bad believers?

  I  can concur with the idea that Atheism is one of Europe's great  
legacies.

It's important to emphasize that (according to Zizek in the article)  
the thing that makes a good atheist is also what makes a good  
Christian. Loving one's neighbor regardless of whether there is a  
God. David Hume, a believer, is approvingly quoted  in this regard.

Freud thought loving one's neighbor in the Christian sense to be  
against human nature. That must be why there are relatively few good  
Christians or Atheists.

Amen.












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