10.10.2008

Christian Morality and Hell

Protestors at a pride parade in Jerusalem with sign that reads, "Homo sex is immoral (Lev. 18-22)"
By Benj, via Wikimedia Commons

Among the many accusations some Christians direct toward atheists is the notion that we are immoral. Without belief in their preferred god and whichever version of their bible they think it better than the others, we have no moral foundation. And yet, a belief system which includes the expectation that the majority of the world's population will suffer the horrors of their hell while a select few are magically transported to some sort of heaven is considered morally just. If this is their idea of morality, I'd suggest that we are better off finding our moral grounding elsewhere.

To be fair, some Christians have jettisoned this concept of hell from their dogma. They realize that it is not possible to reconcile the forgiveness they want to preach with eternal damnation. Sadly, they seem to be in a small minority. For many Christians, hell is a central part of their belief system (and it shows).

The Christians still clinging to the hell they imagine are quick to explain that their god provides everyone with a choice. Their hell can be avoided by conforming to the will of their god. But how is this choice (i.e., do what I say or suffer for all eternity) a moral exemplar? I am reminded of an abusive parent and see little evidence of love here.

10.01.2008

Atheism 101: A Reading List

books

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One question frequently asked by those just discovering atheism is, "What books would you recommend to someone just beginning to explore atheism?" Not only is this an excellent question, but it is one I remember wanting desperately to ask at one point in my life. Unfortunately, I could not find anyone to ask. I am happy to see this question around the atheist blogosphere, as it shows me that times have indeed changed with regard to the availability of atheists and information about atheism. In this post, I'll provide a reading list to get you started.

I recognize that everyone's needs will be different, so I am not going to simply provide a list of books and instruct you to read them. Instead, I am going to explain what you will find in each book and make some suggestions about the order in which to read them. Your time and resources may be limited, so my goal is for you to have enough information to choose wisely.