Live and Let Live

(excerpt from my journal entry dated April 22, 2012, a Sunday)

A few days ago, a Facebook friend of mine posted something about Christianity and atheism on his wall. It was a poster propaganda for atheism. To this effect, it said that Christians believe because they fear hell and punishment, and have faith only because they expect to be rewarded; while atheists do good not out of fear or the prospect of being rewarded, but for the sheer humanity of it.

In a way, it has a point. There are Christians (and there are many, I think) out there who get by this life with that belief, and I’m not saying that I am totally exempt from it because, from time to time, I do feel that way about my faith, too.

Question is, is it a bad thing? And if so, how bad is it? Who’s to say?

Ultimately, this is not because the faith itself is flawed. I think it comes with our humanity—our sense of justice, our sense of right and wrong. We have been raised that way. All of us—atheists and believers alike.

It’s the way our parents raised us. It’s the way our teachers educated us. Yes, even atheist parents and teachers do that, too, so they’re not totally guiltless about it.

You do good by them, you get praised, even rewarded. You study hard and get good exam scores, you are rewarded with high grades.

Otherwise, you get punished. You get sent to your room, you get called an idiot and stupid, etc.  It’s basic in our learning process, okay?

But soon enough, there are people who mature in their beliefs, enough to do good to their fellowmen without expecting anything in return. Now, this is also true for BOTH atheists and Christians. [Yes, atheists are believers, too. They, too, believe in love and peace and unity. That is why they are “people of good will” by the Focolare Movement. They, too, adhere to the dictum “Do unto others what you would have others do unto you,” just like everyone else of good will.]

I was almost tempted to comment on that wall post. Obviously, the propaganda was made by an atheist who thinks so highly of himself, he’s talking out of his hat. I almost wrote, “Really . . . ? And I thought atheists do not believe because there is NOTHING in it for them.” But then, I’m tired. Tired of arguing about it. Why can’t we just live and let live?

Besides my comment would be a tu quoque fallacy, pointing out the hypocrisy of the author but not necessarily the flaw in the argument.

I have atheist friends, Christian friends, Muslim friends, agnostic friends, etc. and we get along well, as far as I know. I don’t think Jesus’ message to “love one another” is exclusive to Christians only. I also think the Bible, the Quran, the Vedas, the Tao te ching, etc. are wisdom books that we can all learn from and enrich our lives with.

You can choose to agree or disagree over these things until Kingdom come, but ultimately, all you’ll end up with is wasted time.