The Good Atheist
by Donald E. Hester
on Feb 09
in Ethics
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Donald E. Hester
Husband, father, and adventurer. A computer science instructor who dabbles in t
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In some of my previous posts on Atheist, I have explored the source of their ethics.
Atheists derive their ethics from three precepts. 1. Survival of the fittest, 2. Self-preservation and 3. Avoid unnecessary harm. My contention is that Christian ethical precepts are superior. Christian ethical precepts being 1. love God, 2. love your neighbor, 3. love your enemy and 4. love your wife.
From this, I received a number of comments and emails concerning 'the good Atheist'. I have been wondering where they fit in with my contention. A number of questions came to mind. Are there truly good atheists? Is it the actions or the motivations that we should be looking at? If Atheist can act good without the Christian precepts are the Christian precepts still superior?
I think the Bible actually speaks to the motivation.
“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you. If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return. Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked."- Tyndale House Publishers: Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 2nd ed. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2004, S. Lk 6:27-35
I guess an atheist could say that it is wise to love your enemy out of self-preservation. In this way, you would not have any unnecessary enemies who could possible hurt you in the future. Out of a motivation of self-preservation, you attempt to prevent future harm to yourself. However, Jesus does not seem to be talking about love your enemy with a motivation of self-preservation. Jesus is asking us to give kindness with the motivation of not expecting anything return.
Most people, atheist and Christian alike, know that if we are all going to live in peace we have to at least be nice to one another. Don't we, atheist and Christian alike, do the good we do for something in return? Maybe so someone will repay the kindness, or maybe someone will see us doing good and boost our ego, or perhaps out of guilty feelings.
I know as a Christian I fail at this all the time. Doing good to those who will most likely be a benefit to me in the future. However every once in awhile I make a difficult choice to do good with no expectations. My family and I recently had a falling out with my in-laws after my father-in-law passed away. Given what they said and did to my wife and family I have every reason to call them enemies. I find it harder to let something go when someone hurt my family, I think we all do. I culminated in a confrontation over the phone. I was businesslike and called them on everything they had done. I could tell they were not being 100% honest. In spite of what everyone told me I should do I let it all go. We even gave them something they did not deserve nor were owed. Did we do it so that we could bring the family back together? No. I don't think it will ever be back together. Did we do it so they would leave us alone? No. Generally, if I am right about something I generally for the principle of it will dig in and not budge to my own detriment. Why did we do it? Because God loves them too. I don't have the feeling of love for them however, I am treating them with love. Love is actions not feelings.
Are there atheist who do good? Absolutely! Do Christians all act with the right motivation? No. Which one has the superior precepts? I guess that is up to you.
Passages reflecting Christian ethical precepts from above:
- Matthew 5:44
- Matthew 22:37-39
- Mark 12:30-31
- Luke 6:27
- Luke 6:35
- Luke 10:27
- John 13:34-35
- John 15:17
- Romans 13:8-10
- Galatians 5:14
- Ephesians 5:25, 28, 33
- Colossians 3:19
- 1 Thessalonians 4:9
- James 2:8
- 1 Peter 1:22
- 1 John 4:11-12, 19-21
Past Posts:
- Christian Hypocrisy http://www.unvarnishedblog.com/component/content/article/4-apologetics/49-christian-hypocrisy
- Question of the Week 1 http://www.unvarnishedblog.com/component/content/article/4-apologetics/44-question-of-the-week-1
- How would you answer Richard Dawkins II http://www.unvarnishedblog.com/component/content/article/4-apologetics/40-what-would-you-say-to-richard-dawkins-question-ii
- How would you answer Richard Dawkins? http://www.unvarnishedblog.com/component/content/article/4-apologetics/40-what-would-you-say-to-richard-dawkins-question-ii
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