THE PHENOMENON OF ATHEISM

Br. Martin

I met an astrophysicist from South Africa in a hotel over breakfast and we discussed about God and Christ and the nature of creation. He said that we, human beings, are made of cosmic dust quoting the book of Genesis. I suggested that God breathed his breath into human beings. So our body is the product of evolution coming from the big bang, cosmic dust, but consciousness is not the product of evolution but comes directly from God. Hence there is something in us that goes beyond the big bang. He was a spiritual scientist, and having deep faith in Christ, appreciated these words. Then we came to the subject of atheism, and why atheism has become very popular in Europe and particularly the person and the books of Richard Dawkins.

I said probably most of the people in Europe, consciously and unconsciously, desire atheism. Richard Dawkins answers their need. The strength of Dawkins seems to me comes from the dark side of religions which contributed for so much violence in the world in the past and some continue to do in our time.

Atheism should not be looked upon as something negatively but a necessary stage of evolution of human consciousness from the God of history to the God of eternity. God or Truth has two aspects: eternal and historical. When Moses asked God his or its name God first replied : I am who I am but then he added 'I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Joseph'. The first reveals the God of eternity and the second one reveals the God of history. The God of history is the womb in which human beings are prepared until they can enter into the God of eternity. The God of history is the God of scriptures and religions. The God of history, absolutized, demands the submission of will and intellect, demands loyalty, becomes God of Judgement , punishment and reward, creates collective consciousness and divides humanity. The God of eternity is the God of freedom, unity and peace. He does not demand the submission of the will and intellect but gives freedom to the human being. He is not the God of words but the God of silence. There are no two Gods but two aspects of the same God. One is the preparation and the other is the destiny.

When religions absolutize the God of history and deny the God of eternity then they become an obstacle for the evolution of human consciousness. They contribute towards divisions and violence in the world.

Atheism is a rebellion against the God of history, the God of religions, the God of divisions and violence in the world. Atheism manifests the deep longing of the human heart to come out of the womb of the God of history and enter into the God of eternity. Atheism manifests the birth pangs of a baby that is going to be born. (Of course there is also forms of atheism that reduces human beings into material beings and promotes materialism and consumerism and sexual liberalism) Atheism is like the John the Baptist who moves into the barrenness of the desert to prepare for the coming of the God of eternity. In this sense atheism is freeing the human mind of the God of history and of religions and makes the human mind a virgin mind so that it gives birth from above, the God of eternity, Christ. This birth happens when human consciousness leaves the God of history and enters into the God of eternity. For Christians this is the second coming of Christ. This is the beginning of the New Age or New Covenant in which God reveals the truth written in the heart of human beings. In this sense atheism is furthering the plan of God by preparing the human consciousness to give birth to the God of eternity, the God of freedom, the God of unity and the God of peace and the God of love. It seems to me that the days of radical spiritual awakening are not very far.  Mysterious are the ways of God. Can religions listen to the voice of God that comes from atheism? Can religions listen to the cries of the children in their wombs to be born into the God of freedom? Then they should joyfully open their wombs and facilitate this birthing process and cooperate with the plan of God. They should be willing to become mothers and not to remain as pregnant women perpetually. It seems to me that today the call of God to religions is coming from the deepest longing of the human heart manifested in the serious atheism. A religion that has the fullness of truth prepares its children in the God of history and gives birth to them into the God of eternity. If all religions do that then atheism is not needed and religions contribute for unity and peace in the world.

 

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