The importance of believing in God. Part 3

The importance of believing in God

Part 3: Dawkins’ vision is a popped balloon

We may feel that “the Dawkins’ approach” wins out on the issue of not being troubled by the, “But is it true?” question. IF religious people are right in believing in God, then I think it’s clear that their approach is better than the secular one because – while the secular view might match, or at least give equivalents of – the religious view in relation to this physical life on earth, clearly the religious view adds the extra dimension of life after death. If God is real, then I think that he is also adding a dimension to this life, though secularists might think that they would be completely happy with their approach. But, clearly, a real God does add extras to what a secular person can experience. Nevertheless, the secular security that they know they are speaking verifiable truth is a big plus for them – simply because, even if faith claims are true, they cannot be verified. However, as I have written elsewhere, there is a way to understand God as the verifiable experience of transcendent truth and love, and to understand faith as the importance of believing in belief, and this approach might overcome these challenges.

However, the religious view clearly wins for those whom life deals a very poor hand indeed. If – in Dawkins’ image of briefly entering the light to stage your grand performance – your life ends in child mortality, or is casually or cruelly taken away by those in power, or if your life is endured in poverty, powerlessness and humiliation, then the Dawkins vision is a hollow, gaudy façade created by prosperous, liberal Western society, which, in reality, is a cruel mockery of countless millions of peoples’ lives. Yes, we can rise up in righteous anger and use this grotesque injustice to empower us to strive for justice and a life worth living for all. But we will not reach everyone in time – and many not at all. In comparison, the comfort of God’s love is real comfort, and the hope of heaven a real assurance of relief into a realm of all things being well. Yes, you can complain, “Why doesn’t God’s love put this right now?” but religious believers have answered this sort of question pretty well as they grapple with the agonising problem of evil and suffering. Rather than complain about God, we need to point the finger at ourselves, and in the secular vision there is no-one but ourselves to come to our aid – and this can hardly fill us with confidence, given the immense suffering in the world.

Some might want to use this point to claim that this shows that religion is just for sad losers – those who can’t manage on their own two feet have to call out to God to save them. But, in the secular view, given what we know about the immense power of systems of wealth and authority, it is grossly unfair to disparage the “losers”, nor to praise ourselves for being “so clever as to end up on the top of the pile”. Dawkins’ wonderful spotlight reveals a world with limited resources, and, while there is enough for all to enjoy life, that requires wisdom and generosity, which is something our species is often lacking.

Which brings us to a particular weakness of the secular view: while someone might choose to adopt an altruistic, compassionate and joyful attitude to this wonderful opportunity that life has given us, we are under no compunction to do so. If someone finds that lucky chance has, indeed, born them on top of the pile, and they decide to grab every good experience for themselves while they have the chance – and pull the ladder up behind them to prevent others joining in their bonanza – does anyone else have grounds to criticise them? They are just making use of the opportunities that life has given them – before life takes that opportunity away. Moreover, given the secular framework of understanding, although it’s not impossible, it takes a superhuman effort to respond positively to disappointment, tragedy and injustice. Given what we know about human nature, bitterness, hatred and rage are the more likely outcomes – and entirely justifiable, if you have had your one, brief chance of existence blighted by the selfishness of others.