Assurance for the modern age
Part 2: What foundation is there, then, for atheists in our secular society?
My deep concern is for secular minded people who, in their self-confident atheism, have gladly, sometimes triumphantly, abandoned faith in God. They have a certain sort of assurance, in that they are absolutely convinced that they are right in their thinking, but they patently lack the assurance that I am blessed with. This emptiness reveals itself in multiple ways in modern society. Therefore, I wish to investigate how people in a secular age may discover a fulfilling, robust, supportive inner life. Is this possible in an entirely secular way? What would that look like, and how would it compare to and improve on the current negative effects of secular ideology? Then, if we can find such a positive ideology, how does it compare with the religious and spiritual worldview that I have? Will they be sufficiently similar that we might conclude that one is as good as the other? Would such a secular ideology be so close to the religious one that it would be wise to recommend that modern secular people simply take the final step and move over to embrace the assurance that is found in God?
What we’re talking about is the human condition – those essential, inescapable, core experiences that are at the heart of being human. What does life look like from an entirely secular point of view?
We must begin with the Big Bang and evolution, which, after a very long period of time, have resulted in us living our lives today. Richard Dawkins has written very eloquently and inspiringly on this theme, so it is perfectly possible to produce an exceptionally positive life view from the simple facts of our existence. Many people do not do so, of course, so we must consider how best to attain such a positive view. In many ways, it is very straightforward, and the story we would tell ourselves would be something like what follows.
How fortunate we are to be alive in the 21st century, with the immense benefits that modern life gives us for prosperity and the advantages of technology. How fortunate we are to live in the UK, a society which is prosperous, peaceful, governed by law, democratic, with strong respect for individual rights. Of course, there are many blows that may befall us – we may have a severe disability, be born into a dysfunctional family, live in poverty, develop severe mental health problems, be the victim of other people’s cruelty and greed. The list of pitfalls is long, and we must return to think how a worldview could be created that would benefit these people too. However, for now, let’s consider the situation of – hopefully – the large majority of people who – while facing many a challenge, for almost no-one escapes challenges – have what I think is a typical life ahead of them. What does the human condition look like for them?
Spiritual Devotion 