- Feb 5, 2002
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I read this rather interesting article on religion in the university, but was mostly struck by the comments, which were overwhelmingly hostile to religious belief. I know that the New Atheism is quite the publishing phenomenon these days, and that lots of people who think theyre smart also think that orthodox (and even unorthodox) believers are quite dense. Whats more, theyre clearly not afraid to say so.
This raises a couple of practical questions that they ought to consider.
First, if religion is as powerfully influential as they think, how is it that they can get away with saying such mean things about it? How did we come to live in a regime where its possible to speak freely about allegedly reigning orthodoxies? Did religious authorities voluntarily loosen their grip, or were they misled by smart atheists? (John Locke, for example, was a thinker who was quite possibly an atheistI realize there is much scholarly dispute about thiswho availed himself of religious arguments to argue for toleration, albeit not for atheists.)
Continued- http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2011/03/25/not-smart-enough/
This raises a couple of practical questions that they ought to consider.
First, if religion is as powerfully influential as they think, how is it that they can get away with saying such mean things about it? How did we come to live in a regime where its possible to speak freely about allegedly reigning orthodoxies? Did religious authorities voluntarily loosen their grip, or were they misled by smart atheists? (John Locke, for example, was a thinker who was quite possibly an atheistI realize there is much scholarly dispute about thiswho availed himself of religious arguments to argue for toleration, albeit not for atheists.)
Second, if we believers are as dumb as the New Atheists think we are, then how on earth are we going to govern ourselves? If were too stupid to live by the light of mere reason, then (to borrow a phrase) what is to be done with us? Are we to be disenfranchised and governed by a rational elite? Thomas Hobbes said something quite apposite here: [T]here are very few so foolish that had not rather govern themselves than be governed by others: nor when the wise, in their own conceit, contend by force with them who distrust their own wisdom, do they always, or often, or almost at any time, get the victory.
Continued- http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2011/03/25/not-smart-enough/