Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Atheist Evangelism

According to Ekklesia (see http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/7809 ) the UK’s first ever atheist advertising campaign launches today, with official support from Professor Richard Dawkins, best-selling author of 'The God Delusion'. The campaign will feature adverts across London’s bendy buses.
The slogan on the buses will read: “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”

In reality, this should be thought of as an 'agnostic' advertising campaign - as the word 'probably' is somewhat less certain than most atheists would like (I suspect!).

I'm most interested in the way that the slogan seems to assume that people of faith 'worry' about whether or not God exists, and that such worry is spoiling their lives. That may be true, for some - but not for me. I don't 'worry' about whether God exists or not...I simply try to live my life as if he does. I find that an immensely satisfying way of life.

I might be wrong. God might not exist. I might be the victim of a huge and elaborate scam that I've allowed myself to be consummed by. So what? If I die and come face to face with Love Incarnate...I'll be the happiest man alive (so to speak!). If I die and nothing happens...if I just wink out of existence...then I won't know anything about it, will I? In the meantime, however, I will have lived a life that is rooted in the idea of Love...having felt loved, and having given Love. I can't think of a better musical score for life. Can you?

As for the idea that believing in God somehow spoils my life...stuff and nonesense. In my job (as a Vicar) I find time and time again that the happiest people - deep down, where it really matters - are those who know that they are loved, and called to love. To watch someone die, as I have done, confident that they have lived their lives under God's protection (and having real hope about where they are going) is a real privilege. I hope that when my time comes, I too will have that kind of hope, that kind of peace.

Somehow, believing (and it is only a belief) that I am a random act of nature, with no purpose other than that which I fashion for myself, just doesn't sound as appealing.

To the writers of the advertisement I say, "I enjoy my life, thanks. It's wonderfully fulfilled, driven (mainly!) by love, in touch with the Divine, and full of hope for the future. How's yours?"