atheism

In June 20th’s cover story by Joe Klein Time magazine wrote about the healing effects of volunteer work performed by soldiers suffering PTSD. Towards the end of the lengthy article under the section titled After the Tornado the third paragraph starts with:

But there was an occupying army of relief workers, led by local first responders, exhausted but still humping it a week after the storm, church groups from all over the country — funny how you don’t see organized groups of secular humanists giving out hot meals — and there in the middle of it all, with a purposeful military swagger, were the volunteers from Team Rubicon.

Yes, it is true you did not see this atheist in Oklahoma but, you also didn’t see my I’m-so-devout-I-leave-religious-shit-all-over-the-house wife, or any of my coworkers, I also recall seeing all my neighbors in the weeks following the tornado. What you also would fail to see, as would Joe Klein, is my check for 500.00 to help-out in anyway possible. The reason you would not see this aid is because it was delivered through the religious organization Samaritan’s Purse. This organization is a North Carolina based organization that has an impressive infrastructure to handle these situations.

It shouldn’t be a surprise to Joe Klein that you wouldn’t see an organized group of atheists. Where would they meet? What would they talk about? What would the reaction be if there were people walking around wearing “I’m an Atheist” t-shirts?

I guess I shouldn’t take Time too seriously though – no one else does. See:

Original Time article: http://nation.time.com/2013/06/20/can-service-save-us/#ixzz2X6wz1j00

Time Cover Story Wrongly Attacks Atheists for Not Helping Out Victims of Oklahoma Tornadoes (patheos.com)
Time Cover Story Wrongly Attacks Atheists for Not Helping Out Victims of Oklahoma Tornadoes (richarddawkins.net)
Time Magazine uses Oklahoma tragedy to take deceptive potshot against “secular humanists” (boingboing.net)

On Wednesday the pope during a homily preached something that many christians probably feel is some sort of blasphemy: be kind to atheists and you will meet them in heaven! Whoa!

The part that brings this message home is pope Francis’ recounting a story about a conversation between a priest and himself (I think). The transcript has quotes within quotes indicating this is a conversation but, I think it is just a device to convey his message. One part in bold on on the Vatican Radio’s website is:

“The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all! And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.”

Text from page of the Vatican Radio website

It is nice as an atheist to hear a christian talking like a christian and embracing all people of all faiths and non-faiths. So often, you hear condemnation and threats toward atheist views. Of course, pro-christian organizations are already claiming the pope was misinterpreted. One example is Jimmy Akin from the National Catholic Register. His central point seems to be the meaning of “there” as in when pope Francis stated “‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.”

Mr. Akin’s argument is that without the word-for-word transcript of the pope’s sermon we cannot be sure “there” was meant as “heaven.” To which I say bullshit. The pope is not speaking in code to legion of christian spies. He is talking in simple language for common people – he wants the people to understand him. It seems Akin (and his ilk) doesn’t like the idea that atheists may end-up in heaven and no matter of hatred toward them will prevent it.