Atheism is on the rise and has been for quite some time. In fact, social science as a modern field agrees. Originating with the concept of rationalization (posited originally by Max Weber) as a description of society shifting from an enchanted or spirited world into a systemized, calculated, reasoned one, modern society is marked by the rise of the urban center. City life marked by masses in dense populations and increasing rapidity of social change.
While traditional Christians and many other religious forms view this as a terrible thing, many are grateful, knowing that society will be a far more well-reasoned place when mythology no longer trumps science, nor obscures it. Systems will be more fair and egalitarian. Equal rights advocates abhor “the patriarchy” which is rooted in the Christian church — historical societies that have given rise to western civilization were male-dominated, racist, tyrannical, unfair to women in opportunity and recognition, and these ideologies are still evident present day systems. This is the narrative, at least, and the sociological validity of it (i.e. is this true from an objective standpoint) is impossible to overcome because its rooted in unmeasurable phenomenological ideas. One thing nobody seems to realize is that when their social conceptions are “tested”, they are influencing their subject and can never get “truth” or confirmation of their guess-work about an “other.” Where have we seen irrational beliefs take the place of “universal truth” before?
Heretical priest from Ireland Andrew Furlong states is his book of his experience being outcasted from the priesthood that “theology is rationale wrestling with mystery.” In other words, theology is the deified explanation of things that are part physical reality, part universal truth under science, and part metaphysics as understood subjectively. Utilizing the term “god” is inherently rhetorical, illogical and non-logical. There is not “pure reason” at play where theology is concerned.
This is why all deification of anything seems non-sensical to any educated person. It is also likely one of the reasons where secularity necessarily inserts itself into the organization of modern society. People want a better worldly life, that is the focus of the majority, particularly of those representing urbanized America. Materiality matters from multiple standpoints. It is not some decadent enthusiasm, but rather a relationship to the physical world that makes pragmatic sense and assists in producing a society with living conditions that make people content. Irrationality through theology is an unacceptable hindrance to this. Jesus doesn’t cook people’s food or build manufacturing plants…people do it, with labor, planning, and communication.
Christianity is considered one of the worst religions according to many Americans involved in western universities. The obscurity, vagueness, rhetoric, dogma, and propaganda of theology is only one of them. Reasons are varied, but seemingly endless. Typical criticisms include the religious wars that have been fought. People see the inhumanity of senseless death and killing of others, particularly in the name of god. It is absurd, stupid, immoral, and unreasonable.
Also, governments have historically been very oppressive to people and commonly used god as a way to justify it. This coincides with the use of god as a means to brainwash or indoctrinate people into a belief system which is nothing more than a tool by which to effectuate their being “dumbed down” or “compliant” with whatever the agenda of the leadership may be. We know this to be a quite ancient thing which happened with the pharaohs in Egypt, and is quite similar to the indoctrination of nazi’s by hitler. Same book, different cover. Many people consider the catholic church to be the same thing, a mega cult which systematically brainwashes people to keep their earthly empire alive. It is an attack on individual freedom and autonomy.
The rhetorical nature of theology is one of the churches biggest assets. Never saying anything concrete is how they keep the masses following. Christianity across the united states is largely based on a sense of tribalism, particularly in less educated, less affluent rural America. Tribalism itself is not so good from the perspective of people bonding over a shared sense of something irrational or illogical, and thereafter excluding others which is often a naturally flowing occurrence. A good question could be whether Christian “faith” is somehow different in some more righteous way?
To even examine such a thing, we can start by wondering if, to explore this question, we can be true to both real science, objectively, and theological doctrine. From a sociological perspective, the self / other dichotomy is an inherent dynamic in need of understanding to produce “social facts”—statements about social life that are objectively true for that society at that time.
When we compare the concepts of self and God, we can understand the nature of people quite well. It is my theological / biblical doctrinal understanding that God is an objective being, meaning external to the individual. It is commonly understood and accepted by persons within the Christian world that God gives humans free will and autonomy, which makes the conclusion that self and deity are distinct and separate. This is why humans are said to be “in a relationship with” God. In a way, can we not make the conclusion, then, that God is objectivity?
God is not only objectivity, but objectivity is a key component about who and what God is. Thus, sociology as a “science” that is validated only by its “objectivity” is a human-made means to attempt to understand God…by aiming to understanding society, they must be “objective” which a totally impossible thing in true reality, just as “understanding God” in entirety is impossible for mortal humans.
Knowing that self and God are distinct, let us use ethnographc research to understand more. In my personal experience with self-professed christians, they often use god as a way to excuse their selfishness. One of the most detrimental to my personal life is when, as an aspiring pro tennis player, a hired coach instructed me in a way that made me a lesser player, and when I ended up losing matches and performing poorly, told me that I wasn’t good enough and “God has another plan for me.” The truth in my personal understanding of humanity and reality is that the coach was responsible, failed, and then placed the blame on the athlete/student/protege. Additionally, the person charged more money than any other coach I’d ever had (~10 others).
How can we know that this person was wrong in that my ability as a player was not really actually poor? Well, after this, I went on to train with a new coach and obtained quite respectable results. But this is by no means the only absurd thing that people do in the name of God. Needing help, how often have people been told “you need Jesus” which does absolutely nothing to provide the actual, tangible help in this world that people need. By doing this, people essentially say that they don’t want to help, can’t help, don’t care, or whatever…which basically means “get lost.” The number of stupid and absurd things I’ve heard people who are self-professed Christians do is endless. It is almost like their “faith” is a way of them taking logic and reason and throwing them in the toilet like feces. While this drives me absolutely nuts because I still am forced to share a world with these people, I wonder if sharing a world with their intellectual superiors will be better….
Which leads to the final points about the human condition as inherently flawed. Human beings can never fully understand one another, and the nature of our individual bodily existence means that we will naturally “bombard” each others lives, both materially and spiritually. For example, legal contracts are made and broken all the time and the law can only do the best it can to keep these agreements fair or provide restitution. Time passes and conditions change and things just never work out exactly as intended. The world and society is totally broken.
Sociology as a universal science has created a massive mutual understanding of modern society as increasingly individualized, however. The rise of the institution and the individual as the supreme relationship of modernity is wildly different from traditional communal societies of pre-industrialization. Though modern secular society is rife with people who consider this better, including intellectuals who think it is nearing utopia, one wonders if this is true. They appear to promote egalitarianism, ending racial constructs and gender disparities, and therefore engage in promoting multicultural diversity and restructuring economics and even promoting diverse behaviors that are derived from the idea of a self-derived life. Is this not ultimately the promotion of a world ruled by “self.” Naturally, a “diverse” society can become so diverse that there is division…so do these people know the inevitable result of their aims? Is it even possible where shared resources and at least some minimal level of social cohesion is required to keep institutions functioning?
Gospel preacher John Macarthur describes the people of earth as having ultimately one of two religions. These are either faith in Christ, or any other human made religion or practice of worship. We know that secularization of society is more rational and therefore more accepted by many people who are responsible for the carrying out of managing and implementing these institutions (complex governments that manage hundreds of millions of peoples lives, agriculture systems, education systems and higher level research institutions, engineering infrastructure, and last but certainly not least, financial systems that are now officially global). Whether the institutions themselves could function independent of the will of the people who keep them functioning is obvious…no. If people lose faith or belief in their duties or role, the institutions they work in will inevitably fall. So what can we gain from this knowledge?
Wouldn’t it be nice if people were better to each other and just admitted that they were depraved egoists on their own personal quest through the universe? I kinda think this would lead to a level of humility and self-sacrifice that would lead us to behaving in ways less likely to offend others and more open to forgiving when those things do happen. Many people acknowledge “sin” but then they go on to literally excuse themselves for harming others or living very selfishly. We are all selfish, and the degree may or may not matter to God, assuming God will in fact judge us for our actions. Acknowledgement of humanity’s sinful nature is a key part of Christianity. In fact, is the most important part.
It has been said of most modern social movements, human’s ways of being, that they “do not understand depravity, and that is where all understanding of the doctrine of Grace has to start.” Grace is a fundamental component of “true Christianity” whereby the real, true God gives to us mortal humans without any regards for anything we do, but the acknowledgement of our helplessness and our own depravity. This is called “divine accomplishment” which means essentially that God saved us, we cannot save ourselves.
“The idea that humans are deaf, blind, helpless, hopeless, eternal losers, is something people don’t want to acknowledge.” However, this is the foundation of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ which professes the grace of God in all things, in and all and above all, including human accomplishment. Human’s never want to see themselves as sinful in their goodness or practices…aspects of building civilization, of self-desired and self-defined life courses and accomplishments. This is why true Christianity is attacked, the most attacked doctrine of all by modern standards. Christ is not popular, and even less so in reality than in name.
My personal faith is misunderstood by fellow christians, and I often suffer exclusion at the hands of their delusion. Christ knew Peter would turn and doubt him, but the suffering of which is more than a mortal human can bear. Presently, the world is comforted by many forms of security—family, friends, financial, food, mental stimulation from hobbies, careers, etc. Giving up these comforts is something nobody wants to do, but these things are all temporal. Often it would be nice to know God’s will for humankind, or my self. I have no understanding of either of these. I do know that the foundations that keep the current billions of people alive and afloat across this earth and in serious existential danger, but that I can do nothing to change, slow, stop it. I can’t even opt to let it happen and enjoy my life. I know to seek peace in God alone, but I can’t, I am flawed and depraved like everyone else. Realizing this is a great first step to becoming a true christian. It is the only first step, realizing God is graceful to all that come to him and knowing that the sacrifice of the only individual fleshly God to exist is what puts me in the only relationship that matters is the most worthy thing one can do and all can do it. We are otherwise unwilling and unable to come to God.
It should be clear that I don’t do it out of knowledge or wisdom from human standpoint, which this article should prove…it should prove and be apparent both that I possess, as a human, ability to reason, use logic, and that I can differentiate between the practical world, reality, and deification. As much as I would love to see Christians more educated and well-rounded, because I speculate that it would be easier to maintain happy, healthy, progressive relationships with them, I am equally bothered by the academic/intellectual side of humanity that appears to presume reason and science, technology, etc. as the only means of human progress.
Every form of human progress is great as long as it is known to be “sub-” to human ontological progress. The latter is something I believe is the heart of the gospel, human depravity and God’s grace. There is no reason this should be some absurd mythology that lacks reason and intellect before becoming a conclusion. It certainly wasn’t in my case. Through broad understanding of worldly things, science, progress, government, law, the body, sport, earth and globalization, environmental destruction, the realization of the fact of our existence as being faith-based. While the people of the world place their faith in their own desires and musings, I am more convinced that that faith needs to be found in the proper doctrine. That is, true Christianity and faith in the sole Lord Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. It should also be noted that I am not dumb enough to know that human sin is all around, and that God will punish those who continue to sin in Jesus name. Abusing God’s grace as a license to sin is worse than those who have never heard the gospel at all. Jude 1-4.