A Note for Passing Atheists

Last updated on: June 2, 2015 at 6:00 am by willduquette

A Note for Passing Atheists 2015-05-31T18:14:55-05:00 willduquette

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Trying to be like this guy.

I’ve recently been getting more attention from atheist commenters, due largely to my posts about what religion is good for and my interview with Leah Libresco about her new book, Arriving at Amen. Most of these visitors have been reasonably polite, contrary to the usual stereotype (sorry, guys, but comment boxes seem to bring out the worst in people, and it always applies to people on both sides), and I’ve been having enjoyable conversations with 3vil5triker and Ragarth.

And then once in a while I get a post that is rude, juvenile, mean-spirited, dismissive, and attributes to me or to other commenters a caricature of Christian belief that reflects a lack of understanding about what the Church actually teaches. I usually ignore these, as there’s no point in conversing with people who only want to throw brickbats. It’s like wrestling with a pig: you get all muddy, and the pig enjoys it.

But for the benefit of anyone who actually wants to have a conversation, I’d like to explain what this blog is about, and how I approach conversation with non-Catholics.

First, I’m primarily writing to other Catholics, and assuming a certain shared ground of discussion.
I take Church teaching as authoritative. I try to understand it, and I try to write about it clearly so others can understand it. I believe it makes rational sense; and the Church in no way asks me to check my mind at the door.
I’m not writing to win arguments, and I do not view commenters as my opponents. Rather, I’m writing to explain what I believe, and when appropriate to indicate why I think it reasonable.
Famously, there’s no proposition so ludicrous that some philosopher hasn’t declared it to be true. Even when we are reasoning at our best, we are likely to have missed something; and there’s usually a strong element of choice in what we believe. It’s unlikely that I’m going to argue cogently enough to override your previous intellectual commitments.
Although I believe that the Catholic faith is rational and true, my faith isn’t based on trust in my own intellect but on trust in Jesus Christ. My acceptance of Church teaching is based on this trust in Jesus Christ.
Although you may have some notion of what Christians believe, my experience is that it’s an incomplete notion at best; and given the plenitude of Christian denominations it might have little bearing on what Catholics actually believe. I’ll try not to make assumptions about what you believe, if you’ll try not to make assumptions about what I believe.
And by “what Catholics actually believe,” I mean, “what the Catholic Church teaches.” What the Church teaches is written down; it isn’t simply a matter of one Catholic’s opinion, or the impression that you might have gotten from a media report of an off-the-cuff remark made by a bishop somewhere.
I don’t mean to imply that I understand everything the Church teaches. I’m still learning, and I expect to continue to do so for the rest of my life.
You’re not going to convert me to atheism.
It is not my goal to convert you. Mind you, I’d be ecstatic if you came to the Catholic faith through reading my blog. But I’m not a salesman, and I’m not here to do a sales pitch. I’m here to talk about the Catholic faith. And in your case, to clear up any misunderstandings you might have.

I cannot argue in such a way as to compel you to accept the truth of the Catholic faith. I can at least try to help you to see clearly what it is you’re rejecting. You’ve got objections? We can talk about them. You’ve been mistreated by Christians? Alas, we’re sinners. We do that all to often. I’ll try not to.

You wanna talk? We’ll talk. You wanna be nasty? Really, why bother?

Admin

Deep Thoughts from the Doghouse

Previous Post

June 1, 2015

Divine Intelligence: What's That?

Next Post

June 2, 2015 Admin: Missing Blog Comments

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Admin App o' the Morning Ask the Dogmat Believing Thomas Bits of Fiction Blasts from the Past Bootstrapping the Interior Life Catholic Mom Christian Living Deep Thoughts from the Doghouse Dominicana Evangelii Gaudium Interviews It Was A Dark and Stormy Night Links to This and That Lumen Fidei Meme Watch On Writing Operation Gratitude Pedant Errant Photography Quill Random Barkings S'Mary's World Shakers of Salt Software Development The Dog Whistler The Dogmat Sez Third Orders Thomas Aquinas Uncategorized Vikings at Dinos Woof Guide to Cinema Woof Guide to History Woof Guide to Literature Woof Guide to Obscure Catholic Music Woof Guide to Philosophy Woof Guide to Popular Music Woof Guide to Technology Woof Guide to Theology Words I Wish I'd Written Works For Me

Select a Month September 2016 August 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: The Sermon on the Mount includes the Lord's Prayer.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE