A friend sent me a book review from the Wall Street Journal the other day. It was for a new book by Alain de Botton with the jaw breaking title, Religion for Atheists: A Non-Believer’s Guide to the Uses of Religion. Botton’s argument is that atheists should consider appropriating religious trappings, like prayer, music, and ritual, which are “beautiful, touching and … wise” to embellish atheism which, for want of the mystical is drab and colorless. (“The Once-Born and the Twice-Born,” by Gertrude Himmelfarb, Wall Street Journal, 9/29/12, pg. C5)
Frankly, I fail to understand this passion by New Atheists to draw closer in form and appearance to the religion they deny. Why does refusing to believe in God require its own teleology? I hear no voices being raised for prayer, music and ritual on behalf of anti-unicornists, anti-jabberwockysts or anti-gargoyleists.
We have so many problems in this world to which brilliant minds might attend, peace being among them. Let these brilliant minds speak to those.
(Coutesy of magickalgraphics.com)
