Why Sam Harris is Wrong…. On Atheism

Theism on the other hand, as the good old Oxford dictionary teaches us, pertains to the “Belief in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe” (2). Couple of things to consider here. Theism, whilst partly affirmative of the deistic position: that of an all powerful God created the universe (3). Differs with respect to the role that God (or the divine Being in question) plays. For theism, unlike deism, adopts the view of God, as one who intervenes in the Created Order. In other words, theists believe in (or in the existence of) a God who cares! 

Returning to the subject of “all of us” being atheists of some stripe or the other. Such a view results from the mistaken conception of what atheism is supposed to mean. The view that God created the universe and all that is in it, is a fundamental affirmation about the nature of reality. It is a position that stands independently of any religious conviction about the nature, character, origins and function of God or gods. So the fact that Christians don’t believe in Zeus, and the fact that we share with atheists, the common disbelief in the existence of unicorns (a favoured new atheist trope), bears no effect on the question of our view of God’s existence. 

The ancient Greeks sophisticated as they were (for their time), had developed a certain conception of God. Which in its religious character manifested itself in the polytheistic framework, encompassing the Olympian pantheon: the various gods and goddesses, that were ascribed with various functions, roles and powers. The discrepancies between the polytheist and monotheistic versions of religion considered, nonetheless these do not undermine the fundamental unity that ‘believers’ (Olympian or Christian) share, via our espousal of a common belief in a higher power. 

The Hellenistic religious framework, is one that as a Christian, I would hold, was at best, incomplete. But not necessarily false. In the sense that, they too, however inadequately, affirmed belief in a higher power. Whether that ‘god’, or whatever the name or title that they chose to attribute to the higher power in question, happened to be Zeus, Athena or Poseidon. What matters he is the affirmation that there is a higher power. As opposed to none. 

Further, considering the indisputable contributions made by the Greeks to Western civilization, notably the rich philosophical heritage that was bequeathed to the early Church (speaking of Christianity), is one that has only worked to enrich the development of the Faith as a whole. Notably the intellectual basis that underlies the Christian religion. Namely theology: The science of God, which, at one level, (since the subject area is so vast) seeks to understand who God is, how He operates, His plan for the world, history etc. St. Thomas Acquinas’ Summa Theologiae, one of the foundational works of Western theology (and philosophy), was heavily influenced by Greek thought (4). Particularly Aristotelian metaphysics. Hence Christianity’s Greek heritage, spiritual and intellectual, is undeniable. For the Greek religions, shaded and non-systematic as they were, did carry nougats of truth about God in them. 

So the question of the existence of God or gods, comes down to one’s affirmation of the nature of reality: Does God (or gods- the difference doesn’t really matter at this point), exist, or does He not? With respect to the charge of atheism amongst the modern day faithful-Christians, Muslims, Jews-as it pertains to the other religion’s understanding of God. This is not a question of which God (or version of God) is real, or how He chooses to operate in the world. The question comes down to: Do we, or do we not believe in a higher power. Yes or no?

A question which takes us away from the subject of religion, to the study of the nature of reality. For the dividing line when it comes to the atheism vs theism debate, is ontological. Rather than an epistemological one: that which pertains to knowledge and the nature of human understanding. To affirm belief in God is to hold to the view that the universe does not operate purely according to the dictates of matter, energy and chance (i.e. reductively mechanistic). To believe that God exists, and that he Created the universe (that which is made of matter, energy or “stuff”), is to affirm that the universe at some point, came into being via the act of a Being that transcends the material world. 

Hence the theistic position at the most fundamental level (akin to the deistic one) begins with the affirmation that something (i.e. a great power) exists beyond the confines of the material world. Apart from the observable space-time reality that we inhabit. Further, when it comes to theism, the notable dissimilarity is that this Being or higher power (who we call God) has the capacity, and importantly the willingness to intervene in the working of the Created world. 

A complaint that Harris raises at an earlier point in his piece, is worth mentioning at this point. Where he demands how the believer comes to affirm “the claim that God is both omniscient and omnipotent?”. A good question. I honestly don’t have an answer. As a Christian, whilst I believe that God is all powerful and all knowing. I for one, cannot say how His power operates (omnipotently or otherwise), and what He chooses to do with His omniscience. Frankly speaking, I’m not even sure, if we time-bound creatures (humans) are even able to fully understand what it actually means to be ‘all powerful’ and ‘all knowing’. 

Returning to the question of the Christians being “atheistic” with respect to other religions. In an interview with Bill Maher (the popular American comedian and outspoken atheist), Mr. Harris rehashes the argument that “every Christian is an atheist [this time] with respect to Islam”. And  follows it up with, “they are not convinced by the claim that the Quran is the perfect word of the Creator of the universe” (5). If the reader has been following my line of argumentation, you can identify the fallacy of this point. Mr. Harris is confusing an ontological question, that which pertains to the existence of God: an omnipotent, omniscient Being, that transcends space and time, and His relationship to reality, with the argument about the validity of specific claims about God (e.g. is the Christian or the Islamic conception of God). A matter which falls under the heading of the epistemology of religion.