Anyone who, like myself, does not buy the assertion that the universe must have a creator has probably faced this argument at some point. It goes something like this: Religious people do wars and terrorism, but so do atheists! Stalin and Mao were atheists! They killed more people than Hitler!
Yes, we are all forced to say. However, is that why Stalin and Mao killed so many people? There is a big difference between anti-clericalism for political and ideological dominance over a population, and the ideals of atheism or humanism. Show me a violent mob wielding copies of Richard Dawkins The God Delusion or Christopher Hitchens God is not Great, and Ill go to church this Sunday.
However, on Feb. 12, my views on this matter changed drastically.
While I had been of the belief that nobody would or could kill another person in the name of atheism, the news brought me to bear a sad truth. Three young, bright, innocent Muslim students in North Carolina were inexplicably murdered by a man named Craig Steven Hicks, who does in fact call himself an atheist.
Hicks Facebook page shows a quote from Richard Dawkins, specifically referencing how Dawkins lost all sympathy for the Islamic faith on 9/11. While Hicks shared the quote back in 2012, it would be silly to assume the work of Dawkins and others did not contribute to a festering hatred for Muslims, one which ended in tragedy last week.
My first reaction to this news was the exact same reaction of religious people whenever their texts are used to justify violence or hatred. X has nothing to do with Y. This is a misunderstanding. Nothing in this book justifies the horrific actions Hicks took.
These statements are all true. My initial reaction, like that of everyone else, was that this persons religious beliefs had nothing to do with the fact that this cruel action was taken. It has more to do with personal issues, feelings of isolation or oppression, mental instability, etc.
Again, all this is true. However, let us not fall into the same trap as religion does in the wake of every tragedy. Let us not deny any involvement or try to absolve ourselves of any culpability. Let us own up to the fact that Hicks atheism was one of many factors that contributed to his deep-seated hatred, just like religious terrorists. Let us not deny Hicks was an atheist, despite the fact he calls himself one. Most importantly, let us apologize.
To my Muslim friends, and to everyone: I am sorry for Craig Steven Hicks.
I am sorry he perverted atheism into violent hatred. I do not stand for what he did, and atheism does not explain what he did. There is nothing in this world that explains or justifies hatred or violence. At this point, we can safely say that terrorists come in all shapes, sizes, races, religions and ideologies, including atheism. Let us not condemn all Christians for the actions of Anders Breivik; let us not condemn all Buddhists for militants in Myanmar; let us not condemn all Muslims for the Charlie Hebdo attack.
See the article here:
North Carolina shootings do not represent Atheism
- Chapel Hill police: Parking dispute may have led to triple shooting - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Chapel Hill killings shine light on particular tensions between Islam and atheism - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism and obesity - Main Page - Conservapedia - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Demographics of atheism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism - Main Page - Conservapedia - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- science against atheism - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Conversations Regarding Atheism & Theism - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- My Journey to Atheism - Part 5: Faith in God as an Adult - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Russell Brand Rips Stephen Fry's Atheism - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Book about Jaclyn Glenn @jaclynglenn #freespeech #atheism #freethought - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Response to Atheism Episode 6 - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheist Analysis S04 E07: Interview With Peter Boghossian/ Street Epistemology /Atheism Evangelism - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism Unleashed Presents.. 5 Stupid Questions... - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Follow-up to "Defining Atheism" - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism Implodes Hard - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- God, Science & the Big Questions: Leading Christian Thinkers Respond to the New Atheism - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Does Atheism Lead To A Bad Society? - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism vs India Revisited 9 - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Robert Richert 'Communicating Atheism' - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- John Lennox exposes Peter Atkins and the truth of his Atheism - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- My Testimony - from Atheism to Biblical Christian - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- How to Convert a Theist to Atheism - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Materialism begets atheism removing inherent spiritualistic realization *Nouman Ali Khan* - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Creation,Evolution, Christianity and Atheism - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism, World Religions 1 - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- How I Got Saved From Evolution/Atheism To Christ - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism - Why Atheists Are Atheists - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism Not Belief - War on Easter - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- A Christian defines Atheism - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheist Dan Barker proves Atheism is madness - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- St. Athanasius & Why Atheism in on the Rise - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- LIVE Multi-Topic Hangout. Atheism, Christianity, My Personal Life With Sarah - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- The Deceit Of Atheism - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism-is-Unstoppable-2: What a moronic video! - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Cool People in Heaven Song #freespeech #atheism - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism-is-Unstoppable-2 is a douche. - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism - Man's Biggest Delusion - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism Unleashed Presents.. The Animated Atheist. - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Atheism is Irrational - Crazy Atheists Compilation - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Response to Atheism Episode 5 - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Neil deGrasse Tyson Talk Science Religion Morality and atheism. - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Is Atheism of the Devil? - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Is Atheism a "Man Thing"? - The Stats (+ muslims) - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Fr. Barron on Atheism and Philosophy - Video - February 12th, 2015 [February 12th, 2015]
- Part 1 Election: Jacob and Esau; Atheism & Agnosticism Debunked - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- A Short Talk About Christianity VS Atheism - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- The Rules Of Atheism - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- A few current events relevant to atheism - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Finish Drive Into City Of Lancaster, PA 2/11/15, Atheism Is An Ideology - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- 'The Atheist Experience' Responds To Me - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Atheist Psychologist Admits Atheism is Unscientific - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Understanding Atheism | Session 1 | Asadullah Ali - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Atheism: No Good, No Evil, No Hope | Big Objections | Andrew Wilson - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Atheism vs India Revisited 9a - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Atheism is... - Video - February 14th, 2015 [February 14th, 2015]
- Hamza Tzortzis vs Lawrence Krauss - Islam or Atheism which one makes more sense? The Big Debate - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Stupid Anti-Vaxxers - Eric Hovid on How Atheism Causes Suicide - Stupid Ads - DPP #83 - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Theism vs Atheism with Christjahn Beck - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Session 1|| Understanding Atheism|| Asadullah Ali - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- New Atheism and a Meaningless Universe | William Lane Craig, PhD - Video - February 15th, 2015 [February 15th, 2015]
- Richard Dawkins slams video that claims to 'destroy atheism' - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Atheism - New World Encyclopedia - Info:Main Page - New ... - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Does Atheism Exist? - Video - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Understanding Atheism | Session 5 | Asadullah Ali - Video - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Understanding Atheism | Session 3 | Asadullah Ali - Video - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Meeting of the Minds: Eve Reele - Moderate vs. Extreme Atheism 2/3/15 - Video - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Understanding Atheism | Session 2 | Asadullah Ali - Video - February 16th, 2015 [February 16th, 2015]
- Don't blame Atheism. - Video - February 17th, 2015 [February 17th, 2015]
- Bibles atheism moms why me? - Video - February 17th, 2015 [February 17th, 2015]
- A C Grayling - Atheism, Theism and Proof - Video - February 17th, 2015 [February 17th, 2015]
- 2 reasons why it's a bad week to be an atheist - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Godless Voices Podcast 2/10/2015: Atheism is a Suicide Risk - Video - February 18th, 2015 [February 18th, 2015]
- Religious Atheism - Video - February 19th, 2015 [February 19th, 2015]
- Session 3|| Understanding Atheism|| Asadullah Ali - Video - February 19th, 2015 [February 19th, 2015]
- Muslims targeted in the US - February 20th, 2015 [February 20th, 2015]
- Atheism can't CAUSE anything - Video - February 20th, 2015 [February 20th, 2015]
- Atheism is a Terrible Motivator - Video - February 20th, 2015 [February 20th, 2015]
- Oh No Is Atheism Destroyed - Video - February 21st, 2015 [February 21st, 2015]
- Schools are teaching our children atheism - February 22nd, 2015 [February 22nd, 2015]