EMAIL THIS PAGE
PRINT
RSS
|
If you thought youth camp was only for Christians (or at least religious groups), then you need to check out this short video. I've always wondered what the next generation of atheists will be like. It seems that almost every popular atheist today had some bad experience in a religious home or church. They grew up in a primarily "Christian" nation and have revolted against it. Both Hitchens and Dawkins, for example, begin their recent books retelling their personal stories to this extent. But what will the next generation of atheists, who go to camps such as this, be like? And more importantly, will your students be prepared to engage them thoughtfully?
|
Comments
In my experience, second and third generation atheists tend to possess a healthy distance from the specter of religion. They don't so much fight religion as ignore it. It's the generation that still tastes evangelical Christianity that often reacts with the greater disgust. See for example this week's insights from Francis Schaeffer's son:
http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/religiousright/1717/far-right_...
For your future campus evangelists this news will be both good and bad. On the one hand, atheists unaffected by religion have less vitriol towards it. They will also tend to have fewer arguments against theism, since people generally don't keep up to date with the arguments required defeat long discarded theories, such as geocentric cosmologies. On the other hand, the sheer irrelevance of theism will make it an even harder sale. These atheists will be surrounded by examples of people living fine lives without God, without the hope of eternal life, or and without a theistic foundation for morality. The need for Jesus will be as difficult to comprehend as the need for all the gods of Greek mythology.
Great insight! Thanks for taking the time to share. What you said makes a lot of sense. Either way we look at it, there will be challenges (and opportunities) regardless of how they develop. While the New Atheists have certainly generated some criticism, there's something to be said for how they have helped revitalize the question of God's existence. Sometimes apathy is the hardest barrier to overcome.
I bet this would be a good seminar. I want to join this. I hope also for the success of this activity. - Dr Marla Ahlgrimm