Rick Warren advises that you not vote for an atheist for President, from this article:
An atheist says, ‘I don’t need God,’” Warren said. “They’re saying, ‘I’m totally self-sufficient in myself,’ and nobody’s self-sufficient enough to be president — it’s too big a job.
Once again someone is maligning atheists in public for 1) no good reason and 2) in a way that completely misrepresents what atheists are really like in their daily lives.
I know of no one who believes that they are “totally self-sufficient.” I buy my food at a store. The process that got that food into my hands involved more people (most of whom I will never meet) than I can count, from farmers to grocery store clerks and everyone in-between. Every day I depend upon running water and electricity that come from very complex mechanical systems which are run and maintained by more people than I will ever know - again, most of whom I will never meet.
Not to mention friends, family, therapists, co-workers, whatever personal support system we set up for ourselves and rely upon.
In fact, praying about electricity will not make my TV work, and praying about food will not feed me. And the President, in fact, does not rely upon prayer to a deity, but rather facts and opinions given to him by his advisors, friends and family, to make decisions. It is this earthly collaboration that gets stuff done. It is the civil efforts of diplomats and others that avert wars. It is conversation in human language that enables people to talk to each other and help each other, not mental conversation with a god in the sky.
I spend almost every day of my life speaking to religious people. Has Rick Warren ever even met an atheist, sat down and talked to one, or worked on a common goal of some kind with one? What gives him the arrogance to believe that he can make such a broad, sweeping, inaccurate and excluding remark about an entire group of people, probably many of whom help to bring food to his table, or make sure electricity flows to his house, or help to put gas in his tank? In fact, he is relying upon many atheists like this every single day, and I hope that none of them ever decides to proverbially (or otherwise) spit in his food for it.
This is yet one more reason why the candidates for President should not have to pass the Rick Warren test, or any religious test for public office, and it’s also one more reason why people should stop thinking of Rick Warren as the ‘good’ Evangelical Christian.
2 Comments
Well, I don’t think anyone really believes that any given candidate has to pass the Warren test.
And surely you believe that while you may disagree with his thoughts and his presentation of those thoughts, he should be free to express them, Yes?
And if I may be so bold as to speak on behalf of Mr. Warren, I’m sure that he meant atheists seem to believe that they don’t need a power greater than themselves or than that of humanity. And yet, to what will you look to for help if not to that which is stronger than yourself? I know, I know, you don’t believe there is any greater power, but again, aren’t both you and Mr. Warren free to believe what you want and as is evidenced by this post to disparage the other’s thoughts?
As an atheist, I do not for a second assume that I am “self-efficient”. I feel that my own sense of personal responsibility has actually grown over the years. I have become increasingly concerned about the world and how own actions affect it. This state of mind would not be possible, if I woke up every day assuming that “God’s will” would guide my path during the day and whatever happens would be “God’s doing”. How’s that for a cop out? haha
makarios:
Often “non-believers” are much more open-minded and accepting of others, because they themselves do not identify with an organized religious group. Their opinion is largely uninfluenced.
As for Warren, he is obviously free to express his thoughts because we are hearing them. Free speech is absolutely necessary and welcomed by those who do not fear the truth. Warren’s comment was undoubtedly silly and ill-informed. He wasn’t saying anything of value. His statement made a disparaging comment about atheists. If an atheist had made a similar comment about religion, would you be there to protest their right to say it?
Next time you hear a negative statement about an atheist; replace the world “atheist” with “Jew” or “female” or “homosexual”. Does the statement still seem fair?