The atheist, too, has a god, and it is himself.
The idolater at least understands there is something greater than him, something beyond the grasp of his physical senses, some external forces to which he is subject.
But for the atheist, all the universe is defined by his own understanding, all ethics are subject to his approval, and even he himself is an artifact of his own mind.
He is a self-made man, for he creates his own universe. But he has neither windows nor light.
i am an atheist. yet judgeing myself objectivly i must state that the above is true. we atheist, are a god unto ourselfs. we are selfish, egotistical, and self centered. at the same time, we may just be right ;) Reply
Four Infallible Proofs of G-d:
1. Creation
2. Life
3. Death
4. Israel, and only with the Jew does mankind think to prove otherwise.
Reply
How about freewill? I know not all people believe in freewill, but I certainly do to an extent. In fact, I would say that because of my use of freewill, He feeds me Torah and I'm fed indeed. Reply
How does Jewish Law teach us about Hashem?
Does G-d really leave room for an atheist? And why?
Is the following related to the idea about how Hashem might communicate this idea to us.? what idea? the idea atheism? And I may not have the idea right. But if a man is found guilty by a jury of peers unanimously, then the man or woman will go free.
Is there something in the law stating that we will have to tolerate a guilty person? or if we all think that someone is wrong then humans are fallible so the guilty party goes free without punishment?
My point of comparison is taking a statute from Hashem about the human jury system. Hashem dictates if all jurors are saying guilty then looking at this from the perspective what is Hashem communicating to us? He is saying an atheist is like a guilty person who humans all know is guilty and therefore he goes free to Him.
What does Hashem expect from us who have faith with the atheist?
Reply
Re: Anonymous, jonesburg, KY Would you call pain an emotion? For example, if I were operating a steam roller and you were lying down in front of it, at the point where the steam roller began crushing your bones, would you define that as an emotion? And, based upon this opinion, please describe how happiness in not an emotion in the same way that pain is. Please, what is your opinion as to whether or not being run over by a steam roller is valid as to one's ethical response caused by this pain? Reply
Atheist
The universe is not defined by my understanding.
I'm not in the business of defining the universe. The men who wrote the torah apparently are. The people who let the torah define the universe are choosing to believe in propositions for reasons that are not scientific and more emotional.
Atheists are not given to accepting propositions of history and metaphysics within an emotional context.
Reply
I don't hate religion and I don't hate people because of their religion.
I appreciate the vastness of the universe and recognize it and defer to it, in a sense. But I don't worship it. I don't worship anything.
Reply
Thoughts
I'm an atheist and I must admit this did not exactly reflect my views. By definition atheists do not believe in gods, therefore they cannot worship any. This includes any "gods of self." Only LaVeyan Satanists can truly be said to worship themselves.
I never noticed I was an atheist when I realized that to appreciate the vastness and beauty of the universe, one must have humility and realize that his limited life and perceptions are nothing compared to an eternal universe.
Reply
For anonymous in Camarillo
Nice to see I've got someone thinking.
If I would believe that angels have some power over me, autonomously from their Creator, yes, I would then be a polytheist.
If I believed in nothing else but a purpose of being that supersedes my own immediate gratification, I would then be a monotheist.
Reply
Re: Tvzi There was a mistake made on my part. I now believe that there is a power beyond what is, a Cosmic Organizer outside of creation. Reply
Atheist and worshiping nothingness The Atheist takes the role of many and then hides this and says "I take the role of none-I am only being myself" The Atheist loves no religious group because religon scares him and miracles are a bore to him so a person like me should shut up and keep it shut. Especially, a person like me who loves putting efforts into G-D-I'm a threat to any atheist. And even though I know quite a few I keep going anyway-They are surprizing because they keep it going too-in quite an effortless way-While we bow our heads in prayers they swing their arms up to worship what seems to be their arms in the air! Reply
I hope you are having a good Shabbos,-
Rabbi Freeman:
A quote from one of the founders of The United States Of America.
Though you reside in Canada, Rabbi, this quote is appropriate here.
It goes like this:
"Infidelity (to G-d) is not in not believing in Him. It's in professing to believe in Him when you don't."
This also means believing in Him, no matter how sincerely, but attributing things to Him that are false.
If you even so much as believe things about G-d that are false, no matter how sincerely, eventually you are going to act falsely in accord with that.
How much better then is it to not profess HIs name at all, expects perhaps very selectively, if at all.
So who was this 'founder'? He also went on to write: "I believe in one G-d and one G-d only"; and-"The Jews say J---- C----- is not the messiah (Moshiach), and
I believe them."
His name was Thomas, and, contrary to what some claimed about him, he was not an atheist.
Some rabbis found him to be a 'paine' though.
Sorry!
Reply
Concepts
If belief in something larger than yourself automatically translates to g-d then yes, I would say many "atheists" are "believers" to an extent.
Most people ARE atheists. There is a large list of gods that most people do not believe in: Zeus, Ganesha, Allah, the list goes on and on. These are the anthropomorphised versions of many ideas and concepts. One can believe there is an energy that is present in all things, which by default, means belief in things much bigger than ourselves. To believe in a consciousness making decisions is another story.
I love concepts in many religions but choose not to subscribe to one in particular, though Buddhism and Judaism speak to me more than anything else due to the universal knowledge. For me personally, I benefit very much from Buddhist meditation which compliments other concepts in science and Judaism nicely. Rabbi is correct in saying that it is the clergy that is frustrating but for me its also the baggage that comes with the concept of g-d.
Reply
"Believing atheists" is not an oxymoron. Author is
The word "atheist" means a person who does not believe in God. Period. It does not necessarily mean a person who believes in no other things that are greater than he is.
A person can believe any other thing greater than he is, as long as that thing, whatever it is, is not God, and still be an atheist.
Saying that only God can be greater than a man, and yet calling oneself a Rabbi is an oxymoron, because it denies the parts of the Torah that speak of angels and other supernal beings (elohim, plural, not singular, in the Hebrew) that are greater than man, but are not God. To say everything greater than oneself is a God is to say all these things are Gods, a pagan belief, and an oxymoron in any monotheistic religion.
Calling oneself an atheist and believing in a thing greater than oneself is no oxymoron, if that thing is not God.
For example, believing the dictionary is greater than the man Rabbi Freeman, but also believing the dictionary is not God, is no oxymoron.
Reply
Believing atheists
A few readers made comments about atheists who believe in something greater than themselves. The oxymoron of their words seems to evade them.
The question is: How many genuine atheists are there really? Simply because someone calls himself an atheist means nothing. Perhaps all he means is to express his disdain for clergy of the church and dictated belief systems.
Reply
I am an atheist and there are many things bigger than myself that are in no way spiritual. For example, the natural enviroment around us.
It is the human duty to preserve it, if only for the sake of humankind. If humankind were to continue along its current path of industrialization and the maintenance of our modern world that disregards nature as a necessity to human life, humanity will die.
Also Rabbi, Question: What is the definition of something greater than an individual?
Reply
There are no atheists in the grave. For if there were, surely one could have come back by now to tell us so. Scripture acknowledges the atheist in one way, twice. It plainly acknowledges that the ‘fool’ thinks in his heart there is no G-d. And if he remains in that state when he goes to the grave? Too late. Unfortunately, the world is full of fools, and I was one for a minute in my life. Reply
The Atheist It's hard to believe that one is an atheist even in their dreams and subconscious mind. Actually it is impossible...as staunch as ones convictions are, deep, deep within there must be an open door to G-d. Reply
You put it so succinctly. You wrapped it all up so well and so quickly. We all have to be careful to put G-d in the center of our universe, as much as possible and as often as possible. It's so easy to fall into the physicality of the world, and then we are a shtickel like atheists, G-d forbid. G-d is the only reason why everything happens. We have to think "G-d" and thank G-d, all during our day, whenever possible. It's the only way to stay connected. Thank you for your article. It helps me keep connected to G-d. Reply
Awe To make an assumption that atheists do not believe in anything bigger than themselves is not fair. An atheist can believe in many things bigger than himself and his/her spirituality can consist of the awe of staring at the universe through a microscope. We're not 100% sure how the universe got here but saying evolution is invalid because it does not explain the beginning is akin to saying an umbrella does not work because it does not predict the path of hurricanes. An atheist searches for answers backed by evidence, to make us sound as arrogant as to say we create our own universes simply is not the case. It still surprises me that people easily accept a PERFECT g-d coming from nothing, but refuse to accept fallible man as coming from nothing. I enjoy Gutman Lock's interpretation of light. Science seems perfectly compatible with Torah so in this perspective, atheists could actually believe in a form of g-d. Reply
You do realize there are plenty of jews who believe in Evolution right? Reply
The Atheist
Today it is difficult to question the Singularity, that defining event in the history of the universe that was the Creation. From that act, time and our universe began. That sublime force that effected the Beginning is the Theist's G-d. It is unquestionable.
It is much easier to question religion which is man's interpretation of that event. But so many religions from recorded history and with such diverse viewpoints and interpretations leaves one question whether they are all equally true or all equally false.
Reply
the atheist claims that he does not believe in god, if only someone would explain to him the truth about god his misguided belief could be corrected.
god is one, everything, all of existence. a human thought exists and therefore is godly. a human thought is godly thought.
all of what we accept as being godly comes too us through a human mind. if the atheist believes in his thoughts then he is believing in god. this needs to be explained to him. like one of the sons on passover.
Reply
From Faith perspective
One may claim to be an atheist but if he treats his fellow man well G-D loves him and the righteous prosper. If we all treated each other well, couldn't we all be atheists? Where would that leave Hashem?
A man who does not treat his fellow man well creates problems for people. The need to cry for help to G-d..
G-d wants us to know Him and to treat each other well. But if we could just be good to each other and get along then would we forget Him?
G-d has His angels, plants, animals but we are here to verbally acknowledge Him in all his creation. Since we are in His image, maybe we could have gotten away with worshipping each other selfless to selfless.
Is G-d teaching us not to be jealous of each other or worry about heaven.? For us to get used to the fact that He is invisible, but do not forget Him.
He commands us to worship Him with our free will even if we can not see Him face to face.
What does the blindman see? Does the blindman know invisible exists? He will see.
Reply
Both the idolater and the atheist is, as is everyone, guided along the path he has been put on by the One Self. We all have been born into a developing narrative, or rather, a concept. These concepts are based on a narrative we each were born into, a story going back in history, a religious story, a cultural story, a family narrative which forks out into a personal narrative of “me” and “us”. We identify with our stories, and interact that way. In the end we realize that we should not identify with the body.
We are always imagining we in our bodies are in control. But we should rather be living Pure Consciousness: the True Self. That is the Oneness of G-d.