I have to disagree with the previous comment. David Bazan is not claiming that God cannot be a reality for him, he is saying God is not presently a reality for him. The main theme here is that Bazan sees no evidence. It's not that God does not or cannot exist, but rather that all the claims made about God (specifically about the Christian God and the Bible) are not reflected in the reality around him. This is why he is most comfortable with the term agnostic though he is back and forth when it comes to atheism. How can one bear witness to something one has not ever seen?
As the New Atheism movement declares itself triumphant in the war against religion, I find David much more admirable and more intellectually honest. He cannot believe the Biblical narrative because it is too hard to "make the pieces fit" --- and even more to the point I think he believes they do not fit. To Bazan, the whole puzzle seems irrelevant because the God seems absent from the world. I happen to disagree (though I still have my own huge questions about the whole thing). I find the New Atheist perspective appalling because it is fraught with intellectual arrogance (which to me is an oxymoron).
The New Atheist movement is not arrogant at all. Quite the opposite. After all, what's more arrogant than claiming to know the entire purpose of the universe and the intentions of its creator? The New Atheists never make truth claims like the religious do, and firmly root every statement in naturalistic materialism/empiricism. You just don't agree with them so you call them arrogant.
The New Atheist movement is not arrogant at all. Quite the opposite. After all, what's more arrogant than claiming to know the entire purpose of the universe and the intentions of its creator? The New Atheists never make truth claims like the religious do, and firmly root every statement in naturalistic materialism/empiricism. You just don't agree with them so you call them arrogant.
Anyway, this is one of my favorite songs from the album. The "gap" between his faith and reality has torn his beliefs apart, and he's sick of living a lie. But what I love most about...
Anyway, this is one of my favorite songs from the album. The "gap" between his faith and reality has torn his beliefs apart, and he's sick of living a lie. But what I love most about this track is how positive it ends up being. With the line "let go of what you know and honor what exists" he seems to provide a light at the end of the tunnel, showing how morally and ethically fulfilling non-belief can be.
"The New Atheists never make truth claims like the religious do"
"The New Atheists never make truth claims like the religious do"
With all do respect, atheists claim that they have the truth and the truth is that there is no god, which is a truth claim about how the universe works, it is no different than claiming that I have the truth and the truth is God.
With all do respect, atheists claim that they have the truth and the truth is that there is no god, which is a truth claim about how the universe works, it is no different than claiming that I have the truth and the truth is God.
Crock ! A believe in no God is no different than a belief in God. Not one of us can either prove or disprove God. That's why it's called faith. You either believe or you don't. And I have met just ONE Atheist (other than I) in my lifetime who was not an arrogant prick, and I was an Atheist for over 20 years.
Crock ! A believe in no God is no different than a belief in God. Not one of us can either prove or disprove God. That's why it's called faith. You either believe or you don't. And I have met just ONE Atheist (other than I) in my lifetime who was not an arrogant prick, and I was an Atheist for over 20 years.
I have to disagree with the previous comment. David Bazan is not claiming that God cannot be a reality for him, he is saying God is not presently a reality for him. The main theme here is that Bazan sees no evidence. It's not that God does not or cannot exist, but rather that all the claims made about God (specifically about the Christian God and the Bible) are not reflected in the reality around him. This is why he is most comfortable with the term agnostic though he is back and forth when it comes to atheism. How can one bear witness to something one has not ever seen?
As the New Atheism movement declares itself triumphant in the war against religion, I find David much more admirable and more intellectually honest. He cannot believe the Biblical narrative because it is too hard to "make the pieces fit" --- and even more to the point I think he believes they do not fit. To Bazan, the whole puzzle seems irrelevant because the God seems absent from the world. I happen to disagree (though I still have my own huge questions about the whole thing). I find the New Atheist perspective appalling because it is fraught with intellectual arrogance (which to me is an oxymoron).
The New Atheist movement is not arrogant at all. Quite the opposite. After all, what's more arrogant than claiming to know the entire purpose of the universe and the intentions of its creator? The New Atheists never make truth claims like the religious do, and firmly root every statement in naturalistic materialism/empiricism. You just don't agree with them so you call them arrogant.
The New Atheist movement is not arrogant at all. Quite the opposite. After all, what's more arrogant than claiming to know the entire purpose of the universe and the intentions of its creator? The New Atheists never make truth claims like the religious do, and firmly root every statement in naturalistic materialism/empiricism. You just don't agree with them so you call them arrogant.
Anyway, this is one of my favorite songs from the album. The "gap" between his faith and reality has torn his beliefs apart, and he's sick of living a lie. But what I love most about...
Anyway, this is one of my favorite songs from the album. The "gap" between his faith and reality has torn his beliefs apart, and he's sick of living a lie. But what I love most about this track is how positive it ends up being. With the line "let go of what you know and honor what exists" he seems to provide a light at the end of the tunnel, showing how morally and ethically fulfilling non-belief can be.
"The New Atheists never make truth claims like the religious do"
"The New Atheists never make truth claims like the religious do"
With all do respect, atheists claim that they have the truth and the truth is that there is no god, which is a truth claim about how the universe works, it is no different than claiming that I have the truth and the truth is God.
With all do respect, atheists claim that they have the truth and the truth is that there is no god, which is a truth claim about how the universe works, it is no different than claiming that I have the truth and the truth is God.
p.s. im dumb...I meant due respect...haha
p.s. im dumb...I meant due respect...haha
Crock ! A believe in no God is no different than a belief in God. Not one of us can either prove or disprove God. That's why it's called faith. You either believe or you don't. And I have met just ONE Atheist (other than I) in my lifetime who was not an arrogant prick, and I was an Atheist for over 20 years.
Crock ! A believe in no God is no different than a belief in God. Not one of us can either prove or disprove God. That's why it's called faith. You either believe or you don't. And I have met just ONE Atheist (other than I) in my lifetime who was not an arrogant prick, and I was an Atheist for over 20 years.