An atheism which glorifies God

"There are atheisms that exist for the glory of God", asserted Fr. Albert Chapelle, a Jesuit, in a remarkable course on theodicy he gave at the Institut d’Etudes Théologiques (IET) of Brussels. What he meant by this is that the rejection of God is often the result of an image of Him given by those who claim to follow and serve Him, which is nothing more than a caricature.

What Fr. Chapelle claimed appears to be finding a new illustration in the Muslim world. Many observers are detecting a profound movement of rejection of religion in the Arab world. Such is the case especially among the younger generations behind the uprisings of the "Arab spring", so quickly seized upon by Islamists.

The savage atrocities perpetrated by the Islamic State and its Caliph have the power of simply disgusting those who, even if raised in an environment of Muslim devotion, discover the grinning face of the god whom these monsters believe they are serving.

A recent article published on the Free Arab website provides an interesting analysis of the phenomenon. Another interesting article, in French, is published in a Lebanese newspaper and summarized by the Courrier International.

From my point of view, that of a Christian, atheism is obviously not the ultimate answer, but if it means to be a step in getting rid of brutish pseudo-religious idols, it is welcome.

Fiodor