a defence of absurdism
TRANSCRIPT
FREE-THINKING
PremiseExistentialism is a Life-Affirming Ideology:
The case for atheism (non-belief)
A Defence of Absurdism:
Before we begin…
Camus and The AbsurdThe absurd is the state of being in the absence of religious faithAbsurdism is interested in morality, justice and the revolt against the irrationalAs Jean-Paul Sartre stated, “Existentialism is a Humanism.”
Ideas from Camus’ essay The Myth of
SisyphusPlease click the image to download the key quotes
Theist = Creator intervenesAbsolutist
Deist = Creator does not intervene
Agnostic = believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God
RationalistMaterialistRelativist
“EXCEPTIONAL CLAIMS DEMAND EXCEPTIONAL
EVIDENCE.”
46 m tall structure resembles time since the big bang
1 mm would resemble the timeHomo sapiens have existed
Let’s go back to the Bronze Age. . .
Who am I?Where did I come from?
Why am I here?What is good and bad?
ScienceGeology
AstronomyBiology
ChemistryPhysics
HistoryMathematicsPhilosophy
EthicsLiterature
Politics
We’re working on it!
Why do some people believe in a
supernatural power?
1. Fear
Of death Of loneliness Of meaninglessness Of being an outsider in a religious culture/
community Of earthly or eternal punishment
To terrify children with the image of hell... to consider women an inferior creation. Is that good for the world?
So we are designed to fail?
Solution is a mysterious, invisible product that can only be achieved through loyalty and pure faith
2. Power
Submission to a ‘higher power’ The laws, morals, ethics, commandments of
‘God’ always serve an institution Church = State (Government)Hierarchy designed to oppress weak masses and keep them ignorant Marx: Religion is the opium of the people
3. The Unknown
The ‘unanswerable questions’ about the human condition, consciousness, the natural world, the cosmos
Mystery – Is ‘God works in mysterious ways,’ a satisfactory response?
Grace Service
What is the alternative?
Human decency is not derived from religion. It precedes it.
God did not create Man; Man created God. Therefore, in a secular age such as ours, God
is Dead and we have killed himRenaissanceHumanism
1500 AD
Existential Humanism
A Moral Compass – the problem of evil
If God is all-knowing, all-seeing and all-powerful, how do we explain evil?
Human beings create a system of morality based on what is best for the individual, others and the world
Existentialism is a humanism
Existentialism is terribly misunderstood.
It is… Life-affirming – it actually attempts to deal with the anxiety,
dread and fear that is natural in life. The world is wonderful, but complex
Authentic – accepts reality for what it is. Freeing one from the shackles of religion and other meaningless ideologies
Based on reason, rationalism and a struggle for justice. This starts with self-awareness and the freedom to make choices. Values are never fixed, we must construct the best ones we can! We are what we do.
It is a liberating ideology that recognises the beauty, wonder, flaws and limitations of Humankind. With the inevitable anguish that life offers comes rich understanding and awareness.
How is this at all depressing?
There is an interesting correlation between highly religious populations and poorly educated
populations. It would be incorrect to state that all religious people are uneducated, however, those who do not have any other educational views presented too them (other than religious ideology) are denied
the opportunity to think freely.
FREE-THINKINGWhatever your personal search for meaning is, ensure that it is one that employs critical
thinking, research and deep reflection.
There is not only one way to think, so enjoy the challenge!