Quasi-Religion Creeps into Atheism by Stealth

God is pictured as a kindly old bearded gentleman all in white, seated on a throne surrounded by light and who lives upon high.

(Picture from http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimshannon/3823248802/)

This is a curious post by PZ Myers. The post tells us about fellow atheist Alain de Botton who suggests atheists build “temples for atheists”. PZ Myers, need I say, is none too pleased; it’s sailing far too close to the winds of religion for PZ to feel comfortable! PZ links to this web page, where we can read:

De Botton's most recent book, Religion for Atheists, calls for unbelievers to copy the major religions and build grand architectural masterpieces to inspire a sense of perspective in people. He argues that a temple doesn't need to be dedicated to a religion: "You can build a temple to anything that's positive and good. That could mean: a temple to love, friendship, calm or perspective".

He added: "Why should religious people have the most beautiful buildings in the land? It's time atheists had their own versions of the great churches and cathedrals. A beautiful building is an indispensable part of getting your message across. Books alone won't do it."

As I have remarked before, when atheists want to introduce a blend of communal celebration and mysticism into their beliefs they have little choice but to raid religion for ideas*. Trouble is, in my experience atheist mysticism and crowd celebration always comes over as affected and intensely embarrassing; what is to be the focus of atheism’s mysticism and celebration? Humanity? Science? Our ontological context that makes science effective? But the self, the known and the insentient make poor objects of worship. Authentic worship and celebration thirsts for the transcendent

Whether one regards religion’s objects as real or not, it seems that humanity has an innate appetite for the transcendent and the mystical and only religion has the wherewithal to satiate this appetite. No surprise then that something resembling religion worms its way back into atheism at the first opportunity. That’s going to make a zealous atheist like PZ Myers very unhappy indeed: He may sense that conceding the existence of an appetite for religion, even amongst atheists, especially among atheists, might register as evidence relevant to the question of God's existence. If Myers' aim is to suppress religion I think he has got his work cut out!

Footnote:
* My previous quotation re this subject:  "when organised atheism in the form of communism has attempted to provide a public rationale for celebration it has created cult figures, demigods and a quasi-religious sense of mystical collective destiny."