Philosopher
and author Alain de Botton wants to bring religion to atheists, but don’t let
that confuse you--this is not the same thing as bringing atheists to religion.
In
his 2012 book Religion for Atheists, de
Botton suggests that people should not abandon the entire institution of
religion just because they happen to not believe in any of it. He thinks
atheists can still benefit from the particular worldviews and communal bonds
associated with religion. Now he is trying to convert that hypothesis into a
reality, although his methods are turning out to be quite controversial.
De
Botton has plans to build a “temple for atheists” in London, and he’s calling
for similar buildings to be constructed throughout Britain. The 46-meter-tall
black tower will be dedicated to the idea of perspective rather than to any
specific god or gods.It will function as the atheist version of a church or cathedral, de Botton said.
“Why should religious people have the most beautiful buildings in the land?” he
said.
Some say that atheists could only benefit from the charitable community that religion can create. Still, not everyone thinks the temple is a good idea.
Prominent
atheist Richard Dawkins criticized the construction plan, saying that the money
required to build the temple could be much better spent.
“If you are going to
spend money on atheism you could improve secular education and build
non-religious schools which teach rational, skeptical critical thinking,” Dawkins
said in an interview with The Christian Post.
Dawkins
has a point, but beyond simply stating that “atheists don’t need temples,” he
has not addressed de Botton’s underlying concerns. Whether or not the temple
would be a literally tremendous waste of money, it might be worthwhile to
consider what de Botton is trying to do.
De
Botton has said, “Religion puts you with people who have nothing in common except
that you’re human.”
It unites disparate individuals with communal bonds through
a shared belief or ideal. Religion is also known for promoting service and outreach. Religious groups often send members of their community out into the world to bring aid to those in need, fostering a sense of greater social unity in the world as a whole.
If
the money that was to be put towards the temple was used to fund regular
atheist “mission work” of this nature, de Botton’s detractors would be
hard pressed to find fault with it. This would provide the atheists involved
with the kind of religious experience de Botton advocates, and it would put the
money to good use in the world. These two results aren’t completely distinct
either.
The
community resulting from religious experience can be a powerfully positive
force in the world long after a funded service trip has finished. Religion, as an
institution that fosters communal unity, can be used as a powerful tool for
collective action.
It's debatable whether or not atheists need or desire this quasi-religious community, but de Botton at least believes such a need exists. At its core however, this controversy is a simple disagreement about what religion does and what people need on a basic level.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/86093312/Spring-Online-Issue-1
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