What is the source of that liberty, equality and fraternity that are now the guiding principles of the West, if not the modern world?
Historians note the anomaly that these principles originated and developed only in Western civilization. In this sense, they are not universal. Of late, however, these principles are being exported to the rest of the world. One may say they are Western in origin but universal in their application.
But where do the principles come from? With the death of Heidegger and Sartre, Jurgen Habermas is now regarded as perhaps our leading living philosopher. Habermas is also an atheist. Yet when Habermas found out that the European Union in its charter gave full acknowledgement to ancient Greece and Rome, but none to Christianity, he erupted in learned outrage.
Habermas's argument is that it is philosophically illiterate to locate the roots of the West in Athens but not in Jerusalem. In fact, Habermas argues that Jerusalem--by which he means Judaism and Christianity--is far more responsible than Athens for the modern principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. In "A Time of Transition," Habermas writes:
For the normative self-understanding of modernity, Christianity has functioned as more than just a precursor or catalyst. Universalistic egalitarianism, from which sprang the ideals of freedom and a collective life in solidarity, the autonomous conduct of life and emancipation, the individual morality of conscience, human rights and democracy, is the direct legacy of the Judaic ethic of justice and the Christian ethic of love.
Habermas's point is that there is too much arrogance in contemporary atheism. Even the atheist is standing on mountain erected by Christianity. How ungrateful it is to scorn the mountain that is still holding you up! How ridiculous the posture of the man who cannot acknowledge the very foundation that sustains him from below!
This is what Christians mean when they say that America is a Christian society. This is not a call for theocracy or "rule of the priests" but rather a call for a public acknowledgement of the historic role of Christianity in shaping our institutions, our values and our culture. The opinions of several leading Supreme Court justices on church-and-state issues would benefit greatly from a slight familiarity with the history that Habermas is talking about.
Habermas's argument would have struck a chord with the greatest atheist of modern times, the philosopher Nietzsche. Nietzsche argued that if you want to get rid of the Christian God, at least have the honesty and the guts to repudiate the Christian ideals of human dignity, human equality and human liberty.
Yet our village atheists want to have it both ways. They want to reject God but preserve at least certain core aspects of the Christian legacy. Nietzsche would have had nothing but scorn for these little men of unbelief, Lilliputians hurling their tiny javelins at the Christian God while they continue to live off His inheritance.
Reader Comments ( Page 6 of 29)
76. Can we also put a moratorium on calling people who criticize Israel's national policies "anti-semitic"? I know it hasn't happened yet, but it usually does, so please?
Ryan Anderson at 4:42PM on Aug 7th 2008
77. TJ says, "And Education: more = less religion, less = more. (My observation only)"
Absolutely! If people were being taught the sciences they'd question anyone who said that earthquakes were God's wrath and such. If people were being taught about the Earth as opposed to God's plan or Allah's plan for the Earth they might question and questioning 'the mysterious plan' is a 'nono'.
not-pboyfloyd at 4:53PM on Aug 7th 2008
78. I'm agnostic, but clearly it's fair and necessary to acknowledge the Judeo-Christian contribution to Western Civilization, as well as our Greco-Roman heritage; Europe is increasingly secular but should recognize the importance of it's Christian heritage, faults and all.
roger at 4:54PM on Aug 7th 2008
79. oneblood says, " I think you have to make an exception to the rules of nature in order to come to 'live and let live.'"
Ah, but we are supposed to be exceptional now, aren't we? We made up gods and everything!
Perhaps you imagine that without GOD we'd all start rolling around in our own shit like pigs?
I'm not saying that some of you wouldn't enjoy doing that, just that it wouldn't be necessary.
not-pboyfloyd at 5:04PM on Aug 7th 2008
80. "Doesn't Richard Dawkins do this very thing? Doesn't he vehemently deny the "positive influence" of Christianity on the West? Your statement, therefore, implies that Dawkins is not a serious intellectual or scholar, a conclusion with which I agree." - Troy
So true. After reading the "The God Delusion," It became clear to me that his knowledge of Amercian History wouldn't even pass for a survey course at a community college. He's a good writer, I'll give him that, but his scant knowledge of history and theology disqualify him from the discussion. He should stick to biology alone or do some serious intellectual digging with regards to the humanities and social sciences.
Publius at 5:30PM on Aug 7th 2008
81. 42. That's Ted Haggard, tmo. I often drive by the church he built.
damn it! your right WTF was I thinking.
So how do you like my old home town?
tmo at 5:46PM on Aug 7th 2008
82. Israel is a democracy, not a theocracy. It has a formal state religion but that religion has no political power beyond influencing constituencies.
And Jane, I've met more than a few Israli who were perfectly happy not only with a palistinian child's death, but wanted to bulldoze 'the Arab filth' clear out of their borders. Israel is in a difficult position, partly by it's actions, partly by the actions of its neighbors.
Ironically, you can find israeli muslims (and israeli christians). Have to wonder how that works at the family reunion.
Somber at 6:01PM on Aug 7th 2008
83.
Publius, if I read your argument properly shouldn't DoubleD stick to English and not muddle in any of the sciences or religion?
I also recently read 'The God Delusion' and am glad Dawkins wrote it.
JefFlyingV at 6:10PM on Aug 7th 2008
84. So how do you like my old home town?
tmo at 5:46PM on Aug 7th 2008
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Been here 33 years. Like it fine.
naturalpuppy at 6:56PM on Aug 7th 2008
85. I need to get a copy of 'The God Delusion'... I browsed through a copy on the bookshelf but didn't have time to read very much.
GearHedEd at 6:55PM on Aug 7th 2008
86. Should have said "Been here 35 years." I have lived in this house 33 years.
naturalpuppy at 7:00PM on Aug 7th 2008
87.
Ed it is a worthwhile read, most libraries have it. I will read DoubleDs book, but I refuse to pay for the privelege.
JefFlyingV at 7:00PM on Aug 7th 2008
88. Probably Jef... unless he does his research as Publius suggests...
Shannie at 7:09PM on Aug 7th 2008
89. I suppose the European Union should recognize their Muslim heritage also. After all, a large part of Europe was ruled by Islam for many centuries. The last Muslam ruler didn't get booted out of middle Europe until the seventeenth century.
naturalpuppy at 7:11PM on Aug 7th 2008
90. This latest blog is almost purely fiction, but it does serve to warn us how most Christian apologists revise history and how their followers suck it all up.
The Constitution of the U.S., including the first ten amendments, owes its secular nature to the largely atheist European Enlightenment, not at all to Christian influence.
naturalpuppy at 7:22PM on Aug 7th 2008