by Mopes

Created on: January 28, 2009

The feud between catholicism and atheism has escalated greatly over recent years. Much of the reason for this is the sudden popularity of the internet. By being able to openly and anonymously discuss their religious beliefs, members of both factions have openly declared why the other is wrong.

For much of recorded history, organized religion has simply been a requirement for the average person. It was nearly impossible for a person to declare their disbelief in a "supreme deity." In history as recent as a few hundred years, you could actually be killed for simply doubting the existence of God.

But this began to change in the 17th century when the infamous (and anonymous) Clandestine Manuscripts were published. These were anonymous texts that were spread around through much of Europe stating a disbelief in a supreme deity; stating that God did not, and could not exist. It wasn't until nearly 100 years later when Paul-Henri Thiry, a French-German philosopher, published D'Holbach's System of Nature that a single man flouted himself as being openly atheistic. In his work, he openly stated that religion obstructed human progress, and that all of existence could be explained scientifically. This work is the closest thing to a Bible that atheists have.

And of course, both sides have a valid argument. Catholics have history itself to back up their claims. They have a suspended disbelief that the world simply can't just be a random assortment of chances. Atheists have a logical argument that only the most devout can refuse completely. But there is simply no way for either side to prove anything. A decision made with the absence of actual fact is an opinion. A theory at best. Do you want to live your life adhering strictly to a theory? An opinion? No matter how widely held, it's confining. It requires you to be someone based on something you can't prove.

If I told you that gravity wouldn't work without you wearing blue cover-alls, would you begin to wear them every single day?

Probably not.

But maybe your ancestors would.

Agnostics simply believe that we cannot know. Agnostics work under the assumption that the secrets of life, the universe, and everything are simply beyond are grasp. They may forever be, and that's okay.

But with two groups firmly indoctrinated in history, with great philosophers at their back; will it ever be possible for everyone to truly admit that we just cannot know? Probably not.

But that's okay.

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