In "The contradiction of atheism," an article published on February 28 in the Capitol Hill Blue, "a not-for-profit, non-commercial, non-partisan experiment in on-line journalism" that coincidentally contains a certain liberal political color in its name, Paul Campos, a law professor at the University of Colorado, writes to explain why "there are almost no genuine atheists." This is a trite stance, but coming from a law professor, I thought it would be challenging to disagree.

Um... it wasn't.

Campos begins his article by pointing out that Americans see less difference between people of different religions than between people of one religion and people of none and that this explains why atheists will not likely make it into the presidential primaries anytime soon. He then points out that, in his opinion, there are valid reasons not to elect an atheist president.

He argues that, in his experience, it is far more likely to find practicing Christians who believe less in Christianity than in "the existence of Antarctica." And just as serious Christian belief is rare, he says, so is "genuine atheism."

Why is this? Campos references the religious opinions of E. O. Wilson, a famous Harvard biology professor who has recently written a lot about the connection between ecological conservation and religious belief, asking Christians, especially, to be more considerate of their corporeal environs. Campos argues that Wilson likes to insert plenty of "ought" statements in his pleas, but that since "the human race has existed for an eye-blink of cosmological time and will certainly cease to exist in another eye-blink or two," no "genuine atheist" should give a damn.

If you have a hard time following this law professor's argument, let me break it down:

  1. Humans are destroying Earth.

  2. But cosmology says life is a blip.

  3. So why should atheists care?

First, I, an atheist, care about this planet for the same reason that I hope, but somehow doubt, Campos cares about it, which is that I don't want to see life come this far to lose now. I just don't see how atheism is relevant.

However, I do see how religious belief could warp a person's mind into not caring about their temporary stay on Earth. I ask Campos, if Heaven awaits, then why wait? Why not give up?

Maybe God made the planet for a reason and maybe He wants his creation to keep it around. Maybe He doesn't want Jesus to step in shit when he returns. Who knows?

Second, what if humans find a way to live in space? Maybe God wanted us to start on Earth and then spread out beyond the Milky Way to convert the aliens. Again, who knows?

Who is Campos to presume God's will and, besides, what difference is there between a Christian or Muslim or Buddhist who believes in a temporary physical existence and an atheist who believes the same? Maybe God sent E. O. Wilson to wake Christians up.

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