John McAdams: FAIL

The blogger at From Where I Sit asks:

Being an agnostic, I find this observation by John McAdams at Marquette Warrior interesting:

But not believing in God doesn’t change the fact that people have a deep desire to feel righteous, to feel clean and redeemed and right with God — or with something equivalent to God.

What do you think, does he have a point?

No. People who don't believe in God pretty clearly don't have desires to feel right (or wrong) with something they don't believe in. Nor do they seek redemption from non-existent saviors. And, obviously, aspirations to righteousness and cleanliness don't need to have anything to do with God at all. The latter has more to do with shampoo and laundry detergent.

As for "something equivalent to God," when the believers arrive at anything approaching consensus with respect to the alleged attributes of God (which will be never*), then maybe we can talk. Not even the Bible is consistent when it comes to describing said attributes.

McAdams is doing nothing more than projecting and, furthermore, it's the height of fatuousness to claim insights as to the "deep desires" of atheists, or anyone else for that matter, let alone portray those insights as "fact." Prove it.

One thing we can all — figuratively speaking, of course — thank God for is that Prof. McAdams isn't teaching theology. Or logic.

* Case in point.