My latest article for African Americans for Humanism's blog has been posted. Entitled "God Did It," it talks about how believing God is responsible for our morality and our success may seem harmless on the surface, but can be destructive. Here's an excerpt:
"Isn't it interesting that whenever a serial murderer, child molester, or other violent criminal invokes inner demons or name-checks Satan, both the religious and non-religious find common ground in laying the blame for the crime squarely on their soldiers? The reality that humans are more than capable of committing horrendous acts all on our own is easily embraced by believers, because it plays into the Christian narrative that at our core, we are scarred by sin and incapable of goodness.
When it comes to recognizing the positive sides of human behavior—compassion, empathy, perseverance, and ingenuity—and that these traits can flourish sans belief in a deity, the religious are usually nowhere to be found. Most of us who grew up in religious homes are taught any goodness or "holiness" that exists within you is because of God and your willingness to be "used' by him ... in order to increase said goodness or holiness we have to diminish our own humanity. But doing so means believing the flip side—that you are completely inept without supernatural intervention."
Read the full article HERE.
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