In debates, Christopher Hitchens issues the following challenge ad nauseam:<\/p>\n
Name me an ethical statement made or an action performed by a believer that could not have been made or performed by a non-believer.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
There is no entirely satisfactory answer to this since it is the wrong question. The point is not so much whether atheists could<\/em> do the same ethical acts as believers, but do they?<\/em><\/p>\n
<\/em><\/p>\n
In practice, they don\u2019t: here<\/a> is an illustration from someone who does not have an axe to grind since he is an agnostic:<\/p>\n
A few weeks ago I was in hospital. The only visitors I received who were not relatives were Christian ones: five in all, including two Catholic priests. None of them tried to convert me \u2013 and I didn’t stop the evangelical layman who asked if he could say a prayer over me \u2013 but I appreciated their brief visits even though I told them I was no longer a believer. They were performing a charitable act, unselfishly and compassionately.<\/p>\n
I didn’t get any hospital visits from atheist visitors. What might they have said to me: “This is as good as it gets, mate?” The fact that I am edging towards their camp \u2013 I guess I am at the agnostic stage \u2013 does not exactly cheer me. It just makes me sad.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In debates, Christopher Hitchens issues the following challenge ad nauseam: Name me an ethical statement made or an action performed by a believer that could not have been made or performed by a non-believer. There is no entirely satisfactory answer … Continue reading