September 11, 2001 was a watershed moment in human history. That many of us can recollect the little details about where we were, who we were with and what we were doing is evidence of this. Experiences of shock horror have a way of searing seemingly trivial autobiographical details into our brains, like cognitive scar tissue. It’s as though our subconscious knows how important it is that we touch bottom in turbulence, like the breathless scramble to find the ocean floor and push up to the surface when we’re toppled by a wave.
This is true psychologically, and I believe it is true morally.
There is no coincidence that so-called “New Atheism” arose when it did, before the dust of 9/11 had even settled. Five days after the Twin Towers fell, Richard Dawkins published an article titled, “Religion’s Misguided Missiles.” A few days later he penned another article titled, “Time to Stand Up”, in which he wrote:
“It is time to stop pussyfooting around. Time to get angry. And not only with Islam… [atheists have] moderated our language for reasons of politeness… [but now we must] stand up and break this absurd taboo. My respect for the Abrahamic religions went up in the smoke and choking dust of September 11th.”
Given the immediate context, Dawkins’ blunt indignation towards all things religious is understandable. But where did it lead him? What has become of so-called “New Atheism”? Both are all but forgotten, in name if not impact. And what of the Abrahamic religions? Unmoved.
As we mourn the tragic loss of life on this 20th anniversary of 9/11, let us learn from our lament.
GK Chesterton once wrote, “Whenever you remove any fence, always pause long enough to ask why it was put there in the first place.”
New Atheism was a one hit wonder which dried up without answers to the questions it raised. Perhaps one reason for this is because it kicked off on the wrong foot when it ‘stood up.’ Perhaps the significance of the suffering at the loss of human life is best understood, not without God, but with God. Perhaps the human proclivity for life is a consequence of the way we have been made. And perhaps the way we have been made speaks beyond to a Maker who gives ground to our lament.
“do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope… we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”
(1 Thess. 4:13-14)
