“Furthermore, if you are an atheist, why do people experience love and other feelings?”
This closing line of a letter addressed to Positive Atheism magazine raises an essential question about love. The letter’s author, a former Catholic, has found holes in theology lately and is beginning to embrace the atheism described by the magazine. He states happily that he is being freed to enjoy the moment. In the second paragraph, though, he describes a developing problem – he has begun to feel “alone AND insignificant.” At this point, he raises the question of love.
Cliff Walker of Positive Atheism magazine confidently responds. Love, he explains, has developed as a process of natural selection. Procreation, according to Mr. Walker, results from a love relationship, and nurturing comes from a loving parent. In his second paragraph, in a shift I don’t fully understand, he attacks the ‘despicable practices’ of churches, in which they tell their members that ‘their brand of love is true love and any other brand is false love.” Quoting 1 John 2:5, Mr. Walker explains that Christian love is contrived, because it ‘boils down to obedience.’ About Christian love, he concludes that “contrived love…cannot be seen as resulting from the spontaneous human emotion.”
The most interesting part of Mr. Walker’s response, though, is his conclusion. He discusses his personal experience of love as a “discovery” that develops into a “sense of loyalty.” He ends, “A relationship, ideally, is more than just a love affair. It is also a friendship, a family unit, and a business partnership (among other things).
This is all I can tell you.” (
I’m afraid Mr. Walker might not appreciate my response to his definition, but what strikes me is how his love includes core characteristics of biblical love: loyalty, relationship, love affair, friendship, family, and (covenant) partnership.He is, in fact, correct, that love is a command, but the profound mystery is that it can only be obeyed because of the obedience of one perfect lover, the beloved Son of the Creator, nurturer, and sustainer of love. It would take a whole book (which I hope to write), to explain these love realities, but meanwhile, I’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you think about love? Why do you think the letter-writer felt ‘alone AND insignificant’? What else do you see here?
