The Spiritualiy of Atheism

Atheism – the highest form of Spirituality

Shoonya or Empty or bereft of anything of substance, the ultimate of non-being is an ancient Indian proposition that finally gave rise to the concept of zero. Curiously, the idea of zero resulted in an elevated idea of number and together with the structuring of a number by the positioning of numerals led to the ability to grasp and manipulate large numbers taking mankind beyond the primitive methods of counting that were restricted to one, two, three and infinity. Zero thus became the absolute supreme of all numbers. 

Atheism which posits the absence of any gods and even the negation of an earth-like heaven modelled on an impossible-of-achievement utopia seems to be the most practical solution to the intellectual confusion and strains of dishonesty created by the multiplicity of god-like constructs of the human mind. It is no coincidence that atheists from all regions do not, in contrast to the followers of different theists, have intra-atheistic conflicts arising from the sources of their beliefs. Atheism, which is accepted in the overall Hindu construct (incidentally the only Religion in the world that allows this) – was likened to ignorance and euphemistically called Avidya or lacking in knowledge. That tag did not lead to the brutalities of the Inquisition or to burning at the stake. Ignorance was contemptible but did not invoke a violent hatred leading to torture or death in the full view of a public arena. They also did not face commands to recant with ‘or else’ threats. They did not have to fear the ignominies of punishment in public for all to see and beware. They were not made examples of in order to terrorise those tending to be blasphemous.

So it appears that to be an atheist is in many ways superior to being a believer. It makes one free; provides freedom from the burden of a threatening Supreme Being, freedom from the need to continual prayer and ritual and freedom from the need to go on pilgrimage. It releases many spaces of the brain otherwise occupied by beliefs difficult to maintain and practice, it allows reason to displace blind faith and it fills the mind with hope. Belief in the supremacy of man replaces the belief in a supernatural God. With atheism mankind can start looking forward and relinquish the teachings of backward looking prophets.

There are many studying theism and even Chairs in Universities are devoted to the study of theology. Recently a Chair was created in an American University for the study of Atheism. That is a long awaited and much desired event and it is to be hoped it will eventually be followed by having Churches devoted to atheism and priests of non-God preaching to laity on the virtues of being non-believers. Will we also have atheist evangelists exhorting people to shed the beliefs of their fathers and who propagate discovering the emptiness of the heavens as the final epiphany that liberates them?