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Ask An Atheist: Why should a faith and values site have an atheist columnist?

By: Jim Downard

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Penn Jillette's Pink Mini Cooper with Nevada Atheist vanity plates/Flickr photo by Thomas Anderson
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 By Jim Downard

Q. Why do you think an atheist deserves space on a “Faith and Values” website?

SPO_House-ad_Ask-an-atheist_0425133A. Because atheists certainly have values too, and have been known to think about the role that faith does (or does not) play in those judgments.
SpokaneFAVS has voices for all manner of belief, as mutually exclusive as anything coming from my direction, and every one of the faith advocates constitutes an “atheist” position if taken from one or another perspective (I would imagine few these days are not “atheist” regarding the existence of Marduk).  If voices outside the pale are never heard, the echo chamber that results may drown out thoughts that deserve to be spoken and listened to.

Jim Downard
Jim Downard
Jim Downard is a Spokane native (with a sojourn in Southern California back in the early 1960s) who was raised in a secular family, so says had no personal faith to lose. He's always been a history and science buff (getting a bachelor's in the former area at what was then Eastern Washington University in the early 1970s).
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MHilditch
MHilditch
11 years ago

Well-crafted answer. Thanks Jim.

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TRUTH
TRUTH
11 years ago

Do you want to know the truth? Jesus Christ is the truth, the life, and the way. If you know the truth, the truth will set you free. Just because we don’t believe the truth, does not mean that the truth does not exist. Just because we do not believe in God, does not mean that He does not exist. God is patient and kind to wait for us to believe, but there will come a time that if we do not believe in God, that we will go to hell(the lake of fire. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved from hell. Salvation is a free gift from God, but it must be received in order for it to be our personal gift. John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world(people), that He gave His only beloved Son(Jesus), that whoever will believe in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” Thank you Jesus!

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