Atheist Richard Dawkins and former atheist Ayaan Hirsi Ali discuss the utility of Christianity in preserving Western cultural and political values. They explore the connection between Christianity and societal goals, moral standards, and Western thought. The podcast also addresses the common atheist criticism that Christians believe in God out of fear of death.
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Bishop Barron Farm Visit
Bishop Barron visited rural farms near Winona and learned about planting, harvesting, and livestock.
He enjoyed hands-on experiences like planting seeds and meeting a newborn calf to understand his diocese's agricultural side.
insights INSIGHT
New Atheism's Superficial Critique
The New Atheism led by Dawkins and others was marked by nastiness and superficial arguments against religion.
They failed to engage seriously with Christian intellectual traditions, instead focusing on worst behaviors historically.
insights INSIGHT
Dawkins' Cultural Christian Paradox
Dawkins admires Christianity’s ethical and aesthetic contributions but rejects its dogmatic beliefs.
Separating ethics and beauty from Christian doctrine risks cultural decay like cut flowers uprooted from soil.
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Is Christianity a useful religion to the West? Atheist Richard Dawkins recently claimed that, while still an atheist, he considers himself a “cultural Christian” because of Christianity’s utility in supporting Western cultural and political values, which he laments are under attack. Former atheist Ayaan Hirsi Ali also recently shared that she became a Christian upon realizing that Christianity is necessary to preserve Western political norms.
There are some complex and even troubling underlying questions about making the connection between Christianity and utility, especially as it relates to contemporary “Western values.” How is the utility defined and in response to what specific societal goals? Is Christianity’s utility limited to the West alone? Aren’t there some “Western values” that are antithetical to Christianity?
A listener asks how to respond to the common criticism from atheists that Christians only believe in God because they are scared of death.
00:00 | Intro 01:32 | Bishop Barron’s recent farm visit 03:00 | Recapping Richard Dawkins and the New Atheism 07:14 | Unpacking Richard Dawkins as a “cultural Christian” 12:38 | Can Christianity be culturally useful without a fixed cultural aim? 14:13 | Making moral judgments without a fixed standard 16:43 | The fundamentality of Christian thought in the West 19:51| Remembering the doctrinal dimension of Christianity 21:51 | Other influences in Western thought 25:16 | Is linking Christianity and Western thought evangelically helpful? 27:23 | Listener question 29:44 | Join the Word on Fire Institute
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The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture 
