So, I’ve been watching a lot of TED talks and the like recently, and I’ve seen a remarkable trend. Some videos, especially these two are from atheist types doing a remarkable job of pointing out to their communities that even if you take a completely mundane, atheist view of history, faith, and all of that that there are values that the atheist community has shunned in their eagerness to reject religion. Religions, whether or not you believe they’re divinely inspired, have had huge historical and cultural influence on our societies, and have most definitely realized wisdoms about human nature.

While I am a believer, I don’t blame atheists or members of other religions for their positions, or feel offended by other viewpoints – I’m only offended by atheism when it’s insistent that it’s not a position of faith, and the frequent insistence that nothing good has ever come from the other religions. The fact that many other religions have contributed not only incredible art, but deep philosophical thoughts on morality and human fallibility is something that I’m always disappointed to see dismissed out of hand. Observing atheists realize that they’ve been too eager to throw out all previous religious thought in their attempts to dismiss all other religion is quite welcome.