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I was an atheist in a foxhole during war. They exist and are increasing in numbers each year.
I would guess it has something to do with cognizance. Not to be the “enlightened atheist” shithead but there’s a kind of person who will try to find their non-physical salvation while in physical calamity (which is understandable and fine), then there’s people who will see those circumstances as a product of causality. The latter is probably a little more curious and was thinking about why they exist before they ever got into a bad place.
Critics claim the phrase is dismissive of nonreligious service members.
Very true. I was an atheist serving in Iraq during one of the most dangerous times to be there, minus the initial surge into the country. Our base was mortared at least once a week. Over 150 civilians died in a bus bombing the week I showed up. We were working and living in hardened bunkers most of the time. I almost got blown up once, only surviving because I stepped outside to grab a tool. The three members who were inside the small building I was working in weren’t so lucky.
I never appealed to a higher power while there. If anything, the devastation and violence I witnessed further convinced me there couldn’t be a higher power in control of all this.
If there was a God you wouldn’t have been there. I’m sorry you went through that and I hope you’re coping well.
Or on Death Row.
Anyway, the “Atheists in Foxholes” fallacy is an emotional appeal to Pascal’s Wager, which states that it is better to believe in God and be wrong than to be an Atheist and be wrong. That if you believe in God and live a good life, you find there’s no Heaven, but you’ve lived a good life. As opposed to living as an Atheist and finding out God exists.
The problem with Pascal’s Wager is that it isn’t one of two, it’s one of thousands. Even within “Christians,” even excluding Catholics, you have dozens of sects which each preach that the others are wrong. One could argue, then, that just believing in God is enough, but all of these sects will say you must tithe 10%, so you give ten of them 100% of your earnings, and if another sect is right, you still lose Pascal’s Wager.
Pascal’s Wager is also unfair to anyone who was not raised with Christianity, like Japanese and Chinese people who were raised around Buddhism (though, Christianity has made inroads in those countries — even within progressive anime, I know of two that feature a Japanese Catholic character right off the top of my head, so it’s hardly uncommon).
The Atheist rebuttal to Pascal’s Wager could be that by living your best life and not committing to any one higher power, if there is, in fact, a higher power, they should take you based on your good deeds and your ability to think for yourself. That assumes that higher power can put your good deeds and independence above their own pride, but since their pride is not great enough to make themselves known beyond a shadow of a doubt (e.g. why did miracles happen thousands of years ago but not today?), it shouldn’t be a problem.
But the truth is, there is no sure fire wager to ensure the best outcome after death, if there are any outcomes beyond this life. The best bet is to just be a good person, and spread goodness, as that can outlive you, but it’s not a guarantee of anything. That being said, the best deeds aren’t done for any guarantee of reward. We do them because we ourselves are good, or strive to be good. Or at least better than we were the day before.
If a god exists (and I think it doesn’t) and to it it’s more important to be worshipped than being a good person then it doesn’t deserve to be worshipped at all.
I mean, it’s valid for people to be atheists and take their lack of belief at face value. And some might hold steadfast onto their beliefs even when faced with death. There are still some that cave in those situations, and also admit that they cave in those situations. Humanity is complex. Here’s a song on it I like, with an explanation on the view of the author.
https://genius.com/El-p-flyentology-lyrics
https://youtu.be/7Y5xg6Cb8BA
