I came across a very interesting video yesterday. An open letter vlog recorded by a Catholic priest. A video that in a friendly manner, challenges non believers to be better humans.
The rest of this post, I will write as If I'm writing it directly to Father Casey. If he ever gets to read it, that's another question.
Dear Father Casey:
I'm happy to see that in your video, you did not use the typical straw men attacks that have been levied against those who don't believe in your faith. It seems quite futile, but they always seem to get recycled for some reason.
I happen to agree with many of the things you've brought up, but I think that there's a small admission you made, possibly unintentionally, that should be front and center for this discussion.
You seem to accept that non believers, just like those who do, can be good and moral. You also accept that having a belief system does not equate being a good person. Which brings me to the question I would like to ask you: Where does the goodness come from?
If the framework, the missions, the guidelines and even the holy books are so different. Why do we seem to have a consensus of what good is? Could it be that morality is a social construct after all? Could it be that what we call humanism is better suited as a framework for morality, and that it as it evolves, has influenced our interpretations of the holy books?
I ask these questions not to put in doubt your moral values, but to ask you, if its possible that they have nothing to do with your Catholic faith.
We are in agreement on one core message of your open letter. The invitation towards the exploration of the difficult questions. I believe, just like you, that lazy thinking is a big problem in our society today. I think the challenge, the invitation to study more, should be given out to everyone interested in this very subject. I'm sure you've also met people of faith, who don't even know the existence of the field of apologetics, and possibly stay away in fear of the "evil atheists" poisoning their minds.
I would like to close this short letter, by thanking your for opening this door for discussion. The smugness and dismissive voices out there, on both sides, usually make these explorations an impossibility.
Respectfully
MenO
