On the Unimportance of Theistic Belief

Abstract

We first argue that there are cases of "blameless non-belief." That is, some people-through no fault of their own-fail to enter into a conscious relationship with God. But if so, then it would be unjust of God to make certain particular goods (e.g., one's salvation, the possibility of an ethical or a meaningful life, or entrance into heaven) depend upon one having a conscious relationship with God. So, given that God is just, then despite what some theists believe, a relationship with God (even assuming that God exists) cannot be a necessary condition for the attainment of these goods; there might, e.g., be atheists in heaven, even assuming that theism is true. This implies that religion is a far less important component of people's lives than many might think.

Idolatry, indifference, and the scientific study of religion: two new Humean arguments

“…If God does not desire for us to avoid idolatry, then God does not desire for us to have theologically correct beliefs; by implication, having theologically correct beliefs does not offer some unique route to important goods. Contrary to doctrines found in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, theologically correct beliefs would not be a unique route to, e.g., salvation, afterlife in God's presence, a meaningful, purposeful, or ethical life, and so on (Megill & Linford (2017)).…”