A friend of mine posted this quotation on Facebook – attributing it to Martin Buber – though I can find no validation of such attribution. Nor could Google or ChatGPT. But as my friend characterized this statement as a comprehensive summary of his personal view of religion, I consider it worthy of discussion.

A rabbi was asked by one of his students “Why did God create atheists?” After a long pause, the rabbi finally responded with a soft but sincere voice. “God created atheists” he said, “to teach us the most important lesson of them all – the lesson of true compassion. You see, when an atheist performs an act of charity, visits someone who is sick, helps someone in need, and cares for the world, he is not doing so because of some religious teaching. He does not believe that God commanded him to perform this act. In fact, he does not believe in God at all, so his actions are based on his sense of morality. Look at the kindness he bestows on others simply because he feels it to be right. When someone reaches out to you for help. You should never say ‘I’ll pray that God will help you.’ Instead, for that moment, you should become an atheist – imagine there is no God who could help, and say ‘I will help you’.”

Regardless of whose declaration this may be, it is seriously flawed IMHO. While many believe morality derives from Biblical law – others from an innate, God-infused sense of right and wrong – I prefer to set aside the question of where morality comes from. I do not know its answer, and I certainly do not question an atheist’s capacity to behave in a moral manner. Nor do I doubt one’s ability to bestow kindness on others “simply because he feels it to be right.” My question really is this: WHY does an atheist act in such a manner?

Since the author of the above statement considers the dissimilarities between the motivations of the moral atheist and the God-fearing, I will elaborate on these distinctions. And although he does not reference the specific theology of the God-fearing (e.g. Judaism, Islam, Christianity), I can best do so from the perspective of a believer in Jesus Christ and the canon of the New Testament.

Let’s start with the implication that those of faith only behave morally because God commands that they do so. In other words, moral behavior is driven solely by fear.

This assertion perhaps seeks to find its rationale in Mark 12:29-31:

“The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

To be clear, fear of God does not imply the dread of punishment for those in Christ. Instead, it reveals reverence and respect for God’s holiness and His authority. Christ teaches love. It is our love for God that inspires our obedience to His commands. We affirm our love of God by loving others. This is embodied in the Lord’s proclamation to His sheep in Matthew 25:40:

“Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

We can confidently assume that the atheist does not adhere to moral principles to demonstrate a love of God. Why then? What is the underlying motivation? How deep are the moral convictions? Would one willingly give their life for another without faith in a Christian resurrection?

I dislike generalizations but I am not afraid to speculate. However, I confess I can only do so based on what I see and experience. The speculation in which I engage is not intended to characterize any single individual and recognizes that there are no absolutes.

God gave us all free will, including those that do not believe in Him. Those of us that have been remade in Christ are gifted the Holy Spirit to navigate the choices that we all must make. With His guidance, those “choices” often become not choices at all, but instinctive behaviors that reflect our vertical love of God and horizontal love for others.

In other words, there is no effort. There is no consideration of what is moral or immoral. There is only love. That is the motivation. That is the heart. We cannot earn our way to heaven by doing good deeds. We are gifted eternal life by God’s grace through faith alone.

Certainly, most atheists are not only capable of moral behavior, but frequently demonstrate it. But here is where my speculation will get me in trouble with many of them. You see, where I believe that for those in Christ the motivation stems from a God-filled heart, I suspect for many nonbelievers that motivation instead derives from the head.

Could it be that some make the moral choice because in doing so they feel better about themselves? I can’t say that such sentiments are exclusive to nonbelievers, but the question again becomes what is the overriding driver of our conduct. If behavior is consistent with moral precepts but prompted by pride, insecurity or to seek the approval of others, it is considered by Christians to be “dead works.”

Humility, of course, is considered to be among the greatest of Christian virtues – as is forgiveness. I suspect that there is a sizable swath of nonbelievers that do not consider these to be morally virtuous at all. One need only spend a brief time perusing social media to observe the pride and air of superiority many take in their atheism – and their intolerance of those who might question them. [Of course, many so-called Christians have been rightly accused of similar behavior. Such a demeanor is likewise misguided.]

Unlike those who are rudely defensive of their unbelief, those in Christ welcome the persecution that the Lord promises will accompany our walk.

All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3:12)

We will, in fact, be blessed by it:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12)

Finally, Christ teaches His followers that, in love and in faith, we are to be willing to give our life on earth to save another. That willingness is indeed a reflection of the faith that we have in Christ Jesus – the certainty we have of our resurrection into eternal life. Absent such certainty, would an atheist make such a moral choice?

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 16:25)