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Heart and Soul: A believer’s guide to atheism

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Atheist rally in Washington DC

13/09/2019 GMT

A believer’s guide to atheism

BBC World Service - Heart and Soul, A believer’s guide to atheism

Believers in God need atheists to challenge their beliefs, says a former atheist

Believers in God need atheists to challenge their beliefs, says a former atheist.

Michael Symmons Roberts is a Catholic who thinks his faith would be a lot worse off if it were not for atheists.
 
He says all faiths need atheists - after all, you can only strengthen and deepen your belief if you have got someone to challenge your beliefs.
 
Michael also argues that atheism and religion have a common enemy. As religious belief declines in many countries, it is being replaced by new-age beliefs rather than clear and thought-through atheistic positions. As the English writer G.K. Chesterton put it: "When we stop believing in God, we don’t start believing in nothing, we believe in anything."

Presenter: Michael Symmons Roberts
Producer: Geoff Bird

Photo: Atheists and those who oppose religion in government gathered for a rally in Washington DC (Credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

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