Our culture is becoming more and more agnostic and atheistic. Some are militant - and I worry the most about them. For theist with the wrong foundation (I happen to be convinced that Christianity is true and by definition, other faith systems are existentially wrong but right now, I don't have time to unpack this idea) there is incredible danger - if God says kill people, who are you to argue! Thus, such belief is a very dangerous faith position to hold. However, atheist - a honest atheist - has no moral foundation at all and killing others is simply not wrong or right, nor is it good or evil for such ideas require an absolute standard by which to judge. This approach to life is also dangerous. The amazing thing is that the young man referenced above is going into Criminal Justice!
My hope for this world is that those to seek righteousness, goodness and truth will be able to survive and stay faithful as the world turns more and more agnostic and atheistic. The pain caused by faith systems with a false foundation or premise is a terrible element in history and my gut tells me that this is the excuse for most who go that way. Personal pain in relationships, broken marriages, broken promises, do nothing but add to the exodus from faith. Historical atrocities and the acceptance of evolution by natural selection without any theistic influence give the agnostic and the atheist a framework for justifying the rejection of God, but the reasons are typically deeply personal and emotionally driven. I do hope that those in the more healthy faith community will be able to withstand the onslaught of a more naturalistic world view. And as for the young man referenced above, I hope and pray that he doesn't grow into a cold, uncaring person - mutual altruism (the only basis for caring for others without God) is very limited and I'll bet this young man, and many like him, aren't even consciously aware of such an idea.
