Apathy   2017-42

The indifference toward or an absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, spiritual, the physical life and the world in general. WOW, what a lack of feeling for something, or someone.

Historically, Christians have condemned apathy as a deficiency of love and devotion to God and his works. How does this occur? What happened to make someone feel this way? Many reasons to attribute apathy feelings or non-feelings toward a religion or actually, anything, but if you add comprehension to the equation, then apathy becomes a measured way of knowing something is not right in the psychic of the mind.

We humans must cope with stress almost all the time in some way, and if we have to get “over” a situation or tragedy, then an apathetic reaction can be expected to occur. The term “without feeling” comes from the Greek word apatheia from, apathes, without feeling, so the origins of the word make sense to its original beginnings.

I would think a phycologist has better definitions and examples of how apathy affects us, but suffice to say, it does and in many ways.

I wondered if this word could be attributed to some today, in their religious belief systems. The word apatheism is the philosophical view that one should be apathetic towards the existence or non-existence of god(s). It is more of an attitude rather than a belief, claim or belief system.

An apatheist is someone who is not interested in accepting or rejecting any claims that gods exist or do not exist. An apatheist may thus decide to live as if there are no gods. The existence of god(s) is not rejected, but may be designated as irrelevant.

The indifference or lack of interest on this topic makes them just not interested in the topic and the argument that morals do not come from God. If a god exists there would be no changes with regards to morality, therefore a god’s existence or non-existence is again irrelevant. They just don’t care!!!

I will argue that one suffering from apathy DOES have feelings of some sorts, but there are no qualms of disbelief, but instead, just indifference.  Apathetic agnosticism dwells on the claim that no amount of debate can prove or disprove the existence of one or more deities existing, and they do not appear to be concerned about the fate of humans. Their existence has little impact on personal human affairs and should be of little interest. Therefore, again, “I don’t know and because of this, I don’t care.”

Could this feeling of apathy be the reason many today have no religious affiliations? Do they have no feelings about the thought of a life beyond what they have on Earth today? Does the agnostic non-religious feelings outweigh those having belief in God? An atheist believes they should live their lives with disregard towards a god or gods and practical atheism doesn’t see the god question as irrelevant in contrast to apatheism.

I don’t know!  I believe in one God, Creator of the Universe. This God, is active, alive, aware, and present always.  I feel somewhat sorry for those that have opposite feelings or no feelings at all about God, but realize they have the right to think what they do. 

Den Betts                            bettsden@gmail.com