Author: Mawlana Abdul Rahman Mu'tasimi
The Phenomenon of Atheism and Ways to Combat It (Part 15)
Fifth: The Emergence of Certain Scientific, Philosophical, and Economic Theories
The emergence of certain hypotheses and theories—such as Darwin’s theory of evolution regarding the origin of living beings, Freud’s theories in psychology, and the materialist and economic interpretation of history by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels—are other factors that have contributed to the growth and spread of atheism.
Darwin and Darwinism
Darwin was born in 1809 and published On the Origin of Species in 1859 and The Descent of Man in 1871. With the publication of these two books, a clear line was drawn in the history of thought.
The dissemination of the hypothesis of “evolution and development” and “the origin of species and man” shook the foundations of religious thought and beliefs of that time. Darwin states: “On Earth, nothing is fixed and uniform; neither plants, nor animals, nor humans. Even in the world of creation, there is no fixed and uniform will. The creator—which is nature itself—did not initially intend to create man. Man is the result of a process of evolution that has occurred over two million years. The early human was not like the modern human and was essentially an animal. He could not speak, think, or stand upright. He did not possess the qualities that religion attributes to him. He had no soul or spirit; he was merely an animal. The religious perspective viewed man as an exceptional and unique creation, whose existence and functioning could not be recognized or measured by animal standards, and it is not appropriate for him to pursue his instincts and move in any direction that these instincts lead him.”
The results of Darwin’s theory include the destabilization of faith in God and religious ideology, the undermining of faith in the stability of any system and values, and the shaking of everything previously regarded as a base and point of support, thereby demolishing every structure that appeared solid and stable.
The concept of God’s creativity, management, and will was the first idea that was directly shaken in the story of human creation by Darwin. Darwin removed intention and will from God, denying the direct creation of man by God and attributing it instead to a series of evolutionary interactions. The existence of everything that could be considered possible in the essence and dignity of man was disregarded, and this occurred as absolute animality was firmly considered the essence of humanity. According to Darwin’s theory, God created the universe and placed all traditions and forces within it and then left it to its own devices to evolve and develop, of course, to the extent that the factors and forces of perfection and evolution could reach it. God’s will does not intervene in the results, branches, and subdivisions, as the vast majority of the faithful believe regarding God and the world.
Positions Regarding Darwin’s Theory
Three positions have been recorded in response to Darwin’s hypothesis:
1. Those who accept his hypothesis as a proven scientific truth, along with all its implications, and have turned to atheism based on it.
2. Some thinkers have attempted to prove its falsehood by providing solid and convincing scientific evidence and arguments.
3. Others have tried to create compatibility and reconciliation between the theory of evolution and the religious worldview regarding the creation of humanity and the universe, justifying this theory in such a way that it serves as a reason for atheism and a document for the manifestation of order and precision in the creation system, as well as evidence to strengthen belief values.
Thus, since this theory did not lead its originator (Darwin) to atheism and he simultaneously believed in the Creator of the universe, it should not serve as a pretext for the atheism of others.
Material and Economic Interpretation of History
Alongside Darwinism, the material and economic interpretation of history emerged through Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. In the material interpretation of history, it is stated that:
– Human history is a search and effort to obtain food and sustenance.
– All material forces or economic forces are the only effective shapers of human life and the creators of his thoughts, concepts, and beliefs according to degrees of evolution and transformation.
– All historical periods through which humanity transitions to the next period are, in fact, coercive, inevitable, and unavoidable, and humans have no will in their evolution.
In this material interpretation of history, it has drawn from the material interpretations of animals made for humans. Therefore, all human effort to achieve eternal rights and justice is not for that purpose, but rather solely for the pursuit of eternal food and sustenance. He has no belief or faith, no principles, programs, or fundamental plans, no ideal models or patterns, and no consciousness or feelings; rather, he is an animal living in the realm of the stomach, and his search and movement around food pull him in every direction. Even if he makes an effort to establish rights and justice, it is futile because people are bound by the absolute and unavoidable laws of matter and economy.
Freud and Freudianism
Freud was born in 1856, exactly half a century after the emergence of Darwin. Given Freud’s dedication to scientific issues and his Jewish heritage, Darwin’s hypothesis about humanity had a profound impact on him. This hypothesis provided a vast and powerful space for human research that showed no signs of humanity or human values. Freud interpreted that sexual motivation, in its specific animalistic sense, along with sensual feelings and instincts, as well as physical desires and perceptions, is the primary driving force and the most authentic defender of human existence and being.
All human motivations and desires, including attachment and affection towards material things, stem from sexual attraction. This attraction grows alongside the child’s physical development until the first complex arises in their life. This complex (the Oedipus complex or the complex of glandular activities and electric currents, which is the same as the attraction and force of sexual instinct) arises from the inner turmoil and conflict of the son, the sexual desire and pull towards the mother, and the father’s dominance over the mother, or vice versa if the child is a daughter.
The sexual complex in the child’s existence creates a reflection that constantly disturbs them until they somehow free themselves from it, such as by reaching puberty or gaining financial independence.
When a child suppresses sexual attraction towards the mother or unconsciously steps towards the father’s figure, their psychological development begins. Gradually and consciously, they suppress their inner perceptions and desires, imposing and dominating social rules and traditions derived from their environment, and slowly align their behavior and methods with these norms. This state is referred to in Freud’s language as the emergence of the superego or the development of conscience.
According to Freud, this interaction, along with the psychological maturation of the child, creates a very dangerous state; because the suppression of sexual instincts, combined with the Oedipus complex, leads to detrimental effects on human psychology. This suppression is essentially an obstacle to the increasing force and, for this reason, becomes the source of numerous psychological deviations, mental stresses, and nervous anxieties that ultimately threaten human existence.
The human being he depicts is stripped of any traits or qualities of religion and pure human thought. He perceives the coverings that the subconscious and the hidden physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects present as fraudulent and invalid. According to Freud, these coverings are all forms of suppression that hinder the free growth of sexual energy. For Freud, the only significant truth and reality is the sexual instinct and the naked animal.
Ultimately, the turmoil that Freud created at the level of human societies left its mark and spread throughout the world like a fire igniting a pile of dry vegetation. The dissemination of this turmoil is accompanied by the collapse and destruction of the foundations of religion, ethics, customs, social traditions, and the tarnishing of all human legacies and values.
These were the three famous hypotheses—the hypothesis of evolution and development, the material and economic interpretation of history, and Freudianism—that have led to the atheism of many superficial thinkers.
Continues…
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