"There are no atheists in foxholes," I find this this old saying quite offensive and it despairs me that it is still in relatively common usage. It is suggested that there are a number of ways this saying can be interpreted, but most of the time it is used as an insult. One suggested meaning for the saying is that the dangers of combat would instill the fear of god in anybody. However, just as likely as a belief in god can be acquired, the killing, maiming, and hopelessness can and have produced atheists out of devout religious people. The second suggested meaning for the saying is, that foxholes are so dangerous that it would take a belief in a higher being to occupy one. This explanation does not make sense as the foxhole is safer than standing around on open ground during war. Presumably the phrase is thrown around suggesting the religiouness and patriotism of the American armed forces during this time of conflict. To some extent it is also something repeated for assurance of the religious community; those undevout individuals will come to the right conclusion when afraid and surrounded by death (hence therefore (somehow) there must be a god). Kind of like saying something over and over to convince yourself that something will come true. A love sick individual with a crush on a women who is in love with another man saying "in the end when their relationship will crumble and she'll realize her love for me," seems similar to "there are no atheists in foxholes" in a multitude of ways. Something that only happens in movies, but you sincerely and veremently hope is true, even despite evidence to the contrary (she is with another man after all rather than you).
There is another possible explanation for there being no atheists in foxholes. The people who serve in the army have traditionally come from lower social classes, and these people have historically had more faith in god. It has also been shown that, like vegetarians, atheists have higher intelligence and more education. People with more education and higher intelligence usually come from higher social strata, and higher social strata generally do not go into the army. So the result is two-fold, the military attracts the lower classes which have, on average, less education (less opportunities) and are more religious. So theoretically there were/are few atheists in the military, and hence "no atheists in foxholes." I do not mean to say that there have been no atheists in foxholes, but presumably the number is very low.
Atheism is also said to be something you grow out of; the argument is given that there are few elderly atheists, but there is a logical flaw in the argument. The older generations grew up in more religious times and are hence more religious or give the appearance that they are. In the same manner there are seemingly few elderly homosexuals because they grew up during times where it was not accepted and even if they were, would probably not admit to it. Many teenagers fall into atheism the same way they fall into drugs and alcohol or, conversely, religious groups. Theirs friends and peers are drinking/smoking/praying, and being at a impressionable age, they too begin the actiivites to be accepted without a mature belief in their activities.
Atheists are also thought to be without morals because they have rejected gods, (like the all moral Christian god.) However, the fear of being sent to a place where you will be tormented mercilessly for eternity, should not be what keeps you on the righteous path. Children, for example, do/don't do things for fear of punishment not because things are moral or immoral. The truly mature individual does not murder because of the fear of punishment, but because it would take away a persons' life and bring pain to their family and friends. For atheists this aspect is critical because they do not believe in heaven or hell, and the right or wrongs a person does during their life will not be rewarded or punished in a afterlife. In the Christian ideology, a rich person who has gained his wealth on the backs of others will go to hell where he will be punished for his sins, and the workers (if they lived good lives) will got to heaven and be eternally rewarded. In contrast, atheists believe the rich man will die after a life of pleasure and luxury and the worker will die after a life of misery and pain, and it will be the end of their stories. Thus this life is all that people have and it makes it all the more precious, and absolutely crucial that everyone around them have the best life possible because it's the only chance they get.
Most people approach atheism with religious views that form an absolute reality from which atheism is inconceivable. Understand that atheists reject God as we reject Odin, Zeus, or Jupiter. Atheism relies on a system of law and government that organized religion made possible, and as a people with a sophisticed state, we have outgrown you. We have no further use of people and organizations that would seek to gain at the cost of our "immoral souls."
Recently I have expericenced the death of a loved one, and though difficuly I know I will never see my grandfather again, but he lives on in my memory and the memory of others. Rathers than dwell on the dearly departed, I move on to my other loved ones and cherish every moment of the precious time I have with those I hold dear.
No matter how much we believe in something we cannot make it real. "A casual stroll through a lunatic asylum proves that faith not not prove anything."-Nirtzsche. From the religious persective, atheism is attempting to kill their god and their afterlife, and the loss of both causes life to become depressing. However, the perspective of a life spent helping others for an eternal reward is taking emphasis away from the actual life and the rewards and pleasures offered by knowing that you allowed others to have a pleasurable journey. We know for certain that life is real, but are unable to verify a god or afterlife. Why not make the most of life, after all we know with 100 percent certainity that it's real.
