Can you be a religious atheist?
In his book, The God Desire, comedian and author David Baddiel asserts that humanity’s desperate need for meaning and moral guidance will always lead to some imagination of God. For Baddiel, who experiences the need himself, the very urgency of the desire for God proves His non-existence. Because God is so wanted by us, we have projected Him (whatever version that might be) into being. As someone who embraces his Jewish identity, but without any belief in the actuality of a supernatural deity, he argues for an atheism which is both absolute and fundamental but also understanding of the human need for religion. Love it or loathe it, Baddiel’s bold thesis compels us to confront uncomfortable aspects of the human condition and the role of spirituality in our lives.
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Who's who?
David Baddiel
Speaker
Professor Mona Siddiqui
Host
BIOGRAPHIES
David Baddiel is a comedian, author, screenwriter, podcaster, and presenter whose
career spans over 40 years. Writing critically acclaimed TV series, West End shows,
children’s books, novels, and even the Three Lions anthem, David changed the
conversation around modern identity politics and antisemitism with his award-winning
book, Jews Don’t Count.
Professor Mona Siddiqui OBE is Professor of Religion and Society at King’s College London. She is an acclaimed public intellectual and media commentator on Islamic thought, pluralism, and religion and society. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and chairs the BBC’s Religious Advisory Committee in Scotland.
