I am not an atheist. But I am attracted to certain atheist thinkers. Especially, e.g., Nietzsche. And, more recently, Foucault.
Their reasoning that, given atheism, here is what follows, is interesting and persuasive. See, e.g., Nietzsche's "Parable of the Madman," for a peek into the Nietzschean idea that, with the demise of theism comes the demise of a metaphysical foundation that gave support for objective moral values. (See, e.g., here.)
I am now re-reading Gary Gutting's book on Foucault. These statements strike me as correct, and ominous.
"The fundamental transformation the revolutionaries seek requires central control down to finest details of a nation’s life. Here, perhaps, we have a Foucaultian explanation of the totalitarian thrust of modern revolutions.
This analysis suggests the reactionary conclusion that meaningful revolution, hence genuine liberation, is impossible: the only alternative to the modern net of micro-centres of power is totalitarian domination...
[G]iven Foucault’s democratization of oppression – depending on the local context, we are all victims." (Gutting, Foucault: A Very Short Introduction, p. 88)
For example, the "Woke Revolution" on a trajectory of totalitarian domination. Foucault helps me understand this via the dynamics of oppression.
Is there a Christian alternative that avoids totalitarianism? I think works like those of Carl Trueman and Rod Dreher present alternatives while understanding the democratization of oppression.
Most recently, I finished Jesus and the Powers, by N. T. Wright and Michael Bird. Here we see a biblical theology of ministering to other cultures in the name of Jesus without politically dominating them.
