A believer’s guide to atheism

Michael Symmons Roberts is a Catholic who thinks his faith would be a lot worse off if it were not for atheists.

He says all faiths need atheists - after all, you can only strengthen and deepen your belief if you have got someone to challenge your beliefs.

Michael also argues that atheism and religion have a common enemy. As religious belief declines in many countries, it is being replaced by new-age beliefs rather than clear and thought-through atheistic positions. As the English writer G.K. Chesterton put it: "When we stop believing in God, we don’t start believing in nothing, we believe in anything."

Presenter: Michael Symmons Roberts
Producer: Geoff Bird

Photo: Atheists and those who oppose religion in government gathered for a rally in Washington DC (Credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)