Is it true that Mother Teresa was secretly an atheist?

I never heard this before, but I just googled it and there’s lots of information. It seems to be true. As for whether or not it’s actually true, only Mother Teresa knows for sure, and her days of talking are over.

Not much of a secret if you found out so quickly. Now if Jesus was an atheist, than thats news.

Really, what difference does it make?
Is it necessary to “demystify” every one and every thing? Because Enquiring minds want to know?

I’m an agnostic and I probably admired Mother Teresa as much as any Catholic.

If she was atheist and kept it a secret I’ll trust her judgement that she had a very good reason.

There is probably no way to know for sure. I know I’ve read things previously that she questioned God’s existence. It’s possible her faith in God wavered. I don’t think it matters. Her life’s work was her life’s work whether she believed or not. The Catholic Church provided a means for what I believe was her passion.

She didn’t feel the presence of God but I don’t think that makes her an atheist. She never stopped believing that there was or should be a God and she felt the absence quite keenly. Despite this she lived her entire life as though God existed which you might say is faith of the highest order.

Didn’t know that but did know she is far from the saint she appears to be.

@XOIIO What makes you say that?

No. I don’t think she was an atheist. I’m sure I could google and find oodles of sites that say she was, but it’s probably all made up.

@chyna….she tumbled from the pedestal I held her on for so many years, when her ideas of “salvation and suffering” became clear to me.

Here is an exerpt from Wiki ”Mother Teresa considered that suffering – even when caused by poverty, medical problems, or starvation – was a gift from God. As a result, while her clinics received millions of dollars in donations, their conditions drew criticism from people disturbed by the shortage of medical care, systematic diagnosis, and necessary nutrition, as well as the scarcity of analgesics for those in pain.[108][109][110] Many of her critics accused her of a fundamental contradiction: It was estimated that she raised over $100 million for her charity, yet only 5–7% of this was used in catering to the poor. Some have argued that the additional money could have had transformative effects on the health of the poor by creating advanced palliative care facilities in the city.[111][112] Others, both in India and abroad, criticised her opposition to abortion and contraception.”

There is more, but when this all came to light I was so disheartened.

I heard she didn’t believe in secrets, like the time Princess Diana told her Prince Charles had a tiny cock, was all over twitter within the hour.

@ucme: Question: What did Princes Diana find out on her wedding night?

Answer: Not all rulers are 12 inches.

@jca She found, much to her chagrin, that his ears were his biggest appendage.

This link contains some quotes from her. You can interpret them as you please, but it sure looks like atheism to me.

There were some articles from very legitimate sources when I googled it.

Well, what I take away from that @LostInParadise, is not that she was an atheist, but that she was disappointed that he wasn’t turning out like she thought he would, or something. It tells me she questioned, but didn’t necessarily disbelieve. She continued to do her work in the name of God. Why would she do that if she was an atheist? Why would she continue to incorporate God in to almost everything she did and said?

I would say that at the very least she was agnostic. She looked for God and could not find Him. As for her constant mention of God, that smacks of hypocrisy or, to be more charitable, keeping up appearances for the sake of the Church. How could she talk about God, given her doubts?

No one can say what is in another person’s heart. We can only say our impression based on behavior. My impression of Mother Teresa is that she was not an atheist.

@ibstubro “Really, what difference does it make?”

It makes no difference whatsoever, but this is an interesting question that’s prompting a lively discussion.

^^^ That’s what we’re all about!

@ibstubro “Really, what difference does it make?” Oh no- maybe it’s a homework question! ;-o

[Mod says] Moved to Social on request.

It makes a difference in the context of certain (annoying) conversations where some people say Christianity is needed to make someone have a moral compass.

Mother Teresa, IMHO, may have been agnostic at times, but I think she mostly experienced the “dark night of the soul”.

Secondhandstoke’s prophesy came true, but no one knows it because the Romans came in and modded the Bible.

Does having faith mean not having doubt? I doubt it.

@chyna She did lots of stuff that wasn’t so saintly or great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4nCaxHN-cY

Would like to chime in on this, but I’m lost in the ozone. Can’t figure out if this thread is about Mother Teresa being full of shit as a holiday turkey, or Bonnie Prince Charlie’s sexual prowess.

@NomoreY_A It’s about Mother Teresa being a fraud… which she was. Her being an atheist is a claim often put forward by the late Christopher Hitchens.

I have heard that too, and with all her bucks, she could have and should have done much better by her patients. Can’t believe they have her up for sainthood.

@NomoreY_A Thats the Catholic Church for ya. They behave high and mighty yet have a total lack of moral ethics.

True that. But not to be prejudicial, I could same the exact same for the Fundamentalist Protestants in the U.S. Many of whom are the same folks who brought you Donald Trump.