FINAL REPORT: What Do Atheists Believe In?

"We know what we don't believe. But not what we do. 

And so we become a blank slate, 

a convenient place for religious people of all kinds 

to project their fears about immorality 

and degeneration."

-Greg M. Epstein

I decided to write my final report on what (some) atheists DO believe, based on what I got out of our in-class and online discussions. To supplement my report, I will share with you an interesting book I recently read, called, "Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe," by Greg M. Epstein. I will be writing from my own perspective and understanding of secular humanist principles. Also, I would love to read what all of you agree or disagree with in the comments below, to further the discussion.

Admittedly, I didn't know much about humanism before this class. Since learning and reading more about it in Epstein's book, I feel more connected to other "nones" out there. As an atheist, I always felt a bit alone in formulating my beliefs about the world, until I realized I was basically a humanist this whole time without even knowing it! Recently, I've been thinking a lot about the value of being a part of a secular community with shared values and beliefs. I think it is one thing a lot of "nones" are kind of missing out on.

Although I am still learning a lot, here is what I, and many other secular humanists do believe:

People are capable of being good without God. While humans are clearly very capable of doing horrible things to each other, it doesn't take long to find people doing selfless, loving, and courageous acts for others. There are a lot of reasons both religious and nonreligious people choose to be good, absent the fear of eternal punishment or motivation of heavenly rewards. One of these reasons can possibly be explained by evolution, as Epstein points out: "People need community... We need community because we succeed best in life when we can count on reliable help from a wide range of individuals." Goodness is ingrained in us biologically and socially, because we need each other. Goodness in many ways is just another part of our human condition, which is a wonderful thing.

Morality comes from us. While that means enforceable moral guidelines, such as laws, are sometimes subject to corruption, like any human convention, it also means that we have the power to think critically about what is right/wrong and make changes when necessary. Knowing our true role in morality forces us to take responsibility for the good and the bad in the world, as well as in our personal lives, and work extra hard to right the wrongs. With regard to the subject, Epstein says:

"We Humanists can take pride in our passionate belief in a morality based on unfettered inquiry, on compassionate questioning...We are proud to welcome a future of permanent debate and discussion about moral issues, a world in which we will never stop refining our views, never stop exploring how we can promote human dignity more effectively, never stop trying to better understand and more effectively eliminate human suffering."

Purpose is personal. When it comes to purpose, or the meaning of life, I didn't have a solid answer for a long time. It is funny how we can have such busy schedules and yet stumble for an answer when asked what it all means in the end. Exploring humanism has helped me figure out the kind of life I want to live... what makes life worth living. I find meaning and purpose in the fact that this is the only life I get to have, so I am going to honor it by being the best person that I can be while I am here. Epstein's idea of life's purpose, which he calls "dignity," is something I am embracing as well: 

"We have the potential for strength, wisdom, and love inside ourselves. But by ourselves we are not enough. We need to reach out beyond ourselves--to the world that surrounds us and sustains us, and most especially to other people. This is dignity." 

In closing, the most beautiful thing about the overall sentiment of humanism is that it is accessible to everyone. We don't have to believe in the "right" God(s), or any for that matter, to be good. Instead, our ability to be good is within ourselves. We don’t need an outside force to be kind to one another, to be fair, to be just, we simply need to be human. We are all capable of interpreting and answering moral questions. All of us are entitled to figure out what life means for ourselves. Humanism highlights the goodness within all of us, without the need for exclusion. We can all stand together as humans, whether Christian, Muslim, Spiritual, Agnostic, Atheist, etc, sharing peace, love, and kindness. This is what I learned from our class, and I thank all of you for your unique and insightful perspectives throughout the semester. 


Now, your turn... What do YOU believe in?