In light of the article written last month about atheism, it is clear there is a severe misunderstanding among some county residents about others. I was encouraged to help set the record straight as best I can on what atheism is and who atheists are.
Atheists, or non-theists, are people who do not assert the existence of God or any gods. That’s it. Note the lack of any other prerequisites. There’s nothing about needing to accept evolution as fact. Nothing about being pro-abortion. Nothing about being conservative. Nothing about being ABBA fans. And of course, nothing about worshiping Satan. It’s hard to worship something one doesn’t believe in.
Atheism has no dogma. Atheism has no creed. Atheism has no tenets. This doesn’t mean people who are atheists do not adhere to a dogma, creed, or set of tenets in their daily lives. Atheists do not necessarily share much in common with other atheists. Some atheists are spiritual (Theravada Buddhists), some believe in an afterlife or reincarnation, ghosts and spirits. Some atheists are wealthy while others are poor. Some atheists are artists while others build cars (arguably an art). Some are farmers, some are nurses, some are foresters, and some are business owners. Atheists may be the most compassionate people you’ll ever meet. And don’t quote me on this, but I hear that some adult atheists still cry when Simba finds Mufasa after the wildebeest stampede in The Lion King.
I hope this helps clear things up.
The author’s remarks imply atheists act a certain way, believe certain things, have no moral compass, and/or are anti-Christian. This is a fundamental misrepresentation of who atheists are and what atheists believe. Again, the only thing which all atheists have in common is the lack of belief in deities. Nothing more. Are some atheists jerks sometimes? Yes! Are there any God-believing people who can be jerks? You betcha!
I would kindly suggest to the author and others like him to please ask instead of making assertions and post them all over the newspaper. Instead of trying to understand the perspective of other people, some folks (it seems) like to point fingers, make false accusations, and claim some moral high ground, which is ironic to me.
I hope readers get the point here that atheists are just living a life that they feel to be most authentic and true to them. Does this sound wholly unfamiliar or foreign to your own experience? Probably not. That’s because this is what people do, regardless of their faith or lack-thereof.
To summarize, atheism is the lack of belief in deities, and shouldn’t be misrepresented as anti-Christian. If you have a question about atheism, ask an atheist and be open to their answer, even if sometimes it’s “I don’t know,” because the answer isn’t always known. If you’re an atheist, anti-theist, or agnostic, the same applies! Practicing kindness and curiosity without judgment is something people of any faith or a lack-thereof can improve on. Yes, even me.
I am an agnostic atheist who contemplates the plausibility of an afterlife. Who knew? I do not think the answer is knowable, which makes me agnostic, and since I don’t assert the existence of deities, that makes me an atheist as well. After learning this, I hope we can still get along fine.
I am willing to speak with anyone about my perspective if they are willing to converse. Contact the Fillmore County Journal and I’m sure they’ll let me know that you’re interested. Faith perspectives are ever evolving, and I hope in our communities we are open to continue learning from one another and not let our discomfort with alternative perspectives get in the way of rich dialogue.
I won’t “proselytize” or force my lack of assertion of God or gods down your throat. All I can do is best describe my thoughts, feeling, and reasons, and all I ask for is kindness and patience in return.
Cheers.
P.S. If you hadn’t guessed, I am one who still gets teary eyed watching The Lion King.
John smith says
Atheism serves Satan and is anti American. It should be outlawed and prosecuted in America.
Aaron Bishop says
Greetings John,
No. No it should not. Nor should any religious or non-religious beliefs that do not hinder nor negatively impact those who do not practice them. Doing so would be the epitome of anti-Americanism.
Mandy says
I think the journalist who wrote this should be told now that’s how it’s done! Amen
John smith says
Atheists can try to deny sin but they will still burn in hell
Aaron Bishop says
Greetings John,
Not all atheists deny sin, nor particular consequences of sinning. We simply do not recognize it as having a supernatural, deitic origin nor resolution.
Aaron
Christopher timmis says
Spiritual but not religious is a cop out because God gave mankind the Ten Commandments to follow imagine if there were no laws there would be theft murder and rape common for criminals in society
Todd says
Aaron-
I just submitted an open letter to you in the form of a commentary and I hope that the Editor will see to publishing it in an upcoming issue. I look forward to interacting with you as time allows. In the mean time if you desire to interact with me one-on-one please feel free to email me at:
ifonlyeveone@yahoo.com
Sincerely-
Todd
Aaron Bishop says
Thank you for the heads up. I look forward to reading your article. Cheers!
Aaron Bishop says
Todd, I tried emailing you. It wasn’t successful. Could you double check your email address? ifonlyeveone@yahoo.com
Todd says
Ahhh…
I see the error.
It is:
ifonlyevenone@yahoo.com
Herb Panko says
Great article, Aaron!! As a fellow atheist, I would like to add a few more details on the subject. Atheism used to be a much worse pejorative than it is now. I sense that it is gaining a level of acceptance that it previously did not have. We still have a ways to go to attain the same “status” that theists have, but I think we will get there. I tell my friends there are a lot more atheists in churches than they are willing to admit. Why? If we look at the Greek root of atheism (a- meaning not and “theism” meaning an anthropomorphic or human-like god who lives in the sky and is responsible for all natural events etc.) and then ask a fellow “believer” if that’s the kind of god he believes in, he/she will likely express doubt, confusion, or anxiety about his heretofore certainty. My reply than is you are at best an agnostic and probably an atheist. The most we can say about an atheist is that he does not believe in this kind of god, but likely also does not believe in any kind of deity.
Dave Quinn-Jacobs says
Nicely said, Aaron. The best way to combat false information is to speak honestly and carefully, and not just smear those with whom we disagree.
Some things said by some of the New Atheists are indeed less than admirable, but even those people are not arch villains. They are imperfect people, just like all of us.
Atheists have always been feared and misunderstood because the simple non-act of non-belief can seem threatening to social cohesion where a single religious culture dominates. It is no big deal in cosmopolitan areas, where people are used to a variety of contending beliefs. Articles like yours are valuable in helping others see us for what we are.
Anonymous says
Thanks Aaron!
It’s ok to not believe.
Travis Creasy says
You summed up my perspective perfectly. I suspect many people feel the same way but because we are not part of an organization we have little public representation. Thank you for your comments.
RM says
Many people do not assert that a god or gods exist. However, the late 20th Century has seen the rise of “New Atheism,” a bizarre, paternalistic, sexist and anti-Islamic belief system created mostly by privileged white males from the UK and USA. Adherents have used and abused their privilege to force dissenters out of discussions on atheism. They’ve been racist, openly hostile, sexist, vulgar, and abusive to women. They’ve blacklisted and smeared victims of rape, sexual assault, and abuse. They sent hate mail to a gay male atheist. They persist in their own delusion that a belief or any flirtation with ANY theology is a “dangerous delusion.” (They also tend to shame people with mental illnesses.)
Some of these people have become even more extreme over the past decade. Some joined the Alt-Right. The ones who pretend to be “social justice warriors” (usually those whose representatives are Left-leaning) have done ridiculous things like join The Satanic Temple. This is not representative of most people who do not believe in gods. These people are outliers and should not be the face of secularism. Reasonable, thinking atheists would not join an association whose role model the villain in a book they don’t believe in. Yet, if I mention Atheism where I live, I now hear “Oh, you mean the Satan worshippers.” Because the Atheist leaders in my area demand that followers must recognize the superiority of Communism and engage in hard-core polyamorous BDSM, I can’t say the “a” word at all without being seen as a “Communist sex fiend.” Whatever happened to diversity?
Now is not the time to focus exclusively on “secular activism. Instead, secular white Westerners should recognize the privilege they do have and advocate for those who are in crisis. Stop trying to be cool. You must also recognize the grave errors that the so-called “Atheist movement” made. You’ve left a long trail of victims in your wake. I doubt you can regain the trust of non-believers who have left. We have more to cry about than The Lion King.
Bill M says
Just browsing the web and came on this, what (where (link)?) was the original article that you are responding to?
Well written. Atheism = a-theism. It’s a sad state in our culture that those who don’t believe in the supernatural are immediately vilified for it.
Why doesn’t RM believe in Zeus? Should we claim that everyone who’s murdered in the 21st century are just like him because they also didn’t believe in Zeus?
Oh, and where is Fillmore County? With a sweet retort like this op-ed, I may want to move there…
Aaron Bishop says
Bill M.
Fillmore County is in southeast Minnesota. It’s lovely here!
The original article I am responding to can be found here: http://fillmorecountyjournal.com/the-faith-of-the-atheist-faithful/
Cheers!
Aaron Bishop says
Greetings RM,
I believe you may have missed some of my main point. All the wrongs you have listed have indeed been partaken, in part, by those who are not believers in any gods. I don’t deny that. But, what in your list is done exclusively by atheists because of their lack of the belief in deities? Poly relationships aren’t atheistic. Bigotry isn’t solely atheistic, racism isn’t due to atheisms, nor is sexism. Abuse isn’t something that connects all atheists because of their atheism.
Do you get what I mean? Atheism isn’t the source for these, although atheists may contribute and be a part of them. Atheists are saints (for lack of a better word) because they are atheists. Nor are the inherently evil.
So although I understand your point that atheists are involved in what you listed, that has no bearing on what my article was about, because these acts are not due to atheism, nor are any of them exclusively done by atheists.
When you say “atheist leaders” etc., you may indeed be referring to anti-theists, or some other subgroup of atheists, not atheists as a whole. This was exactly what I meant when I stated the problem is taking a subgroup of atheists and claiming all atheists share the blame. We don’t. I have no affiliation with any other atheist other than being human and having no belief in any deity. I did not cause atheism. Atheism isn’t a hierarchy (so there are no leaders) unless you’re specifically referring to a subgroup, in which case… well, I’ve already explained. I hope that’s clear.
Thank you for your comment.
Cheers
Aaron Bishop says
Typo correction: “Atheists are saints (for lack of a better word) because they are atheists. ”
Should read: Atheists aren’t saintly (for lack of a better word) because they are atheists.
Asilomar says
Wow – that is a pretty broad brush you are painting with. Did you read the article?
Are there atheists who are feminists? Yes.
Are there atheists who are anti-feminists? Yes
Are there misogynistic atheists? Yes
Are there atheists who will work with other groups with similar goals to combat theism? Yes
Are there atheists who sit back and are quiet about their lack of belief? Yes
Are there morally suspect atheists? Yes
Are there morally superior atheists? Yes
Not all christians are pedophile rapists just because a bunch or priests did some abhorrent things.
Not all those who believe in the supernatural are terrorists just because some muslims suicide bomb weddings.
Lastly, your black and white fallacy is showing. Just because the author of the article may tear up at Mufasa’s death (and who doesn’t) doesn’t mean he is not an activist in other things, just as it does not mean he IS an activist – all it means is that he is someone who tears up at Mufasa’s death (and who doesn’t?).
christopher timmis says
i think the only evidence you need for god is seeing the california redwoods and sandiego zoo
michael says
Well bless your heart…
Aaron Bishop says
Christopher Timmis,
I completely recognize where you’re coming from! They are magnificent lifeforms. But if I’d never heard of the Bible or any other holy book, I wouldn’t conclude they were the result of the Christian God, Yahweh. It may make me more likely to consider life or nature itself as some aspect of some higher being or great spirit, but not the God of Abraham (I was taught about that god, it wasn’t realized).
I appreciate what you mean, though.
Cheers!