NPR has a series called This I believe which presents radio essays in which people try to explain the beliefs that underlie their lives. The essays come from people from all walks of life, and the goal is to engage people “in writing, sharing, and discussing the core values and beliefs that guide their daily lives.”
Here is what I believe:
I believe there is no god. I believe that no one died for my sins. And I wouldn’t want anyone to, either. I can’t see or hear or find evidence of a god. I have no empty feeling that would be filled by believing in a god. I simply have no reason and no urge to believe in a god.
I do, however, have respect for other people’s belief systems by not trying to change their views or make them see things the way I see things. I respect them by trying to understand them and by attending important events in their lives, be it in churches or synagogues or temples, mosques or under the trees during the winter solstice. I admire people who have honest and sincere religious beliefs and who live by the principles they hold dear. I believe that all people should have the freedom to believe what they want to believe. In fact, I would fight for the right of others to practice their religion. But I would also fight for the right to not practice a religion.
I believe that when I do something wrong, I should ask forgiveness from the person I hurt, not from a third party.
I believe that when I die, I will be gone. So I try to make the most out of this life by living right, trying to be happy and trying to make others happy. I don’t want to be a martyr, because this is all I get. One shot.
I believe my ethics should come from what I reason to be the right way to live. It makes sense to me to treat others as I want to be treated. If I treat others poorly, I will be treated poorly. If I treat others with love and respect, they will generally show me the same. How I act is not affected by what may or may not happen in an afterlife. It is based on what seems right to do in this world right now.
Some people think that because I don’t believe in god that my life is somehow meaningless. This couldn’t be further from the truth. I am in awe of the world and my place in the world. The more I learn about science and nature, the more amazing it all seems to me, and the more I realize how little I understand. As I get older, I am more and more humbled by what I see around me.
Pascal’s wager says that it makes more sense to believe in a god because the consequences of not believing and being wrong are more dire than the consequences of believing and being wrong. I see the point, but also think there is more to consider. In the first place, what kind of belief is it if you are believing just to hedge your bet? If there is a god, would she/he respect that? Would your god be happy with you if that was the only reason you believed? I have a lot more respect for someone who is honest and wrong, than someone who does what everyone else is doing “just in case”. And secondly, perhaps there might be some cost if it turns out you’ve had an unfounded belief your whole life. Maybe you’d do things differently or make other choices, or maybe not. It is hard to know.
It is a shame that not believing in a god is not generally accepted or tolerated in our society. It is hard to “come out” as an atheist. In fact, there are some people in my life who I am afraid would think differently of me if I told them I was an atheist. Sure, I may have different beliefs, but that doesn’t mean that I am less of a person or any less trustworthy. Unfortunately, it is viewed as acceptable to be biased against atheists. People often don’t even try to hide their prejudices when it comes to atheism the way they sometimes hide their other biases.
