There are essentially two broad lifestreams, ways or paths of being an atheist. One is to define oneself in opposition to theists and purveyors of superstition. The other is to define yourself in terms of reason and leave God out altogether.
Up until this point I’ve felt the need to define myself in opposition to God-wallopers, but more and more atheists are striking up a new tune. There is no reason for superstitious people to expect to call us down to their level for the purpose of the argument they wish to win; it’s the job of the modern atheist to get free of the mire and muck of hatred and ignorance, however fancily garbed – and stay that way.
I believe in the power of the human mind, and sadly rue its limitations. I would rather live with those limitations than any imposed by any supernatural being, however benign.
I believe that an ounce of my experience is worth a pound of someone else’s prescription; but when I don’t have the experience, I will gladly fill the prescription.
I believe that from atoms I was constructed, in the shelter of my mother’s womb, and to atoms I will return, and that these atoms will never appear again in this orderly dance, no, never, even if the universe is eternal.
I believe that apes are my cousins and that we share a common ancestor not just with apes, but with every mammal; I believe that every cell in my body is a timeline of life on Earth, from the viruses my ancestors took into their bodies and bequeathed to me, to the DDT that’s lodged in my body fat.
I believe with a passion and anger that occasionally startles me, that every child born should be a longed for, welcomed member of my planetary family.
I believe that every person on earth has meaning, value and inherent dignity, even the ones who hate me and want to kill me. I believe that if I cannot look at a good and productive person and an violent malefactor without seeing myself mirrored there, I am likely lying to myself and losing a lesson.
I believe that the power of intelligent consensus will replace the clunky and meanspirited political engines running amok in the world today, and to the extent I can, I run my life by consensus.
I believe that corporations should not be legal persons. Until a corporation could be jailed, it cannot be a person.
Family, love, learning, work and service to others are the five pillars of my life, and each day is an opportunity to give myself to these things.
I believe I am responsible for my own health, mental and otherwise, and that part of that responsibility is looking out for others so that they will see some benefit in looking out for me.
I believe in drinking beer from the bottle to avoid dirtying dishes unnecessarily; that games and sports are to be played first and watched only a distant second; that self-sufficiency and generosity co-exist in a balanced life, and that although no good deed goes unpunished, it’s the badly thought through good deeds that tend to cause the most trouble.
I believe it’s possible to think about things too much. As much as I like words, I cannot express all I think I know, and all I know I feel. I believe I must spend a part of every day deconstructing myself, my biases, my weaknesses and my strengths; part of every day laughing; part of every day working; but I am happiest when I don’t seem to be thinking at all.
I believe that science, inquiry, observation and intuition all have their place in coming up with solutions to human problems. I believe that I will never fully understand how my mind, my senses and my body work, or don’t work, together, and that’s okay.
I believe in the power of individuals and families and whole civilizations to change, both for the better and for the worse, and that change for the better takes love and work, and change for the worse takes hate and destructiveness. We may never tire of war; the uniforms are too cool.
I believe in the healing power of nature; the grandeur of space; our cosmic good fortune in dwelling on our green blue world.
I believe that the moon belongs to everybody, and the earth does too. But I don’t believe that anybody else will necessarily agree with me, and I believe it would be a terrible world if everybody agreed with me and was just like me. I believe in variety, I believe in mongrels, and I believe in life.
