What Is An Atheist?

By guest blogger Francine L. Trevens

Just another human being, but one who believes this life is all there is and wants to make it the best for himself and others.

An atheist is not immoral or inherently evil. Often he has a stronger moral code than those who accept faith without thinking about it. Ethics is not religion, it is open-minded inquiry.

I find genuinely religious people and true atheists have a live and let live attitude. To an atheist, faith is like love – with no rationale. You either feel it or you don’t – and atheists don’t feel faith in God. One cannot blame those who don’t believe unless we can blame those who do believe. Thus, a genuine atheist, like a genuine religious person, judges person by person not by color, creed, sexuality or political alliances.

An atheist is a true adult who takes responsibility for all his actions, aware if he causes ill or harm he can be forgiven only by those he hurt and by himself. There is no day of the week or year when he can go to someone else for forgiveness.

Religious people often say God wrote the bible – I ask which bible – since there are so many versions. God is a derivative of all the Gods which terrified and awed Pagans. The old Gods intimidated and kept downtrodden in line. The one-creator idea was also used to establish laws of behavior – faith was used to keep the have-nots from expecting to become haves.

My first question when I heard God created the universe was: If God created the universe, who created God?

My second was: Is it fair to reward a prodigal son with more love than one who has been good all his life? Why is God unfair? If God is so forgiving, why is he jealous and vengeful and demanding of thoughtless allegiance. If we were not meant  to learn, do, discover – why were we given brains?

If no one thought beyond religious teachings we’d still live in a flat world with moon and sun orbiting us.

Most atheists have more quarrels with pseudo religious than with the creator those people claim to adore. Religions divide, declaring wars in the name of God, claiming their way is the only way.

Atheism is not a religion, a cult or a club. It is a deeply considered opinion arrived at after much consideration of facts and feelings.

Atheists do not lack spirituality, warmth and kindness or a soul, i.e., conscience. They lack what they consider delusion. I told my kids what different peoples believed. Allowed them to go to temple or church with friends. Told my husband who claimed to be a believer to take them to services.

Religious people disown children for being gay, for marrying outside their religion or race…yet accept children who kill or steal. To atheists this is irrational. Atheists have an enlightened moral code – religion an antiquated one.

A priest or rabbi or other religious rep who abuses the young or women is an abomination, but the church accepts him while fighting gay marriage. Athletes, politicians and movie stars who profess faith yet use status to abase women and access sexual favors from the under aged or unwilling are a disgrace when they blatantly lie about it. If bold enough to do the deed, why not brave enough to admit it? If they saw nothing wrong in what they did, why lie?

Atheists are seekers after truth. Each, however, is as individual as any God fearing person – but without that fear…not all good, all strong, all knowing…only seekers after the rational – each with his/her own idiosyncratic take on the world and life. Atheists use their minds to see things for what they are not what they pretend to be. They honor the honest and the thoughtful.

If there were a God, I suspect he would as well.

Francine L. Trevens, published writer since twelve, was an atheist even earlier. She has had 9 books published, been a theater/dance critic, theatrical publicist, stage play director, mother of 2, grandmother of 5. She is noted for moral tales, honesty and open mindedness. Please visit her blog.