A Visitor's Guide to Atheism

Allow me to present my personal guide to atheism. I write in response to the many Christians who visit atheist sites, and as an antidote to the many misappropriations, misjudgements and misconducts I’ve seen. I write without anger, without hate, without aggression – I write from the intellect, not from the spleen. 

What is an atheist? I cannot speak for all of us, as there are extremes in all walks of life. But, simply put, it’s generally like this: An atheist is, quite simply, a person who believes that there is no god [by ‘god’, I refer to a higher conscious being]. An atheist does not need to prove the non-existence of god to have that belief. They have simply arrived at an informed decision. 

What kind of a person is an atheist? Contrary to much of the rumour spread on this website, an atheist is not driven by hatred. An atheist does not hate god, because they don’t believe it exists. An atheist does not hate theists as a group, though they may be critical about theism itself. 

An atheist is informed. They have usually arrived at this status for intellectual reasons – for my own part, I have read the key texts of the major world religions, examined untold supporting literature, studied everything from creationism to evolution and back again. 

An atheist is considered. Though they may state their case passionately, they have reached their decision studiously, intellectually, based on information and common sense. 

An atheist is open-minded. If there was genuine credible evidence for god, there would be no atheists. An atheist follows the evidence, much like a scientist, and would gladly hold their hand up if they knew they were wrong. The fact that in all of human history there has never been such evidence speaks volumes, of course. 

An atheist is honest. An atheist knows that the Big Bang Theory is just that, a theory. An atheist also knows that there is more scientific evidence for the Big Bang than there is for the existence of god. An atheist understands that theists do not accept, conversely, that religion is also a theory. 

What does it mean to have atheism in your life? It does not mean you will lack morality, courage, inner strength, security – all of these things come from the human spirit, not the holy one. 

Nor does it mean you lack wonder in your life. I am amazed by the creatures of this world, by our planet itself, by the universe beyond us, truly amazed, and I know that there is so much we cannot explain – and that there may be things we will never explain. And I don’t need to explain them in order for atheism to stand up. That sense of beauty, of magic, has nothing to do with religion. 

Allow me to end with one final question. How should a theist behave on an atheist site? If you should choose to visit a site which discusses views opposite to your own, remember that you are gatecrashing. Show respect for your host. If you fail to behave yourself, don’t be surprised or offended if you are blocked. 

Don’t tell us what we already know. We know that you really really believe that there is a god. Don’t visit an atheist site just to tell us that. If you say something, make sure you actually have something to say. If you say something inane, expect to be ridiculed; you will surely deserve it. 

Don’t deposit your misinformation on our pages. Don’t accuse us of hating god, or being unable to prove its non-existence. Have the decency to actually ask us what we’re like. 

Don’t get offended just because we don’t share your belief. We find it ridiculous, tragic, misguided, ill-informed, stubborn, at times murderous. That is not a hate or an aggression, but an intellectual conclusion. Deal with that fact. Don’t visit us just to register your disapproval. 

Finally, if you have an issue, discuss it with us intelligently, rationally, and courteously. If you can’t do that, just don’t come back. Don’t start hate groups directed at specific members, or spray vexatious posts across their pages, or register as a member of an atheist group just so you can change its avatar or alter its constituents. Take a page out of your own book, and do as you would be done by.  Remember that you're representing your kind.