AĀ·theĀ·ist
/ĖÄTHÄÉst/
A person whoĀ disbelievesĀ in the existence of God or gods.
-Oxford Languages
According to Pew Research, only 5% of US adults identify as atheist. Contrary to popular assumptions, more self-identified atheists live in the South than any other region of the US.
In our largely Christian country, a person who lacks faith is often framed as a sad, pitiful, and even immoral individual. Life without God must be lonely. Life without Jesus must mean you lack a moral compass. Life without church must mean you are without community. As a well-adjusted, adult atheist, I argue the opposite.
A life without religion, without the expectations of the church, has gifted me unlimited freedom in my self expression and exploration.
My family was never affiliated with a local church, and that “othered” us.
Furthermore, we were far from a nuclear household; my two brothers and I all have different biological dads. My beautiful mother, a heavily tattooed woman with an artistic mind, quickly learned that our neighbors did not always speak kindly of people like us. I never felt that I was wrong for being myself until the religious community that surrounded me told me so.
I behaved differently than my peers growing up. I loved horror movies, Halloween, and dark, witchy things as a child; my friend’s parents told them that those things were demonic, while my parents understood I was just having fun. I dyed my hair crazy colors, wore bold makeup, and I loved myself for it. This isn’t to say that religious people cannot do these same things, but there has always been an undeniable stigma casted by religious societies towards those different from them.
I was always a skeptical and inquisitive childāit made me a better listener and learner. I was never told that there is only one definitive truth; this gave me the willpower to seek my own truth. My unique style and habits often alienated me from other kids my age, who fell more easily into the status quo, but I am grateful for the way I grew up.
I was allowed to question my parents. No opinion was a bad opinion, and that always allowed for growth in my household. I believe that growing up without religion made me more introspective, independent and empathetic.
I was about 10 years old when I decided for myself that God was not real. My father, raised devout Catholic, turned atheist; my mother, more Pagan or agnostic. Thus, I was left to figure out my beliefs on my own. I was a blank slate, and that forced me to explore the world with humility and an open-mind. Ultimately I came to the conclusion that no one had the “right” answers, and that fact is what gave us humans solidarity with each other.
I was never taught right from wrong on a biblical scale, but rather, encouraged to understand ethic and principles in a deeply personal way. This mindset has allowed me to lead with empathy and mindfulness.
Religion offers, to others, a sense of community that I found elsewhere. Through art and friendship, my life is fulfilled. The feeling that “this is it” does not scare me. I see divinity in the present, mortal world. We too often anthropomorphize magical thingsāfairies are magic, while butterflies are ordinary. Mermaids are extraordinary, while all the ocean’s creatures are regular.
Religion might work for some people, but for me, lacking faith in a higher power has never been limiting.