50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God by Guy P. Harrison Read Free Book Online Page A

day. It's just not that big of a
deal. I'm far more interested in being a father, husband, friend, and
writer than I am in being an atheist. There is a lot more to do in life
than obsess over what you don't believe in.
    Some believers suspect that atheists like science a little too much.
A few have accused me of making science my religion. Not all but
some nonbelievers may have a deep appreciation for science but it
does not mean they worship it or necessarily believe in it as some ultimate source of wisdom and guidance. Science to me, for example, is
simply the best method we have for figuring things out. That's as far as it goes. Science is not my surrogate god, as some believers charge.
Science gave us napalm and the H-bomb so in my eyes it clearly is not
a fountain of goodness that can do no wrong. I do not look to it to find
personal meaning in life. It's not my mentor or guiding light. It is a
tool. I think it is invaluable, irreplaceable, and inspirational but still
just a tool.

    Atheists do not worship humans as gods either, contrary to what
many believers claim. This weird idea may have come from some
believers' reaction to secular humanism. Secular humanism is a positive philosophy that promotes reason and ethics. It has no place for the
supernatural, probably because nothing supernatural has ever been
shown to be real in all of history. Some believers viciously oppose secular humanism, calling it a terrible evil that threatens the world. Christian TV preachers routinely attack it. Some believers even make the
outrageous claim that Hitler and Stalin were humanists and mass
murder is what you get when secular humanism runs its course. I find
all of this fear and animosity toward humanism odd since the American Humanists Association defines it this way: "Humanism is a progressive lifestance that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability
and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that
aspire to the greater good of humanity."
    How does this line of thinking threaten the good people of planet
Earth? The following are some principles of the Council for Secular
Humanism:
    • We are committed to the application of reason and science to the
understanding of the universe and to the solving of human problems.
    • We deplore efforts to denigrate human intelligence, to seek to
explain the world in supernatural terms, and to look outside
nature for salvation.
    • We believe that scientific discovery and technology can contribute to the betterment of human life.
    • We believe in an open and pluralistic society and that democracy is the best guarantee of protecting human rights from authoritarian elites and repressive majorities.

    • We are concerned with securing justice and fairness in society
and with eliminating discrimination and intolerance.
    • We attempt to transcend divisive parochial loyalties based on
race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, and strive to work together for the common
good of humanity.
    • We want to protect and enhance the earth, to preserve it for
future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless suffering on
other species.
    • We believe in enjoying life here and now and in developing our
creative talents to their fullest.
    • We believe in the cultivation of moral excellence.
    • We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be allowed
to fulfill their aspirations, to express their sexual preferences, to
exercise reproductive freedom, to have access to comprehensive
and informed healthcare, and to die with dignity.
    • We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, integrity,
honesty, truthfulness, and responsibility. Humanist ethics is
amenable to critical, rational guidance. There are normative
standards that we discover together. Moral principles are tested
by their consequences.
    • We are deeply concerned with the moral education of our children. We want to