No One Pretends to be an Atheist

One peace of mind we have as atheists is that, no one pretends to be an atheist.

This may sound like a weird flex, but when someone tells you they’re a non-believer in any deities…you can pretty confidently put your money on that as fact. Think about it.

According to the most recent censuses, 34.6% of the Canadian population and 28% of the US populace are unaffiliated with any religion. Now that’s just the people who are out about their beliefs, or lack thereof. The true percentage is probably higher than that. Why? Well, when your friends and family think that you’re going to burn in a lake of fire for all of eternity, it’s kind of hard to say “ummm, that’s me”…for obvious reasons.

So, for religious folk, sitting in the pews and professing out loud what they believe in sincerity, or on their worship mat, genuinely praying towards Mecca…there has to be people around them, not believing the narrative. 1 in 3 in Canada; almost 1 in 4 in America. To some religious people, this is not a big deal…in a “you do you” type of way. But man…there has to be some people who would flip out if they knew their pew mate or carpet buddy was a *gasp*…atheist!

We don’t have to worry about that. Truth be told, that alone gives me comfort. It’s like being in a heist and you know that no one on the team is going to flip the switch mid robbery and say that all along they believed in the one true bank. It’s not like after the rapture, the Christians looking around in heaven will say “Bob, what the hell!?! I thought you were an atheist!” Surprise!

Even if the atheist you’re picturing is an unsavoury character, and I know a few of those…at least they’re honest about their lack of beliefs. They’re not pretending to be an atheist for the clout, to win an election, or to dupe people into sending them money to buy a private jet. These rare examples of toxic atheists, are not a great representation of the rest of us and are likely not adhering to the fundamentals of humanism.

There would be no advantage in today’s societies to pretend to not believe in the deities du jour. Whether it’s a country that collectively shares a majority belief in multiple gods, one god or a god king…there would be zero advantages in performing an illusion of disbelief. Not only could you be killed, maimed or imprisoned in some areas of the world…you could also be ostracized and separated from friends, family and society as a whole. Maybe there is a small area of the world where your specific religion is not accepted to be mainstream, but in that instance…it’s still beneficial to pretend to be a more favourable sect or a religious believer of some flavour.

I’ve been on the opposite side of the spectrum. I’ve chosen to conceal my disbelief in order to fit in and appease others. Even in my own relationships and originally in my marriage. Our wedding was very religious and it didn’t bother me to give my wife the wedding she always wanted. It wasn’t until the speeches, when my amazing in-laws stated how much they appreciated the fact that their daughter had married a man that shares the exact same beliefs that she does. My inner monologue was buzzing with something akin to “Uh, yeah about that…I’m kind of a heathen in disguise over here.” It was a long hard road out of that one. I almost wish I was honest right out of the gate…but it’s a major dilemma for me, because then, I probably wouldn’t have been at the alter in the first place.

Like myself, not everyone is pretending to be a believer for nefarious reasons. There are some out there for sure. But the majority are just trying to connect to loved ones and be accepted in this overly judgmental society. Ultimate freedom is to be accepted and respected for who you actually are…and I think we are taking baby steps toward that goal.

I don’t hide my atheism anymore…but I’m one of the lucky ones who can be open and honest about my worldview.

Some apologists will even say that atheists are just pretending to lack belief, or that deep down they know the gospel truth. Well, that’s quite a dishonest viewpoint Ray; you can’t read our minds, and we admit that we don’t know anything for certain.

How bout them bananas?