Below are 2002 responses to my challenge: Does atheism make you better? I present them unedited—no comment, just first names and initials—to spark thought, not attack. Send replies to lewis@sullivan-county.com (no obscenities or sermons, please). As a Classical Deist in 2025, I’d say neither atheism nor faith inherently “betters” you—actions do. Religion’s got its saints and atrocities; atheism’s got reason but no monopoly on virtue. I lean toward nature’s laws over dogma or disbelief—judge people by what they do, not what they deny or worship. —Lewis Loflin
Does becoming an atheist make a person a better human being? I believe so. Atheists must undergo tremendous thoughtful introspection. Atheism frees the individual of mysticism, superstition, xenophobia, irrational dogma, and religious prejudice. It also allows the atheist to work more towards improving the quality of life in this world, rather than worrying about an invisible “next” world.
Does not believing in God prompt positive actions? Christianity (and other religions) can point to many whose lives improved through faith. Can atheism claim the same? If atheism is so positive, what real good has it done? If you mean religion gives peace or philosophy, that’s vague and unmeasurable. I know of no proof religion inspires more good than secularism. In fact, religion has fueled the Inquisition, Crusades, Holocaust, and countless wars. You’d struggle to show its positives outweigh the negatives.
Without religion, look at the good: most U.S. charity is secular, not religious. Science—feeding people, curing disease, lengthening life, advancing tech, understanding the universe—improves billions’ lives, independent of faith. These gains exploded in the last 200 years, the age of reason, not the 1,500 years when religion dominated and suppressed science. By objective measures, secular good outshines religious eras. Were the most religious times—like the Middle Ages—the best to live in? Are today’s most religious societies the best places? I’d say we’re better off with less religion.
Can atheists cite lives changed for the better? Every atheist I know says discarding religion, fear, and superstition improved theirs—mine too. Drug addicts quitting via atheism? As a medical professional, I see addiction as medical, not moral. I’ve never smoked, drunk, or used drugs—like many atheists, unlike many religious folks. Thieves turning honest after losing faith? Your question assumes religion is needed for morality, yet secular codes abound. The 2001 ARIS found 13% of Americans non-religious, but prison stats—Schlapp and Smith (1/10th of 1% non-religious convicts), Root (near-zero atheists in jails), Sing-Sing (under 1/3 of 1% non-religious murderers)—show disbelief ties to less crime. Abusive husbands quitting after abandoning God? Why are religious men beating wives at all?
Is atheism a “belief-system”? It’s just rejecting superstition, not anarchy—most ethics today are secular. Proving the Bible’s flaws only questions the Christian God’s existence or competence. Religion’s historical failures show it’s flawed, not that a Creator’s real. Evil, death, nature’s violence? That suggests God’s absent or aloof, not nonexistent—though it makes His existence meaningless. Evolution doesn’t need God, and claiming He used it lacks evidence. Debunking religion isn’t negative—it frees people from authoritarian grip. After that? No void—just freedom from fear and guilt. Atheism incomplete? Only if you crave mysticism. If God’s real but absent, it’s irrelevant. Thanks for letting me respond.
—Dr. S. A. Schumacher, Canada, Wednesday, June 12, 2002 at 17:13:39 (PDT)
I won’t repeat prior points but question your challenge’s relevance. As an atheist, I don’t care if atheism “betters” me—it’s about truth. No proof of God exists; belief’s effects don’t prove He’s real. Even if faith improved lives, I wouldn’t buy it. If kids who believe in Santa are less naughty, does that make Santa real? Convicts turning to Islam in prison—does that prove Allah? Some say belief in God evolved as an advantage, but that’s not evidence of existence.
Atheists I know are moral, upright—nothing’s missing. Converts to faith aren’t ex-atheists; they’re lapsed believers recommitting. Switching between atheism and belief is rare—too rare to judge its impact. Better lives from faith don’t prove God; atheists’ goodness doesn’t disprove Him. We’re atheists for intellectual honesty, not to be better or happier. We call it as we see it.
—Regards, Pat
Atheism bettered my life. I don’t damn people to hell anymore. I enjoy mythologies, understand people beyond “sinners.” Colleagues note my calm amid frustration. The burden of pleasing an unpleaseable God is gone, helping me support my wife’s bond with her wayward daughter. I’d believe if evidence showed up—fear of God isn’t morality; enlightened self-interest is.
—Rick
Acknowledgment: Responses from Dr. S. A. Schumacher, Pat, and Rick, hosted and updated by Lewis Loflin with thanks to Grok (xAI) for assistance.
