Faitheism

Faitheist: How an Atheist Found Common Ground with the Religious by Chris Stedman is a book that had to be written. Raised in a largely nonreligious household, Stedman became a born again Christian in his early adolescence by his own initiative. He then agonized over the Bible's condemnation of homosexuality as he began to discover his own gayness. He distanced himself from Christianity and eventually stopped believing in god. He became a militant atheist, happy to offend believers, and once in a drunken rage, vandalizing church property.

Yet he happened to be studying religion in college and learned through a series of transformative interpersonal experiences that he wanted to build bridges between the religious and nonreligious. He had a natural drive to serve people in need and felt at home with faith-driven individuals who shared this drive. Moreover, only by sharing his story as a queer atheist did he form deep and rewarding relationships within the interfaith community. He concluded that it was fruitless to define himself by his atheism, since atheism is about what one doesn't believe. He writes:

I am far more concerned about whether people are pluralistic in their worldview--if they oppose totalitarianism and believe those of different religious and nonreligious identities should be free to live as they choose and cooperate around shared values--than I am about whether someone believes in God or not.

He argues that the "New Atheist" movement, led by such writers as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and the late Christopher Hitchens, are too confrontational and give atheists a bad name. I happen to appreciate the image of Christopher Hitchens touring the world and sharply criticizing theism as he is dying of cancer, and Richard Dawkin's pressing Muslims to reveal that they believe death should be the penalty for infidelity.

I think that Stedman's outlook is going to broaden the atheist movement. There is no grand council of atheists who set an agenda. His approach of building bridges rather than walls and working across religious lines to fight suffering, injustice, and extremism can become part of the atheist movement. His conviction that the interfaith movement must welcome not only those of diverse religions but also the nonreligious (and should in fact name itself something that doesn't include faith) is gaining traction.

Stedman notes the folly of writing a memoir in his mid twenties. But his story needs to be shared. There are many nonreligious people out there who don't believe in the supernatural, but respect--or heck, are even drawn to--religious traditions. There are nonbelievers whose cultural identity is still Christian, Jewish, or Muslim, and that is simply a part of who they are.

Stedman's openness and respect of for religious people has impacted my thinking. I find myself feeling for the Catholics I know who are non-practicing, but still have some of their Catholic beliefs, leaving them conflicted and guilt laden. For Pete's sake, I don't respect Catholicism, but I'd prefer that these people find peace in their faith.

And I don't share Stedmen's distaste of the New Atheist movement. I think that in a pluralistic society, nothing is so sacred as to be free from public criticism. But I think he is changing the atheist movement by inserting his style into it, broadening it into a more robust movement that welcomes freethinkers and can ally with moderate religious individuals.