Marshall’s Blog | Crazy Mormon Lib

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much I like atheists. As a devout Mormon, that might sound a bit strange, but I find most of the atheists I know to be wonderful, inspiring individuals. I’m sure there are some atheists out there who are also terrible, terrible people, but that has never been my experience. Here’s why I think that is:

1. Atheists are reliable

You always know what you’re going to get with an atheist: they don’t believe in God or organized religion. OK, fair enough. With that understanding, you can have many wonderful logic-based discussions on any number of topics. You may disagree, but there’s always an underlying deference to common sense.

With religious people, I’m often completely shocked with how they arrive at some conclusions. “You think the Bible says what now?” When I disagree with a religious person, it usually comes down to how I interpret a part of scripture compared to how he or she interprets it. Disagreements like this lead nowhere and I find myself wishing I was talking with an atheist.

2. Atheists are brave

The majority of people in the world believes in God and practices some form of religion. So, the odds are that your atheist friend had to make a pretty serious break with his or her family, culture, and way of life. I call that bravery. Most atheists I know have arrived at their conclusions because of an honest assessment of the facts and of themselves. Despite an enormous pressure to conform, they stand up for what they believe to be true. I find that inspiring.

I have one friend whose father was a Mormon bishop. To fill some time in a meeting, this father called his son up from the audience to share his belief in God and Mormonism. Despite hundreds of friends and neighbors looking at him expectantly, he remained seated and silent. He did not believe and he was not going to lie, even if it would save him from a terribly awkward and painful experience. I don’t care who you are, you’ve got to respect that kind of sacrifice.

3. Atheists are moral

Truly moral decisions are not the result of the memorization of codes and laws. True morals require a person to explore issues deeply, examine the difference between right and wrong, and make reasoned decisions about which paths to pursue. Without a belief in God or religion, most atheists I know have taken the responsibility to think through important issues and situations on their own. The end result is that most atheists are highly moral people. The danger with religion is when its laws and creeds are accepted prematurely or applied inappropriately.

Considering all that, I think atheists deserve some credit. They’re logical, moral and they stand up for what they believe in. Now if we could just get religious people to do the same.