--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The reason to be an atheist is not that…" description: "\"The reason to be an atheist is not that it makes us feel better or gives us a more rewarding life. The reason to be an atheist is simply that there is ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/julian-baggini-3081_accepting_the-reason-to-be-an-atheist-is-not-that_2497900.png" --- # The reason to be an atheist is not that it makes us feel… ![“The reason to be an atheist is not that it makes us feel better or gives us a more rewarding life. The reason to be an atheist is simply that there is no God and we would prefer to live in full recognition of that, accepting the consequences, even if it makes us less happy.” quote by Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/julian-baggini-3081_accepting_the-reason-to-be-an-atheist-is-not-that_2497900.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/julian-baggini-3081_accepting_the-reason-to-be-an-atheist-is-not-that_2497900.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/julian-baggini-3081_accepting_the-reason-to-be-an-atheist-is-not-that_2497900.png) > “The reason to be an atheist is not that it makes us feel better or gives us a more rewarding life. The reason to be an atheist is simply that there is no God and we would prefer to live in full recognition of that, accepting the consequences, even if it makes us less happy.” [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Atheism is chosen for lack of evidence, not for personal comfort. **In simple terms:** Atheism is based on no evidence of God. Key Takeaway Accept reality and live with its implications. Themes atheism honesty existential responsibility Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - moral decision making - life purpose - public discourse - education Key Concepts philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do you find meaning without a deity? - What ethical frameworks guide your actions? A Different Perspective Living without belief can be socially challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Recognition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognition/) [There is no god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/there-is-no-god/) ## Related quotes > [An atheist may be simply one whose faith and love are concentrated on the impersonal aspects of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/an-atheist-may-be-simply-one-whose-faith-and-love-are-concentrated-on/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Whatever good you would do out of fear of punishment, or hope of reward hereafter, the Atheist would do simply because it is good;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernestine-rose/whatever-good-you-would-do-out-of-fear-of-punishment-or-hope-of/) [Ernestine Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernestine-rose/) > [ Being an atheist makes someone a clearer thinking, fairer person. They \[atheists\] are not doing things to be rewarded in heaven; they're doing things… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/being-an-atheist-makes-someone-a-clearer-thinking-fairer-person-they/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [Tell me," said the atheist , "Is there a God really?" Said the master, "If you want me to be perfectly honest with you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/tell-me-said-the-atheist-is-there-a-god-really-said-the-master-if-you/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“The humanitarian philosophies that have been developed (sometimes under some religious banner and invariably in the face of religious opposition) are human inventions, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-kroto/the-humanitarian-philosophies-that-have-been-developed-sometimes/) Harry Kroto > [There is no reason why an atheist could not write a good Mass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-vaughan-williams/there-is-no-reason-why-an-atheist-could-not-write-a-good-mass/) [Ralph Vaughan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-vaughan-williams/) > [“Atheism is a conclusion reached by the most reasonable methods and one which is not asserted dogmatically but is explained in its every feature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-haldeman-julius/atheism-is-a-conclusion-reached-by-the-most-reasonable-methods-and/) [E. Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) > [“The reason I could never be an atheist is because when they get together they have literally nothing to talk about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-joseph-hoffmann/the-reason-i-could-never-be-an-atheist-is-because-when-they-get/) [R. Joseph Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-joseph-hoffmann/) > [We can never put enough distance between ourselves and what we love. To think that God is, is still to think of him as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-blanchot/we-can-never-put-enough-distance-between-ourselves-and-what-we-love/) [Maurice Blanchot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-blanchot/) > [“Supposing there was no intelligence behind the universe, no creative mind. In that case, nobody designed my brain for the purpose of thinking. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-3/supposing-there-was-no-intelligence-behind-the-universe-no-creative/) [c s lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-3/) > [“the less a man is acquainted with the sweets of life, the less reason he has to be afraid of death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flavius-vegetius-renatus/the-less-a-man-is-acquainted-with-the-sweets-of-life-the-less-reason/) [Flavius Vegetius Renatus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flavius-vegetius-renatus/) > [Despite the amount of suffering, pain, misery, sorrow and travail which can exist in life, the reason for existence is the same reason as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/despite-the-amount-of-suffering-pain-misery-sorrow-and-travail-which/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [I believe that certain people come into your life for a reason, they change your life when you don't expect it. These are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-believe-that-certain-people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-they/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Julian Baggini > [I don't think there is ever a direct connection between the philosophical community and the wider populus. I'm very aware of this because I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/i-don-t-think-there-is-ever-a-direct-connection-between-the/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [Anger clearly has its proper place at work, which is neither wholly absent nor ever present. The manager who is an emotional blank is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/anger-clearly-has-its-proper-place-at-work-which-is-neither-wholly/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [I don't feel proprietorial about the problems of philosophy. History has taught us that many philosophical issues can grow up, leave home and live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/i-don-t-feel-proprietorial-about-the-problems-of-philosophy-history/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [True respect means taking other people's beliefs seriously and assuming they are adult and intelligent enough to be able to cope with it if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/true-respect-means-taking-other-people-s-beliefs-seriously-and/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [We do wrong willfully when we fail to think hard about whether what we're doing is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/we-do-wrong-willfully-when-we-fail-to-think-hard-about-whether-what/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [It may not have the virtuous ring of the golden rule, but the maxim 'never say never' is one of the most important in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/it-may-not-have-the-virtuous-ring-of-the-golden-rule-but-the-maxim/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [I'm not one of these people who is sour about academia. I'm very lucky not to be in academia, but I am an absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/i-m-not-one-of-these-people-who-is-sour-about-academia-i-m-very-lucky/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [“Working out whether or not the claims you make in your premises are true, while important, is simply not enough to ensure that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/working-out-whether-or-not-the-claims-you-make-in-your-premises-are/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [Real life is about accepting ups and downs, the good and the bad, the possibility of failure as well as the ambition to succeed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/real-life-is-about-accepting-ups-and-downs-the-good-and-the-bad-the/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [“Philosophy without criticism is like hunting deer without a shotgun, so, if you want people to like you, avoid robust philosophical debate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/philosophy-without-criticism-is-like-hunting-deer-without-a-shotgun/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [Looking out over the port of Dover, with the endless steam of boats coming in and out, every British citizen is reminded that belonging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/looking-out-over-the-port-of-dover-with-the-endless-steam-of-boats/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [If you believe you are right, then you should believe that you can make the case that you're right. This requires you to deal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/if-you-believe-you-are-right-then-you-should-believe-that-you-can/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [“You know what a word means when you know how to use it, not what its definition is. That is why we can understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/you-know-what-a-word-means-when-you-know-how-to-use-it-not-what-its/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [Daily life is better when it involves interactions with real people who have a personal investment in their labour, like shopkeepers, than it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/daily-life-is-better-when-it-involves-interactions-with-real-people/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [“the meaning of life is not some kind of answer, which, once learned, is forever possessed. For life to stay meaningful it must continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/the-meaning-of-life-is-not-some-kind-of-answer-which-once-learned-is/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) [Explore all 140 Julian Baggini quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The reason to be an atheist is not that it makes us feel better or gives us a more rewarding life. 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