--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Atheists can be good people; they just…" description: "\"Atheists can be good people; they just have no objective way to judge the conduct of those who are not.\" — Michael Gerson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/michael-gerson-33420_atheist_atheists-can-be-good-people-they-just-ha_976744.jpg" --- # Atheists can be good people; they just have no objective… ![“Atheists can be good people; they just have no objective way to judge the conduct of those who are not.” quote by Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/michael-gerson-33420_atheist_atheists-can-be-good-people-they-just-ha_976744.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/michael-gerson-33420_atheist_atheists-can-be-good-people-they-just-ha_976744.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/michael-gerson-33420_atheist_atheists-can-be-good-people-they-just-ha_976744.jpg) > “Atheists can be good people; they just have no objective way to judge the conduct of those who are not.” [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues atheists lack an external moral yardstick, yet can still be good. **In simple terms:** Atheists have no objective moral judge. Key Takeaway Recognize moral goodness beyond religion. Themes ethics religion humanism Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical debate When to use this quote - community service - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts subjective morality secular ethics Questions to Reflect On - Can morality be universal without religion? - How do we assess ethical behavior? A Different Perspective Moral frameworks vary widely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Atheists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheists/) [Good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I can't gather around and talk about how much everybody in the room doesn't believe in God. 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Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [“the plain fact of the matter was that the Disc was manifestly traversing space on the back of a giant turtle and the gods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-plain-fact-of-the-matter-was-that-the-disc-was-manifestly/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The two most evangelical groups in the world are atheists and vegetarians, especially the least knowledgeable and least intelligent individuals within those groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-coleman/the-two-most-evangelical-groups-in-the-world-are-atheists-and/) Clark Coleman > [ Again, I hear almost everyday from atheists who write off religion as primitive, premodern nonsense. 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Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [We're not mad at God, just like atheists don't hate Santa or Unicorns, they're just not there!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemant-mehta/we-re-not-mad-at-god-just-like-atheists-don-t-hate-santa-or-unicorns/) [Hemant Mehta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemant-mehta/) > [I am like all other atheists only in that I do not believe there are any gods. Beyond that, I may differ dramatically in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carrier/i-am-like-all-other-atheists-only-in-that-i-do-not-believe-there-are/) [Richard Carrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carrier/) > [If all the Atheists & Agnostics left America, they'd lose 93% of The National Academy of Sciences & less than 1% of the prison population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/if-all-the-atheists-agnostics-left-america-they-d-lose-93-of-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Michael Gerson > [This has all the appearance of a foreign power trying to undermine structures of legitimacy of an American election. That is a serious matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/this-has-all-the-appearance-of-a-foreign-power-trying-to-undermine/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [“Freedom requires virtues it does not produce and may even help undermine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/freedom-requires-virtues-it-does-not-produce-and-may-even-help/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [The Republican Party has become more conservative. The Democratic Party has become marginally more liberal. There's almost no overlap in the middle, ideological overlap,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/the-republican-party-has-become-more-conservative-the-democratic/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [The soft bigotry of low expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/the-soft-bigotry-of-low-expectations/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [It's hard when the worst people in the country are cheering, the people with the confederate flag, the people that do anti-Semitism on Twitter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/it-s-hard-when-the-worst-people-in-the-country-are-cheering-the/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [Parenthood offers many lessons in patience and sacrifice. But ultimately, it is a lesson in humility. The very best thing about your life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/parenthood-offers-many-lessons-in-patience-and-sacrifice-but/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [The problem with these presidential debates like this is that you can't really prepare for them, because the questions are so individual and personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/the-problem-with-these-presidential-debates-like-this-is-that-you-can/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [“To restrict or legalize abortion, to allow or forbid gay marriage, a legislator would need to write and pass a law, get it signed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/to-restrict-or-legalize-abortion-to-allow-or-forbid-gay-marriage-a/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [When your goal is to bring together the country in a substantive way to say that we're united by values and more - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/when-your-goal-is-to-bring-together-the-country-in-a-substantive-way/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [When you analyze it, Mike Pence could only defend Donald Trump in some circumstances by projecting an image of himself, as though he were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/when-you-analyze-it-mike-pence-could-only-defend-donald-trump-in-some/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [The NSA is not looking through people's address books and Visa bills and violating the rights of average citizens. That's not what the NSA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/the-nsa-is-not-looking-through-people-s-address-books-and-visa-bills/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [There is some of the paradox of foreign policy polling. So on Iraq and Syria, the President is pretty much doing what Americans want,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/there-is-some-of-the-paradox-of-foreign-policy-polling-so-on-iraq-and/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [“The rational arguments against suicide are compelling. It causes intense suffering for loved ones that few would intend in their right mind. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/the-rational-arguments-against-suicide-are-compelling-it-causes/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [“To this point, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has been the Republican flavor of the year. Events from the IRS scandal to NSA revelations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/to-this-point-sen-rand-paul-of-kentucky-has-been-the-republican/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) [Explore all 15 Michael Gerson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) ## More Atheist 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/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [Atheist’s denial of God’s existence needs just as much substantiation as does the theist’s claim; the atheist must give plausible reasons for rejecting God’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/atheist-s-denial-of-god-s-existence-needs-just-as-much-substantiation/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) > [“The atheist joined his hands. It wasn't against the Gods. He smiled, with his hands folded, saw his daughter's in-laws approaching near.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhavik-sarkhedi/the-atheist-joined-his-hands-it-wasn-t-against-the-gods-he-smiled/) [Bhavik Sarkhedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhavik-sarkhedi/) > [I am surprised that anyone can profess to be an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/i-am-surprised-that-anyone-can-profess-to-be-an-atheist/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [An Atheist wandering down a road where he meets up a four road junction , he asks a passer by hey !, where does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/an-atheist-wandering-down-a-road-where-he-meets-up-a-four-road/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/an-ineffably-holy-god-who-has-the-utmost-abhorrence-of-sin-was-never/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [If all the Atheists & Agnostics left America, they'd lose 93% of The National Academy of Sciences & less than 1% of the prison population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/if-all-the-atheists-agnostics-left-america-they-d-lose-93-of-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I am an atheist. I don't think there's anything divine. 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Beyond that, I may differ dramatically in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carrier/i-am-like-all-other-atheists-only-in-that-i-do-not-believe-there-are/) [Richard Carrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carrier/) [Browse all 2,434 Atheist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Atheists can be good people; they just have no objective way to judge the conduct of those who are not.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Gerson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/atheists-can-be-good-people-they-just-have-no-objective-way-to-judge/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atheist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/atheists-can-be-good-people-they-just-have-no-objective-way-to-judge/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/michael-gerson-33420_atheist_atheists-can-be-good-people-they-just-ha_976744.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/michael-gerson-33420_atheist_atheists-can-be-good-people-they-just-ha_976744.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/michael-gerson-33420_atheist_atheists-can-be-good-people-they-just-ha_976744.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Atheists can be good people; they just have no objective way to judge the conduct of those who are not.” — Michael Gerson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Gerson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Atheists can be good people; they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/atheists-can-be-good-people-they-just-have-no-objective-way-to-judge/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/atheists-can-be-good-people-they-just-have-no-objective-way-to-judge/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```