Nonbelievers are Believers Too

"Oh, their God," my friend the historian and poet Jennifer Michael Hecht posted on facebook, "he said Nonbelievers." President Obama made positive inaugural mention of a word that rarely crosses the lips of lesser politicos, and the online crowd of religious skeptics went wild. I too was pleasantly surprised to see the President return, after a bit of wandering in recent months, to his previous practice of extending a rhetorical hand to my community in his oratory. As reiterated by my colleagues in the American Humanist Association's recent ad campaign, Obama is the proud product of "parenting beyond belief"--his strong relationship with his Humanist mother S. Ann Dunham makes him living proof that family values without religion build character.

But meanwhile, as my student John pointed out via concerned text message, the Rev. Joseph Lowery did not extend us the same courtesy in his benediction. And Rick Warren's invocation was, if not exactly typical of the Reverend who has proudly admitted his prejudice against ever voting for an atheist for President, then still the testimony of a dyed-in-the-wool Evangelical, a prayer in the name of Jesus and only Jesus. Looking to the future, what should we make of the role religion and non-religion have played in the opening hours of the Obama presidency?

With regard to Rick Warren, you can disagree vigorously, as I do, with his theology. But dismiss Warren as unsophisticated or philosophically insignificant at your own peril. Warren said to his God, "you are loving to everyone you have made." He spoke not just of blind faith--though in recent speeches he has suggested that young Christians should follow Jesus the way that young Germans once followed Hitler, or the way young Chinese once devoted themselves to Mao--but of wisdom, courage, and compassion. This is why Warren has successfully come to symbolize the rejection of what Christopher Lasch called America's "culture of narcissism." Granted it is utterly unacceptable to assert, as Warren does, that the only acceptable alternative to narcissism is Jesus. But we should admit Warren may at least be half right on the issue if we hope to win the hearts of some of his many followers.

Regarding Lowery, his was no ordinary benediction but one that began with the third verse of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the song long known as the Black National Anthem. Hearing those words, I started doing some research and was led via YouTube back to the Rev. Jesse Jackson's stirring introduction to the song at the 1972 festival Wattstax (five years before I was born) where that defiant young man led 100,000 black people in passionately calling out "I am somebody!" before giving way to their anthem's resilient and inspiring words. Not only the black community but also Latinos, Asians, Gays, Humanists/atheists, and many others should be grateful for such strong moments of past leadership (even if individual leaders have not always lived up to their own promise and principles). And I simply cannot imagine that my community of atheists and agnostics would choose to deny the presence of such prayers to those who hold them dear on an occasion such as this one, simply because we disagree with some of the ideas they contain. We do not stand merely for erasing religion. Ours can and must be an embracing philosophy.

I won't try to hide my own disappointment that there wasn't an openly Humanist or atheist representative anywhere to be found in the many symbolic events surrounding the inaugural--not on the dais with the new President and not even the next day at the inaugural prayer service featuring Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Hindus, but excluding the at least 10 percent of Americans, the billion plus people worldwide who are non-religious. I won't even deny that, as Humanist Chaplain at the President's alma mater and a passionate believer that this must be an Interfaith Nation, I would have been honored to contribute to the latter event. (Here I'm just heeding wise words that have become something of a Humanist proverb, at least in my circles: "Don't make yourself out to be so small...you're not that big!")

The point is, the next four years will present an awesome challenge to everyone in America, indeed everyone on earth; a challenge we just we don't have the luxury to shirk. With Obama's election progressives and conservatives alike must internalize that we cannot simply blame our opponents for all our problems--we must be the change we wish to see, and only then exhort our foes to come with us. Because in a world where our economic, environmental and military security are so precarious, the selfish, overly defensive decision by of any of us to lash out at others instead of looking inward could endanger all of us, like the proverbial butterfly's wings in Brazil setting off a tornado in Texas.

And so if no group is perfect -- if each community must face its own unique challenges along with universal ones -- then the test of "nonbelievers" mettle these next four years and beyond will be whether we can stand up together and organize ourselves enough to convince President Obama, the nation, and the world that our perspectives, our collective wisdom, indeed our very humanity must be recognized to an even greater extent. We too must achieve and ultimately be granted full equality, so that one day one of our own might be President of this nation, or Secretary General of the United Nations. And I believe Humanists and atheists will get to the promised land--a metaphorical land representing healthy space within us and between us, promised not by divine prophecy but by human prophets.

To do this, however, the non-religious will have to affirm that we are in fact believers, though not in a traditional sense. As believers in Humanism, we too affirm the need to cultivate wisdom, courage, compassion, and above all the struggle towards a universal and universally mutually interdependent human dignity.

President Obama described his mother as a "lonely witness for secular Humanism," but to gain greater inclusion we must never again allow women and men like her to be so lonely. We must not only tear down unreasonable ideas but also build up positive Humanist community. And as we push back against the idea that you can't be good without God, we must always remember that we stand for more than simply living "without god." More profoundly, we who have been called nonbelievers--and though I call us Humanists, I encourage you to choose whatever name you like--are passionate believers in human good, for goodness' sake, and for the sake of all humanity and of all the world.

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"More profoundly, we who have been called nonbelievers--and though I call us Humanists, I encourage you to choose whatever name you like--are passionate believers in human good, for goodness' sake, and for the sake of all humanity and of all the world."

I thought this was lovely. Thank you for that.

Posted by: Cobalt_Blue | January 27, 2009 9:21 AM
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Keirgazelle,

Hindu philosophy is unequivocal. There is no God. The philosophy is MONISM not monotheism, and definitely not polytheism. Avatars, gods, deities exist in the mythology by the thousands, but the philosophy is clear. These are SYMBOLIC representations only to help focus the mind for meditation or prayer during the early stages of spiritual development. There is no God separate from anything. Nonduality is the fundamental truth. Anything with a name or form - such as the God concept - is not real.

Posted by: clearthinking1 | January 26, 2009 1:31 AM
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Is Interfaithnation really JJ?

terra

Posted by: KeirGazelle | January 25, 2009 5:14 PM
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clearthinking1,
Is it that you are saying that Hindus have no God/s? If so you are wrong...I am not Hidu but I really respect Kali Ma as well as Shiva.

terra

Posted by: KeirGazelle | January 25, 2009 5:07 PM
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non believers ? non believers in what ? Muslims are non believers in Hinduism, Hindu's are nonbelievers in Mohammed, Jews are non believers in Jesus as the Christ, Christians are non believers in pagan tree fairies. Arent we all non believers in something? I'm a non believer in politicians promises. And if he's talking about atheists' or humanists, isnt using the term "non" believers admitting that there is a God that these people are not believing in ? Is it really arrogant, self righteous, and intollerant to think that truth can actually be known and that someone is right and others are wrong ? I know one thing for sure, ten out of ten people die, and one day you and I will too, and on that day we will find out for sure that one set of beliefs where true and everyone else was wrong.

Posted by: US-conscience | January 25, 2009 9:45 AM
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Non believers ? Non believers of what ? Muslims are nonbelivers of Atheists, Jew's are nonbelievers of Christ as the Messiah, Hindu's are non believers of Mohommad, I am a non believer of pagan tree fairies and politicians promises. Arent we all non believers in something ? And if he is talking about non believers in a higher power ( God ) isnt calling them in the negative ( non ) admitting that there is a God that these people dont believe in ?
Isnt it arrogant, self righteous and condescending to believe that truth can actually be known. I know one thing for sure, ten out of ten people die, and one day you will too, and on that day you will find out that one set of beliefs where true and everyone else was wrong.

Posted by: US-conscience | January 25, 2009 9:37 AM
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Question: one be "secular" and "humanist" and:

a) Jewish - Moses
b) Christian - Jesus
c) Muslim - Mohamed
d) Bhuddist - Bhudda
e) Hindu - none
f) Sikh - Guru Nanak
g) Jain - Mahavir
h) atheist - none

Answer: e & h.

The rest of the belief systems are in a sense "cults of personality". Science, atheism, and Hinduism encourage rational skepticism as the basis of inquiry. If you don't understand this, ask more questions and learn more with an open mind.

Posted by: clearthinking1 | January 25, 2009 4:38 AM
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Greg,

Overlooked your mention of Jennifer Michael Hecht, an all-time fav of yours truly. Strongly recommend her brilliant, prize-winning "Funny" to all and sundry. A magnificent Renaissance person, she.

Posted by: Farnaz2 | January 24, 2009 7:35 PM
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Interesting comments Greg.

Your mentioning Jennifer Michael Hecht, gives me an opportunity to recommend her excellent book;

"Doubt; A History", which traces doubters from Epicurus to Dawkins with many stops along the way.
A wonderful read showing that bright folk have always been part of man's historical narrative.

Posted by: colinnicholas | January 24, 2009 11:41 AM
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Epstein Epstein Epstein:

All i read was "WE", "WE" "WE" like saying "i" "i" "i"..

Are Ye, like A R M I N I U S, a Self Proclaimed "Leader" or "Guru" of the HUMANIST-NATION, via this Blogg (paid or not) or is it the Ye are the "King of the "SECULAR-NATION", or is it "King Of The Humanist"? Maybe Jews?

Ps: There is NO Humor here!

Where art go-est thee?

Amazing! No-Grace!

Posted by: InterfaithNation | January 23, 2009 3:17 PM
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"I'm amazed that the only group whose presence doesn't violate the wishes of the Founding Fathers, the humanists, are usually among the fringe groups (Wiccans, Buddhists) who are excluded."

Whoa, there, big guy. Buddhism is a major world religion, and there's probably more Pagans in this country than Hindus by a fair margin.

There's a perception of us as 'fringe' in large measure because the monotheists lump us in with the 'unbelievers,' and the way certain atheists speak of us, we're the same as authoritarian religions.

You're committing, here, the same kind of rhetorical dismissals that you're complaining about.

Personally, I'm OK with a President who can actually get the words 'All Americans' out of his mouth without monotheist qualifiers, and in a spirit of inclusion, (the previous President *specifically* excluded my religion from his idea of which religions deserved civil rights, right down to putting up a major fight against one of our decorated war dead getting a decent memorial, these have been pretty scary times, to be quite honest, )

But don't take the inclusion of 'nonbelievers' as permission to turn around and call someone else 'fringe.'

Posted by: Paganplace | January 23, 2009 2:19 PM
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Yes, I hate the anti label also, and obviously get lazy and use it also.

Posted by: FRIENDENEMY | January 23, 2009 1:53 PM
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"Christians" labeling people "Non-Believers" is self-righteous and condescending. People who are not Christian, Jewish or Muslim all believe in something and, therefore, are "Believers" as well.

More Abrahamic labeling of those different. The epitome of intolerance and arrogance.

Posted by: coloradodog | January 23, 2009 11:54 AM
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I think we all are "lonely secular humanists" no more.

When I began to walk what I thought was a lonely path as a teenager, I used to be called confused. Now I see people realize that many ideas are out there besides the ones they grew up with and listen to me if I don't condescend them.

I do want to see more athiests/humanists in positions in government. I think this is key for our growing general acceptance.

Let's lobby in all our communication with others so that we will see not only see believers up there with Obama, but non-believers.

Posted by: FRIENDENEMY | January 23, 2009 10:55 AM
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Greg,

Rick Warren, a cure for Narcissism? Rick Warren is the great Christian Narcissism. Or, to put it another, secular way, Jesus who?

Jesus-god the great big man in the sky? Will old Rick, post weight-watchers, float his formerly fat self up to heaven to meet with?

Sheeesh!

Posted by: Farnaz2 | January 22, 2009 12:22 AM
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Hi, Greg -- my feelings pretty much mirror yours. I wasn't surprised to hear Obama refer to non-believers. I was hoping for it -- pretty much banking on it, because he'd done it routinely during his campaign.

I think we'll be hearing more of this from him as his administration progresses successfully, and with any luck, we'll see a humanist celebrant like you on the inaugural stage with him in 2013.

Posted by: efavorite | January 21, 2009 10:09 PM
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When I watch a national government commemoration such as the inaugural, I always feel as if I'm a kid again, being forced to attend a worship service. I'm amazed that the only group whose presence doesn't violate the wishes of the Founding Fathers, the humanists, are usually among the fringe groups (Wiccans, Buddhists) who are excluded. What we support and wish to have heard is not, as some professional religionists claim, a religion. We're the descendants of Paine, Franklin and Jefferson, and want religion left where it belongs -- in one's personal life. But when's the last time some evangelist went into his closet to pray?

Posted by: JNWesner | January 21, 2009 4:29 PM
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Thanks for that, Greg. Very thoughtful and well put.

Posted by: DaleMcGowan | January 21, 2009 11:23 AM
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Greg M. Epstein

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