Chapter 1.

What is a Conservative Atheist?

Historians will have to face the fact that natural selection determined the evolution of cultures in the same manner as it did that of species.

~Konrad Lorenz

From Dictionary.com:

Conservative:

1. The inclination, especially in politics, to maintain the existing or traditional order.

2. A political philosophy or attitude emphasizing respect for traditional institutions, distrust of government activism, and opposition to sudden change in the established order.

Atheist:

1. One who disbelieves or denies the existence of a God, or supreme intelligent being.

Political conservatism coupled with atheism is a combination that you don't see much of, overtly, anyway. That's really the main motivation behind my web site and the reason I'm writing this book. I am a die-hard capitalist with mostly conservative cultural views. I disagree with the leftist/liberal agenda popular among atheists and feel that it is approaching socialism at best and blatant anti-Americanism at worst. At the same time I do not subscribe to the religious foundation that is so strongly attached to the right/conservative agenda in the United States and elsewhere. I find no reason to believe in any of the roughly 100,000 religions based on the estimated 2,500 gods that have been identified since the time of the Neanderthals. I read a great deal of both conservative publications and publications about atheism or skepticism in general but seldom do I see writings that support both views simultaneously.

I feel that the conservative atheist viewpoint is truly one that is pure, thoughtful, reasonable and devoid of any obligations of following with religious or political tradition. Traditional conservatives and liberals or Republicans and Democrats in the United States are renowned for voting the "party line". They feel that since they've decided that their individual ideals align best with one party or the other they will always choose that side and concede any instances where they don't agree with their selected ticket. There are so many issues that it really is not possible these days to completely agree with a team so you choose a few issues that matter to you and side with the team that sees those specific issues as you do.

Religious people tend to be against abortion and often see that as the single factor in an election. Liberals tend to be pro-abortion and see the conservative position as a breach of a woman's rights. Abortion tends to get lots of attention around election time but is it really central to the daily operation of most of our lives? It is not. Most voters haven't been or won't be personally put in a position where they'll want an abortion but can't get one or the unimaginable predicament of not wanting an abortion but being forced to get one. I think most people would agree that it is irrational and even irresponsible to choose your candidates based on one such issue. Consequently, you find another issue where the anti-abortion side agrees with you, like prayer in school. Now you say to yourself, "Ok, that's two issues that we agree on." Here's where the trouble starts. You know that there will be issues on which you and your chosen side do not agree. You tend to dismiss those issues as not significant, which can be a mistake, or you mold your own views to fit in with the rest of the team's views. For example, by choosing the side of the religious right based on the abortion issue you are forced into being against stem cell research. Stem cell research is a field that will someday no doubt benefit everyone in some way. Lives will be lengthened, diseases will be cured but since you are pro-life when it comes to abortion you can't pro-life in the strictest sense.

Conversely, let's say you are a liberal. You are against the liberation of Iraq because people are dying and you feel that Saddam should be given time to work things out on his own. At the same time your team is passionate about women's rights and feels that the United States is the great oppressor of women. When you are asked to look at the horrible rights violations of women in Iraq and throughout Islam you are forced to turn your head so you can maintain allegiance with your team.

So, I understand the basic reasoning for choosing sides but can't I use my brain instead of my emotions to determine right from wrong, right from left? Can't I be against reparations for slavery but at the same time support abortions under certain circumstances? Can't I be opposed to large government welfare programs but still support stem cell research? Why not, I ask? If I'm not completely comfortable with the agenda of the homosexual community does it have to be because I think gays are sinners? Can't these and other issues be looked at from a non-partisan perspective and one that does not ever involve the fear that someone will attempt to "play the role of god"?

The conservative atheist is the individual that uses reason to guide their decisions. We haven't chosen sides with a broad brush stroke. Siding entirely with the right or the left at this point puts us in jeopardy of either living in a constrictive Christian church state or a socialist/communist economic nightmare. The conservative atheist stance is truly the only one that will allow us to successfully achieve a total separation between church and state as our forefathers clearly envisioned while maintaining the capitalist democracy foundation that made this country great.

A few years ago I began searching for web sites and/or books that support my unusual non-partisan position. Needless to say my search came up almost empty. Lately searches seem to be turning up more sites, articles and postings that speak of conservative political views without the religious dogma. I also continue to get an increasing number of visits to ConservativeAtheist.com from people that I don't know. I'm not sure exactly how to explain what appears to be a heightened interest but my first inclination is that is it due to the 2004 presidential elections and the renewed interest in the inherent political debates. Still, there must be more of us out there that strive to live true to predominantly conservative values and morals but at the same time know that religious views are not consistent with what we know about the world today. There must be more people who want the best of both worlds. Is that too much to ask? If you are one of us, think you might be, or even if this pisses you off, please read on. Hopefully the information contained in these pages will make you think about your preconceptions of both conservatives and atheists alike.

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