i don’t believe in god

yes, i don’t believe in god.

“believing in god” makes no sense to me. i don’t know what it means. and it isn’t because english isn’t my mother tongue. i grew up speaking german, and the equivalent sentence – “ich glaube an gott” – seems equally incomprehensible to me.

perhaps i will understand one day. in the meantime, i’ll say this:

i believe – so much that i’m tempted to say i know with absolutely certainty: that there exists goodness in this world, that goodness is desired by all humans, and that all humans have an immense capacity to create goodness.

what i make of this knowledge, how i wrestle with it, live it, think about its implications, that’s up to me.

one thing i have found out, after contemplating the question for a long time, that it is easier for me to live this goodness and celebrate it if i give it a name. like many others, i often use the shorthand “god” for it, and i deeply treasure the thoughts, experiences and fellowship of others who use this shorthand. but i see no reason why such naming should be necessary.

these thoughts were inspired by an article about mother teresa’s doubts regarding her faith, pointed out by one of my favourite atheists, jan.

is it “believing in god” that created so much heartache for mother teresa? would it have been easier for her had she just believed that goodness can grow in this world?

isabella mori
counselling in vancouver 

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