I’ve been asked recently, what atheists think about this conflict in Iran. As far as I know, atheists follow the general public when it comes to any public policy, foreign or domestic. Yes, atheists tend to be more liberal but that doesn’t make them any less patriotic when it comes to our government committing the military to kinetic action anywhere in the world. After all these years of me saying that atheists are no different than the general public, with one exception, it seems strange for me to have to continue to explain atheism.

Just because we don’t believe in any gods or a supernatural, doesn’t mean we aren’t still human and care for each other no differently than anyone else. No being-on-high had to instruct us specifically to love one another (John 13:34). But like anyone else, forgiveness is another thing entirely and all of us, believer or non-believer, show little understanding of the word forgive. Jesus was very specific about it to his followers and it’s interesting to me that all of those that walk around with the Big C as their identity have a hard time taking the instruction of their savior to heart (Luke :27-36). Imagine what the world would be like of we could all just follow that simple command (Apologies to John Lennon)?

So atheists are just as finicky as everyone else on this planet. You’ll find warmongers and peacemakers among us. We’re not smarter or dumber. We complain about our situation (whatever it is at the time) the same way. Atheism doesn’t change who a person is, just what a person believes. And yes: There are atheists in foxholes.