11 Commandments for Atheists

We all need a little inspiration now and then— and that includes the atheists, the skeptics, the agnostics, and the “spiritual-but-not-religious” among us. The Inspirational Atheist is a collection of inspiring thoughts for the growing population of humanists who believe that our life has meaning when we live it meaningfully. Freethinking people are drawn to a secular worldview because of the intellectual freedom and the ethical responsibility it demands; if we want a better world, we have to make it so. As the 19th century freethinker Robert G. Ingersoll put it, “In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments—there are consequences.”

The “Eleven Commandments for Atheists” that follow exemplify this ethic. Rather than looking to a supernatural link power for moral guidance, we must rely on ourselves, and on each other. And when we work together for peace and justice on the planet we share, that itself is inspirational.

Do Not Destroy What You Cannot Create

"Do not destroy what you cannot create." – Leo Szilard

One of the most important physicists of the twentieth century, Leo Szilard’s (1898-1964) work led directly to the creation of some of the most important tools in modern technology: the nuclear reactor, the electron microscope, and the linear accelerator. Without his intellectual contributions, the Manhattan Project might never have happened, but he was disturbed by the militarization of nuclear power.

Szilard tried to convince President Truman to mount a visible nuclear test for Japanese observers, to persuade them to surrender without the need for dropping an actual bomb. The devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led Szilard to reflect on his own sense of morality and to write his own Ten Commandments, of which this is #4. The tenth is this: “Lead your life with a gentle hand and be ready to leave whenever you are called.”

Do Unto Others...

"Do unto others twenty-five percent better than you expect them to do unto you. The twenty-five percent is for error." – Linus Pauling

Leave it to Linus Pauling (1901-1994), the only person to win Nobel Prizes for science (Chemistry, 1954) and Peace (1962), to find a scientific strategy for improving upon the Golden Rule. Pauling was the founder of two different branches of science, quantum chemistry and molecular biology, and he strove to apply what he learned in order to test for and prevent diseases such as sickle cell anemia. His acute understanding of the new science of atomic physics gave him special concern for the dangers of nuclear weapons. Pauling’s activism led to a moratorium on aboveground nuclear testing, saving the lives and health of millions of people around the world. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest scientists and humanists of all time.

Be Hard On Your Beliefs

"Be hard on your beliefs. Take them out onto the verandah and beat them with a cricket bat." —Tim Minchin

Tim Minchin (1975 - ) is an Australian actor, comedian, satirist, and musician who is perhaps best known for writing the music and lyrics to the internationally acclaimed musical, Matilda, which holds the record for most Olivier Awards won by a single show. Minchin has a genius for framing important, serious ideas in funny and touching ways, so just when you start laughing out loud, you start crying, too. This quotation is typical of Minchin, who deplores the dangers of pseudoscience and magical thinking. As he likes to say, “Science adjusts its views based on what’s observed. Faith is the denial of observation so that belief can be preserved.”

Find Where the Truth Is

"A man’s duty is to find out where the truth is, or if he cannot, at least to take the best possible human doctrine and the hardest to disprove, and to ride on this like a raft over the waters of life." —Plato

The ancient Greek philosopher Plato (427-347 B.C.E.) was the father of rational philosophy. Having watched his own beloved teacher, Socrates, murdered on false claims of corruption, Plato resolved to devote his own life to pursuing the truth. He founded the Academy, the world’s first institution of higher learning, to help educate Athens’s future politicians, so that they might rule justly. In his Dialogues, Plato preserved the teachings of Aristotle and created the foundation of European philosophy and science.

Tackle the Hell Out of Love

"The best thing you can possibly do with your life is to tackle the [hell/heck] out of love." –Cheryl Strayed

As most people who have walked by a bookstore or movie theater in the past year know, when Cheryl Strayed was in her mid-twenties she embarked on a 1,000-mile hike along the Pacific Crest Trail as a way of regaining control of her life. It worked. She went on to write novels and essays and a memoir about her journey, Wild, and she also became the advice columnist for The Rumpus, known as Dear Sugar. This quote is taken from one of Dear Sugar’s columns. Described as “Bible verses for a secular audience,” Dear Sugar’s suggestions are often harsh but also loving: “Be brave enough to break your own heart.”

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

"Try to be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations." —“The End of the Film,” Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life

After “Every Sperm is Sacred” and on through the trenches of World War I, live organ transplants, a visit from the Grim Reaper and a glimpse of Heaven as a cheesy Las Vegas casino, at the end of Monty Python’s brilliantly weird 1983 film a resolutely normal woman finally appears onscreen to deliver the news: the meaning of life is nothing very special. But don’t let this news depress you. As Eric Idle sings a few scenes earlier: “So remember when you're feeling very small and insecure, how amazingly unlikely is your birth. And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space, 'cause there's bother all down here on Earth.”