I Am A Believer

I was thinking recently about the labels 'believer' and 'nonbeliever'. I have decided not to use them anymore for the very simple reason that the labels imply an unstated default phenomenon in which we are to believe or not believe. However...

• I believe that the natural universe is an amazing and wondrous thing.

• I believe that life is beautiful and valuable.

• I believe that all human beings are worthy of compassion and concern.

• I believe that reason, including science, is the best tool for understanding nature.

• I believe that a virtuous life is the best path to a happy life.

• I believe that ethics are best based on their effect on human wellbeing.

In my book, I am not a nonbeliever - I am a believer. Those other people:

• the superstitious who disbelieve in the use of reason and evidence for claims,

• the dogmatic who disbelieve in freethought,

• the credulous who disbelieve in healthy skepticism,

• the extremists who disbelieve in humility and limits to our knowledge,

• the intolerant who disbelieve in universal compassion

- they are the nonbelievers.

Note: this post was edited on January 4, 2008 for bullet formatting.