Can atheists believe in god?

I believe in the Stoic god. I’ve also considered myself an atheist for a long time. Are these two self-applied labels (traditional Stoic and atheist) compatible, or do I need to let one of them go? Let’s see.

The word “God”

“God”, in the West, seems exclusively an ecclesiastic term. Perhaps “term” is even too general a word as “God”, to most, is a name given to a supernatural, almighty creator being of a highly personal nature.

This God is the God most all of us Westerners think of when we hear the word “God” used in conversation or literature. This God often cares, for example, what you eat, who you have sex with, how you have sex with who you have sex with, whether or not you use their prophets’ names in vain, and, if you ask some Americans, even who you vote for!

The ancient Stoic’s use of the word “god” was considerably different in comparison.

The ancient Stoics conceptualized god as the universe. The universe, according to the ancient Stoics, was/is a living organism, and they held that everything within the universe was a part of that organism – including stars, planets, trees, rocks, and us. This organism, like any organism, has homeostatic properties – meaning it seems to self-regulate its own bits and bobs in a manner which enables it to survive. The Stoic god is not supernatural, doesn’t care who you marry or vote for, has no prophets, and, unless I’ve missed a memo, doesn’t demand that its representatives raise money for it.

These two conceptualizations of “God” could not be more different from one another.

What makes someone an atheist?

As an atheist I can tell you that our supersecret membership application has but one question on it, with but one answer: “Do you believe in the existence of God(s)?”

If you can answer no to this question, congratulations, you’re an atheist. Pick up you membership card on the way out.

Strangely, you can be an atheist and still believe in the supernatural (ghosts, for example) – something I’ve always found absolutely befuddling. Not all atheists believe in supernatural things, of course, but being an atheist does not require rejection of supernatural ideas… just Gods.

As I’ve gotten older, the label “atheist” has become less and less valuable to me because, as you’ve just read, it has nothing to do with logical thinking or rational beliefs – it really is just a position on the existence of God(s).

God is unavoidable in Stoicism

I want to argue the case that the Stoic god is not supernatural and, therefore, not something atheists need to reject. However, since atheism is nothing deeper than the position that gods do not exist, and the Stoic god is referred to as god, and therefore is something atheists must deny, I cannot.

Instead, because of the inflexibility of the atheist position, I have to tear up my atheist membership card and stop referring to myself as an atheist. I find this obnoxious since I could easily choose to believe in Bigfoot, ghosts, or the Jersey Devil, and still keep my card, but because the universe organism is technically referred to as “god”, I’m backed into a corner and must, instead of arguing the utility of definitions, simply cease to call myself an atheist.

What I would ask of my (no longer) fellow atheists

Consider whether or not the very narrow definition of atheist is preventing you from pursuing beliefs that might truly improve the quality of your life. Ask yourself if a position on the existence of God that denies God but still allows you to believe aliens built the pyramids or that ghosts haunt your grandmother’s house, is really worth clinging to at the expense of what traditional Stoicism, and its god, has to offer you.

The ancient Stoic’s understanding of god might seem silly (through the lens of modern scientific knowledge) in some ways, but, honestly, is it any sillier than calling yourself an atheist and believing in spiritual mediums (for example)?

I ask that you consider dropping the label “atheist” and adopting the label “traditional Stoic”. I promise there is far more flexibility, and room for customization of position, on this side of the fence. Stoicism isn’t supernatural, it isn’t a religion, and what it asks you to think through is never anywhere near as strange as haunted houses, folkloric creatures, or higher planes of existence. 

Feel free to share your thoughts in our Stoicism Discord. Join for free at https:// stoicismpod.com/discord.

Tanner is the host of the Practical Stoicism podcast, co-author of the Daily Stoic Journaling program, and owner of Practical Philosophy. He considers himself a "Stoicism Communicator" by trade and creates daily education content related to both Stoicism and philosophy in general.

---