Chapter 2: Why Be An Atheist?

The Big Question: What if you're wrong?

A question commonly asked of atheists is: "What if you're wrong?" Many theists find it hard to imagine how, with the threat of damnation hanging over them, an atheist could not worry about being wrong.

The answer becomes clear when the question is turned around, and the theist is asked: "What if you are wrong?" What if it's the Buddhist, the Mormon, the Sikh, the Muslim, the Taoist or the Hindu who is right? Aren't you worried you will suffer because you didn't follow the true faith?

Of course, the theist is not worried about suffering the after-life punishments of other religions because he does not believe these religions are true. In the same way, the atheist is not worried about the after-life punishment of any religion, because he does not believe them to be true.

Why not believe in a religion? As far as you know that religion could be true, and has as much chance of being true as any other. Why not pick one and follow it?