Remember when this used to be a fishing blog?
Originally this was a place to recount my adventures learning to fish. A couple years later it evolved into a record of many different kinds of outdoor activies, including fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, and foraging. As time went on, my interests expanded and I began using this as a place to share adventures of all kinds: things that happened outdoors as well as things that happened indoors.
This is the place I publicly “came out” as an atheist last year. It’s where I detailed my adventures in DIY electronics, culminating with the construction of my homemade mostly-analog modular synthesizer. It’s where I recounted church-state separation activism, specifically involving religious displays at the Michigan State Capitol last December.
Although I’ve been quite busy, I have not shared much in this space. Feeling a renewed sense of urgency and passion following our recent election, I suspect I may be writing more. After all, the subtitle is the various adventures of Chris Beckstrom, and lately I feel the urge to share some of these adventures. We live in challenging times, and those of us with privilege must use it for the greatest good; I have a blog, I’m going to use it.
Since the election I’ve been quite active. I’ve spent mornings in front of a local women’s health clinic with the aim of countering anti-choice folks, acting as a buffer so folks who need healthcare can receive it with as little interference as possible. I’ve marched in downtown Grand Rapids in a show of solidarity to those who may be adversely affected by the policies of our new president. (This was one of the most uplifting and inspiring moments in recent memory; people of all walks, all races, all genders, marching together in a show of support. Humans are amazing.) I’m quite proud to share that as of this week, I am a member of the Center for Inquiry – MichiganAdvisory Board, and I look forward to assuming a larger role in this fantastic organization.
I had the tremendous privilege of speaking as a part of the 17th Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service this past Monday evening in Grand Rapids. I was there representing CFI–Michigan specifically and secular folks generally, and I have to say it was one of the most fantastic events I’ve ever attended. The service consisted of representatives of various faith traditions sharing snippets of their worldviews, and I think we can agree that moments like these are needed now more than ever. It’s not a time to unfriend, it’s a time to come together. It’s a time to speak out, but it’s also a time to listen. There is a great divide in our country, in our county, in our communities– perhaps even at our Thanksgiving dinner tables– and we must work together to bridge that gap.
In the interest of doing just that, I want to share my speech in this space. It seemed to resonate with many of the 650+ people in attendance Monday night (I can’t believe it was that many!!). I get the impression most folks don’t generally find themselves knowlingly listening to an atheist, let alone hearing one speak in a church! My hope is that these words will resonate with you as well and help us move together as a community of humans.
My name is Chris Beckstrom. I am a member of the Advisory Board at Center for Inquiry Michigan, a non-profit organization working to foster a secular society. I am absolutely delighted and honored to be here tonight representing a secular perspective.
I am an atheist, which means I do not believe in a god or gods. Of course, the word atheist only describes one part of my worldview; it says nothing about what I dobelieve, or frankly, anything else about me.
My primary worldview is secular humanism, a naturalistic philosophy concerned with the interests of humans. I believe humans have a moral obligation to help one another, to work together to solve problems. Sort of like this thing we’re doing right now!
A plethora of diverse worldviews is represented here tonight. This is amazing. What a privilege it is to be here taking part in this exchange of ideas.
Sure, we may disagree on the fundamental nature of the universe. Perhaps we don’t see eye to eye on the purpose of our existence. Maybe we have a difference of opinion on what style of beer is best (in case you were wondering, this atheist prefers IPAs). Perhaps we don’t agree whether humans should drink alcohol at all!
But in spite of some minor issues like these, I suggest we have much, much more in common than not.
Our bodies are literally made of the same stuff. About 99% of each person in this room is made up of just six elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. These elements were created in the furnaces of stars, which means we also come from the same place. We have the same bones, we have the same organs; if we had fancy x-ray glasses that could look past our our skin right now, we would all appear identical. Indistinguishable. All of us, the same.
Our minds are literally made of the same stuff. Each one of us has our own struggles, each one of us has our own aspirations, a direction in which we navigate our life. Each one of us has a moral compass… even the atheists! Each one of us has felt the bitter pang of failure and the ecstasy of success. Each one of us has felt the restorative love of our fellow humans, each one of us has endured the emptiness and longing when they are gone.
Our differences– whether physical, theological, or political– are superficial. We are made of the same stuff. We truly are the same.
It is for this shared experience– the human condition– that I am thankful. We are in this together.
But to whom am I thankful? The word thankfulusually implies a religious worldview: it suggests a deity as the recipient of this thankfulness. Being an atheist, I have no deities to whom I can direct my gratitude. I don’t believe in luck or providence. I don’t believe in destiny.
I am thankful to humans. I’m thankful for the humans who came together and created this country, a place where each individual can be free to worship whatever or whomever they like, however they’d like, or not. To marry whomever they want, or not. To pursue, as the saying goes, life, liberty, and happiness. I am thankful that a couple centuries ago they declined to actually define happiness.
Because it is up to us– to each one of us– to decide what happiness is. It is up to us to decide how we will live, who we will love, what we will do… and we must respect the right of our neighbors to do the same.
I am thankful for the peaceful transfer of power. I am thankful for the opportunity to peacefully disagree, whether that means mashing my keyboard on social media, marching in the streets, or having thoughtful discussions with somebody I disagree with. I’ve been having a lot of those lately, and I am thankful for the opportunities to expand my thinking. I am thankful for moments like this one, when we can set aside our insignificant differences and celebrate our shared human experience.
I am thankful for the countless opportunities to help one another. I believe that as representatives of our various worldviews here in our community , it is up to us– right here in this room– to set the example for peaceful collaboration.
We must stand up for each other. When one of us faces an obstacle, we must all be there to help. If one of us faces discrimination, we must all be there to fight it. To get super specific, if the government registers members of one faith, we must be the first ones in line. As a great human said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Our symbols of love and solidarity mean nothing without action behind them. To use a another popular phrase, “faith without works is dead.”
I am a thankful atheist. We may wear different clothes, we may like different food, and we may have different ideas about the universe, but we are united in our humanity. I am thankful for our shared reality of the human condition. I am thankful for the sympathy, empathy and compassion we can show our fellow humans. And we must show these things, because after all, we’re in this together. We’re all made of the same stuff.
Thank you.