It’s strange to think that once, Dartmouth was a missionary school. By the time Dartmouth became a secular institution and religious affiliation was no more, it maintained a bastion of religion in the Tucker Foundation, created by President Tucker at the turn of the century. Today there are more than 25 religious groups on campus, ranging from the Quakers to the Hindu group Shanti. And now, there will be a religious group for the non-religious.

Atheists, Humanists, and Agnostics (AHA) serves those who wish to question faith from a non-theistic perspective and discuss secular humanism and scientific inquiry. There has always been a significant non-theistic discourse at Dartmouth, especially in the classroom, where many people assume a secular viewpoint no matter their spiritual beliefs. Yet for years non-theistic people at Dartmouth have been discussing their beliefs outside of any organization, only engaging their beliefs with others whenever the topic comes up, such as when someone writes a fundamentalism-fueled rant against abortion or women’s rights on B@B. Those who define themselves as religious embrace group solidarity around loving the same gods. There needs to be a community for like-minded secular and non-theistic thinkers at Dartmouth, just as there are communities for religious and theistic thinkers

As a deist and humanist with a love of science and reason, I came to this school wondering why a group like AHA did not already exist in what seemed like such a liberal, progressive or at least moderate political environment. Upperclassmen attendants at AHA meetings report that there have been gatherings in the past but no organized community or discussion group under the Tucker Foundation. After all, where does a non-religious group fit into a religious institution? Directors of the Tucker Foundation have expressed positive feedback for making an official secular organization, and if AHA is any indication, the many voices of the non-theistic community have been waiting for such an outlet.
AHA meetings in Fahey McLane ground floor lounge are held every Tuesday at 8 p.m. This past meeting on May 4th, group founder Siyue Liu ‘13 led a discussion on the non-theistic view on death and the afterlife. The meeting started with an SMBC cartoon of the Ten Commandments, portraying God’s original commandment as simply: “Don’t be a dick.” Then the talk turned to whether the non-theistic view subscribes to an afterlife, and if a religious belief in an afterlife offers solace from the very human fear of death. Later, the discussion branched out to touch on how there is still a societal taboo surrounding the label “atheist,” whether there is an objective morality tied to any one religion or an innate morality built into humanity as a species and finally whether science is a “faith” or not.

I arranged to have an online chat with Siyue Liu ‘13 who has orchestrated this success.

SR: What inspired you to found AHA? How do you feel about starting the first atheist and agnostic religious group of its kind at Dartmouth?

SL: Before the establishment of AHA at Dartmouth, there were more than 25 religious organizations on campus, but none for students with explicitly non-theistic worldviews. I feel that it’s important for AHA to represent the non-theistic community on campus, as well as provide a voice to students without religious belief. We also hope to engage in interfaith-dialogue, while promoting greater understanding of worldviews of students without religious faith. Through constructive dialogue, we hope to encourage more open discussion concerning questions of religious faith and morality, while enabling the voices of non-theistic students as well. Ultimately, our community aims to provide a safe and civil ground to socialize with like-minded individuals, while engaging students in dialogue about faith and ethics from a non-theistic identity.

SR: I imagine religious freedom in all its forms is important to you. Would you like to say more to that effect?

SL: Of course. People are free to practice their own set of beliefs, and people who reject those beliefs should be free to do so as well. However, in many parts of the world (even more so in America), there still exists a negative stigma on the word “atheist,” and many people are still hesitant to “come out” to their religious friends and family about their non-theistic worldviews. Unfortunately, a lot of people have only vague ideas and misconceptions about what non-theists or humanists believe, so increased discussion would promote greater awareness understanding of the worldviews of students without religious faith.

I think that because Dartmouth is such an intellectual environment with its cultural roots in religious doctrines, we need to engage in more open and critical discussion of questions concerning faith. Despite the uncomfortable stigma surrounding these issues, religion is not immune to critical analysis, and both theists and non-theists should treat it as a subject for evaluation and multi-faceted dialogue (like politics).

Liu then related an anecdote about a question a fellow student had recently asked her on the nature of secular humanism. The student answered by noting that secular humanism is a popular stance for atheists to take. But said student found here a philosophical inconsistency: namely that you cannot be an atheist and still assert that people are good and should live moral lives.

After letting this sink in for a few seconds, Siyue started animatedly, “Of course you can be good without God!” Liu believes we do not need the threat of burning in hell for eternity to do good things. In fact, Liu insisted that she would question the sturdiness of someone’s beliefs if they felt like they need the idea of someone constantly watching and judging them, in order to live a life of decency and morality.

Liu argues that there is absolutely no basis on judging someone’s morality on the premise of whether they believe in a supernatural entity or not. Secular humanism is not a religion, but a life stance that specifically rejects supernatural and religious dogma as the basis of morality, while focusing on how human beings can lead good lives without an overseeing god. Ultimately, Liu concludes, we should love not God, but humanity and ourselves.

While planning future meetings of AHA, Liu is currently working on securing group recognition for AHA from the Tucker Foundation. She is confident that once a proposal is submitted, Dean of the Tucker Foundation and College Chaplain Richard Crocker will be willing to acknowledge the importance of discussions on spirituality and morality from a non-theistic perspective, relying on reason and experimental evidence that enhances, rather than taking away from human wonder in awe of a complex, beautiful universe.