Ask the Atheist - "What do you believe in?"

The first thing my Father asked me when I came out to him as an atheist was:

"If you don't believe in God, what do you believe in?"

To be honest, I kind of expected the question although now I'm not sure why.  I guess that having been a believer, the question made sense to me then.  It doesn't now.

I didn't have a really good answer back then because I wasn't used to being questioned about my lack of belief.  I wasn't used to putting myself outside of a ridiculous question and seeing it for what it really was.  And it is a ridiculous question.

I should have asked my Father back, "In regards to religion or faith, why do I have to believe in anything?"  Where is the requirement that I hold some, any, superstitious belief?  What value is it?  What does it add to my life?  Without evidence, why should I believe in God, an afterlife, rapture, resurrection, reincarnation, magic underwear, divination, spells, water turning to wine, or any of that nonsense?  Should I believe those things just because most other people do?  Pascal's Wager is a stupid bet and a waste of one's time and resources.

Believing in something just to believe isn't rational.  Faith imparts no wisdom or understanding because it is built on a foundation of sand (see what I did there?)  Faith is only a useful way to look at the world if you want to fool yourself.  And as a rational, skeptical atheist, I try as much as possible not to fool myself.

To answer the question positively, I'd have to consider the question with regards to values.  If we're talking values, I believe in the same things that most humans believe.  I believe that people should be compassionate, empathic and understanding of one another.  I believe that one should treat others as one wishes to be treated.  I believe in kindness and thoughtfulness.  I believe in asking questions about the universe and exploring it through science.  I believe that the strong should protect the weak and that as humans we all have a common bond and we should care for each other.  These values are universal and require no religious beliefs.  I came to these values by how I was raised and by my own experience in life.

So do I believe in Jesus, Thor, Zeus, Allah, or Ra?  No and there's no reason to.  But do I believe in universal human values as a way to live my life?  Sure.  That's what I believe.