Point of Inquiry Kate Cohen on Atheism and the Rewards of Honesty
Jan 31, 2024
In this engaging discussion, Kate Cohen, a Washington Post columnist and author of 'We of Little Faith', shares her transformative journey from a closeted atheist to embracing her truth publicly. She reflects on the challenges of navigating familial and social pressures while growing up in a Reform Jewish household. Kate emphasizes the power of honesty in atheism, especially in parenting, advocating for open dialogues about belief systems. She also highlights the importance of secular community spaces and confronting misinformation to foster a more rational society.
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Raised Ritual, Not Belief
- Kate Cohen never believed in the God of her Reform Jewish upbringing and experienced services as ritual rather than divine communication.
- She describes herself as an observer participating in liturgy without believing in a listening deity.
Dishonesty While Reporting Family History
- Cohen admitted she lied about believing to relatives while researching her first book about Holocaust survivors.
- She now regrets assuming they couldn't understand or accept her nonbelief.
Parenthood Triggered Radical Honesty
- Becoming a parent pushed Cohen to stop pretending and to tell her children that gods are human inventions.
- She taught this compassionately and used myth comparisons to explain religious creativity.
