The Comfort of Knowing Without Knowing
Among the most striking qualities of the religious believer is the smug certainty that they are right. No evidence, no reasoned argument, no scientific progress can dent the conviction that God exists, that He loves them, and that their particular brand of belief holds the keys to the universe. It is a posture of superiority disguised as humility, a pride masked as faith.
As Richard Dawkins once said, “Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence.” To declare, “I know there is a God,” is not a statement of insight but of surrender. It closes the mind to inquiry and replaces curiosity with comfort.
Theist Arrogance Disguised as Humility
Religious people often claim to be humble servants of a higher power, yet their behaviour suggests otherwise. They speak as if they know the intentions of a cosmic creator, can interpret His will, and can pass judgement on others for not believing the same. What could be more arrogant than to assert that the creator of the universe shares your views on marriage, diet, or the day of the week you should rest?
Christopher Hitchens noted this contradiction perfectly: “It is not modest to be certain that one knows the mind of God.” The faithful often describe atheists as proud or lost, but the reality is the opposite. The atheist admits not knowing, while the theist pretends to.
Faith as Intellectual Narcotic
The smugness of belief thrives on emotional reward. Faith gives certainty in a chaotic world, moral superiority in a complex society, and the illusion of cosmic significance in an indifferent universe. This is why religious smugness persists even in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence. It feels good to “know”.
But this kind of knowing is not knowledge. It is an emotional narcotic, a self-administered drug that numbs the fear of mortality. As Bertrand Russell wrote, “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.”
Certainty Without Substance
When pressed for evidence, the smug believer retreats into the circular refuge of faith. “I know because I believe.” “I believe because I have faith.” “I have faith because God exists.” The logic eats its own tail. Yet within religious communities, this tautology is not seen as failure but as virtue.
This intellectual loop shields believers from challenge. They can look down on non-believers, pity them, and even condemn them, all while claiming moral high ground. This is not spiritual strength; it is philosophical cowardice.
The Power of Doubt
The atheist position, by contrast, is not one of arrogance but of honesty. It begins with “I don’t know” and seeks to discover. The beauty of reason is that it admits uncertainty. Science changes its mind when new evidence arises. Religion cannot, for to change would be to admit it never truly knew.
Carl Sagan captured this distinction: “It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.” Theist smugness thrives in delusion. Atheist curiosity thrives in truth.
The Real Humility
True humility is not bowing before invisible gods. It is recognising our smallness in a vast universe, our brief moment of consciousness in a 13.8-billion-year cosmic history. It is knowing that we do not know, and striving still to learn.
Religious smugness proclaims, “I am chosen.” Rational humility whispers, “I am lucky to exist at all.” One seeks validation from myth. The other seeks meaning in reality.
Conclusion
The theist’s smugness is not harmless. It fuels division, fosters moral superiority, and replaces understanding with dogma. When faith becomes pride, and ignorance becomes a badge of honour, humanity retreats from truth.
The atheist does not claim to have all the answers. Only the courage to ask the questions.