This came across my social media feed this morning. It seems to be crafted using another imagined conversation for inspiration. I think it presents some great answers for when we are asked similar questions by believers. What do you think?

Professor: You’re an atheist, aren’t you, son?

Student: Yes, sir.

Professor: So, you don’t believe in God?

Student: That’s correct, sir.

Professor: Do you believe in science?

Student: Absolutely.

Professor: Then you believe science has all the answers?

Student: No, sir. Science doesn't have all the answers. It’s a process of asking questions, testing, and refining our understanding. But it’s the best tool we have for understanding reality.

Professor: What about morality, then? Can science tell us what is good and bad, right and wrong?
Student: Not directly, sir. Science informs us about the consequences of actions and the impact they have, but morality is a product of human reasoning, shaped by empathy, culture, and societal needs.

Professor: So, you agree that without a higher power like God, morality is just relative, isn’t it?

Student: Morality evolves, yes, just like our understanding of the world. But that doesn’t make it arbitrary. It’s based on reason, compassion, and the desire to live peacefully with others. We don’t need a deity to tell us that harming others is wrong.

Professor: So, where does evil come from then? If there's no God, how do you explain the existence of evil, suffering, and cruelty in the world?

Student: Evil isn’t a thing in itself, sir. It’s a label we place on actions that cause harm. People make choices, and those choices can be influenced by their biology, psychology, and environment. But these are human actions, not the result of some cosmic force.

Professor: But don’t you see, without God, there’s no ultimate justice. The wicked can get away with their deeds. Isn’t that a problem?

Student: That’s an emotional argument, sir, not a logical one. We may wish for ultimate justice, but that doesn’t mean it exists. That’s why we have laws, societal norms, and institutions. We try to create justice ourselves, imperfect as it may be.

Professor: If you can't explain everything through science, doesn't that open the door to faith in something higher? Isn’t it possible there’s something beyond our understanding?

Student: Of course, it’s possible there are things we don’t understand. But saying “God did it” doesn’t answer the question; it stops the inquiry. Science encourages us to keep asking, to seek evidence and explanations, not to fill gaps in our knowledge with faith.

Professor: So, you believe in evolution?

Student: Yes, the evidence overwhelmingly supports evolution as the process by which life has developed on Earth.

Professor: But have you ever seen evolution happening, son? Have you observed it directly?

Student: No, sir, not in the sense of watching a species evolve over millennia. But we observe small-scale evolutionary changes all the time — like bacteria developing resistance to antibiotics. The fossil record, genetic evidence, and observable biological processes all point to evolution.

Professor: So you’re asking me to trust scientists who say they have evidence but whom you’ve never met. Isn’t that faith?

Student: It’s not faith in the religious sense. It’s trust in a method that has proven reliable. Science is transparent — the data is out there, the methods are repeatable, and anyone can verify the results if they wish. That’s different from taking something on faith without evidence.

Professor: But how do you deal with the big questions? Like, why are we here? What’s the purpose of life?
Student: Those are important questions, sir, but they don’t need supernatural answers. Life has no intrinsic purpose given by an external force. We give it meaning through our experiences, relationships, and contributions to the world. We create our own purpose.

Professor: So, what happens after death then? Without God, isn’t death just the end?

Student: As far as we know, yes, death is the end of consciousness. That’s why this life, the one we have now, is so important. Instead of focusing on what comes after, we should focus on making the most of our time here, with the people we care about.

Professor: You seem very certain in your beliefs, but isn’t that just another kind of faith?

Student: No, sir. I’m open to changing my views if evidence suggests otherwise. That’s what sets science and atheism apart from faith — they’re flexible and based on what we can observe and understand. It’s not about certainty; it’s about being willing to question everything, including our own assumptions.

Professor: So, you don’t claim to have all the answers?

Student: Exactly. I don't claim to know everything, but I do know that curiosity, critical thinking, and evidence lead to progress. And that’s where I place my trust.

-ctto