You have undoubtedly heard the expression, “there’s no such thing as an atheist in a foxhole,” used to the point of cliché. It has been proffered by many in the outwardly religious set to flaunt what they perceive as the true ubiquity of faith–that, when it comes down to it, everybody believes in god, and atheists are just fooling themselves when they say otherwise.

Me, I find that a terrible argument, and a conceit which is as flawed as it is condescending. When you consider it, what it really means is that religious faith for many is primarily a reaction to the fear of death. The natural concept of death is that we cease to exist and it would be as if we never were, and that scares the crap out of people. Offered an alternative, people will want to believe that they continue to exist after death, so instead of hanging on to that itching, near-crippling fear, many accept a worldview that instead allows them to feel reassured. Many resist this fear by simply denying it, by avoiding thinking of death–but when confronted in a way that the idea of death cannot be avoided, as one might be in a foxhole under enemy fire, they undergo the transformation then and there.

I see this as a cop-out. If you believe in god simply because you fear oblivion, then you believe for the wrong reasons. Something is not true simply because you want it to be true. If someone doesn’t like you, but then claims to be your best friend only because you won the lottery, how much would you trust and respect that brand of friendship? Faith for self-serving reasons is not faith at all, it is empty of meaning. Any religion that thrives because people will grasp at any alternative to confronting the end of their existence is a sham.

The same thing happens with “deathbed conversions,” or with people who become religious after a near-fatal illness or accident–or even just from dealing with fears of their own mortality. I can fully respect someone who takes a broad, objective look at religion, considers deeply what it is, and concludes that it is something which they feel is true. I can respect someone who has a revelatory experience not associated with fear and sees this as a sign to pursue religious beliefs. But I cannot respect faith born of fear, and cannot imagine how anyone else can, either.

So in my view, to tout one’s religion by saying that people believe it for that reason is hardly a good argument. The next time someone uses the “atheist in a foxhole” saying as a way of supporting religious beliefs, bring the argument to them. “So, you’re saying that religion is just a reaction to the fear of death? Isn’t that shallow?”

Besides which, it just simply ain’t true. Not only are there many, many atheists who have dwelt in foxholes without converting, there are some people who became atheists while in foxholes. At least that is what happened in the case of Milton Christian, celebrated and decorated WWII veteran, who earned a veritable collection of honors: Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, European-African Middle Eastern Campaign medal, Victory Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award, Honorable Service Lapel Button, and a Marskman Badge. Christian received, belatedly (better than posthumously!), the Bronze Star which he earned more than 60 years earlier. After the ceremony, he said this:

They say there are no atheists in foxholes. But as we sat in those holes, praying that God would save us, I thought about the fact that the other side was doing the same thing. And then I wondered if God is just playing some kind of game with us. Pretty much I decided at that point there was no God.

Now, that’s something I can respect–the formation of a belief, through reason, in spite of the fear of death. He noted that in order to believe in god, however comforting it may be, there were contradictions that he simply could not accept. Courage is to do what you know is right even though it scares you more than you can say; Christian was courageous. Those who went the opposite way were, well, not.