{"id":919,"date":"2026-07-12T19:38:48","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T18:38:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/?p=919"},"modified":"2026-07-12T19:38:49","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T18:38:49","slug":"beyond-belief-why-dialogue-between-believers-and-atheists-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/?p=919","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Belief: Why Dialogue Between Believers And Atheists Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Rukevwe Umukoro <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As conversations on religion and secularism grow louder in Nigeria\u2019s public space, experts say peaceful coexistence will depend less on shared beliefs and more on mutual respect, constitutional freedoms, and a commitment to the common good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many, dialogue between believers and atheists is not about winning arguments or changing minds. It is about listening, understanding different perspectives, and finding common ground despite disagreements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Religion remains a defining feature of Nigerian society, shaping family life, politics, education, and community relations. Yet alongside the country\u2019s deeply religious population is a growing number of citizens who identify as atheists or non-believers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atheism is not a religion but a position of non-belief. Globally, hundreds of millions of people identify as atheists, often grounding their views in science, reason, and facts. The modern atheist movement gained prominence in the 1850s following the publication of Charles Darwin\u2019s On the Origin of Species<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Yuval Noah Harari, an author and historian who identifies as an atheist, once said: \u201cBeing a good person has nothing to do with God. You can believe or not, it doesn\u2019t matter. Being a good person is about liberating yourself and others from suffering.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Omomarho Joshua Rukevwe, a 200-level Accounting student of Delta State University, DELSU, said believers and atheists can work together on national issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, regardless of religious beliefs, people can work together to improve education, healthcare, environmental protection, human rights, and economic development,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okpobrisi Oghenemine Faith, a 100-level Science Laboratory Technology student of DELSU who identifies as an atheist, explained her stance.
\u201cFor me, being an atheist simply means I do not believe in the existence of God or any gods. It doesn\u2019t mean I am against religion or against people who have faith. It is my personal position on belief,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While believers often find meaning in faith, sacred texts, and religious traditions, atheists typically base their perspectives on reason and evidence. Analysts argue that this diversity of belief is not new and is not incompatible with national unity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. Legal experts say this protection extends equally to those who practice a religion and those who do not identify with any faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Religious leaders have urged followers to demonstrate love, compassion, and respect in interactions with people of different beliefs. In the same vein, secular organizations have called for an environment where individuals can express their convictions without fear of discrimination or intimidation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the rise of social media has complicated these conversations. Debates between believers and atheists often degenerate into insults, misinformation, and personal attacks, leaving little room for constructive engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communication experts warn that such exchanges deepen social divisions and undermine efforts to build mutual understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To address this, universities, faith-based organizations, and civil society groups have organized forums that bring together people of different religious and philosophical backgrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond their differences, believers and atheists often share similar aspirations: safer communities, accountable leadership, quality education and healthcare, economic opportunities, and justice for all citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Development experts contend that these shared priorities provide a strong basis for collaboration, regardless of contrasting views on religion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs Nigeria continues to embrace its diversity, the country\u2019s strength lies not in the uniformity of its convictions but in its ability to accommodate differences peacefully,\u201d an observer noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They argue that protecting freedom of belief, encouraging respectful dialogue, and promoting tolerance are essential steps toward building a more inclusive and united society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a nation where religion continues to shape public life, the challenge is not whether citizens believe differently, but whether they can live together with civility, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to the values that bind them as Nigerians.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Rukevwe Umukoro As conversations on religion and secularism grow louder in Nigeria\u2019s public space, experts say peaceful coexistence will depend less on shared beliefs and more on mutual respect, constitutional freedoms, and a commitment to the common good. For many, dialogue between believers and atheists is not about winning arguments or changing minds. It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":922,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"iawp_total_views":7,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[232,138],"class_list":["post-919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-viewspoint","tag-atheism","tag-religion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/919","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=919"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/919\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":923,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/919\/revisions\/923"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=919"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=919"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=919"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}