Question
Do some people who don't believe in God feel superior? If so, why?
Answer
There is some truth to this, but I think most answers are mistaken in thinking it has to do with perceived superiority of the beliefs themselves. Laughlin MacDonald's explanation seems to me the best (and most testable) of this class of explanations. The problem with that hypothesis is that I don't think there are any lifelong atheists. Even somebody raised in an atheist household is surrounded by a religion-saturated society and must at some point examine the beliefs to truly adopt them. There is no such thing as superficial atheism, though there is such a thing as superficial religiosity.
I think the feeling of superiority is actually identical to the one felt by older siblings who have become independent of parents towards younger ones who are still dependent. There is a 'I've grown up' element to it. There is pride in having achieved autonomy and having truly faced up to and overcome the terror of the idea that there is no parental, benevolent force protecting you; that there is no plan/destiny; that it's just you versus entropy and nothingness. It's like walking out of the Total Perspective Vortex from Hitchhikers Guide alive. You feel superior for having survived the philosophical equivalent of Seal training.
In fact, it lest matter whether atheist views are actually more true (though I believe they are); surviving the harshness of the adopted beliefs is still an achievement. Just like becoming good at chess is an achievement even though it is an arbitrary game.
A test of this is whether you feel more superior to the more literal believers in the obviously paternalistic religious traditions than the more abstract ones that don't involve comforting beliefs. My own beliefs at least pass this test. I have greater respect for believers in older religions with angrier gods. It's like respecting people who survive abusive parenting and get to the same place as orphans or people with nice parents.
I think it would be healthy if more atheists came out and admitted this sort of attitude instead of trying to be kind/politically correct. That just seems patronizing.
I think the feeling of superiority is actually identical to the one felt by older siblings who have become independent of parents towards younger ones who are still dependent. There is a 'I've grown up' element to it. There is pride in having achieved autonomy and having truly faced up to and overcome the terror of the idea that there is no parental, benevolent force protecting you; that there is no plan/destiny; that it's just you versus entropy and nothingness. It's like walking out of the Total Perspective Vortex from Hitchhikers Guide alive. You feel superior for having survived the philosophical equivalent of Seal training.
In fact, it lest matter whether atheist views are actually more true (though I believe they are); surviving the harshness of the adopted beliefs is still an achievement. Just like becoming good at chess is an achievement even though it is an arbitrary game.
A test of this is whether you feel more superior to the more literal believers in the obviously paternalistic religious traditions than the more abstract ones that don't involve comforting beliefs. My own beliefs at least pass this test. I have greater respect for believers in older religions with angrier gods. It's like respecting people who survive abusive parenting and get to the same place as orphans or people with nice parents.
I think it would be healthy if more atheists came out and admitted this sort of attitude instead of trying to be kind/politically correct. That just seems patronizing.