To my atheist friends: Why I believe in God and that it’s okay

Holy Toledo! Traveling through Toledo, Spain—once the capital of imperial Spanish Christianity. Photo: Gerald Farinas.

Explaining why I believe in God has never been easy. In fact, it often feels like walking a tightrope between worlds—between science and faith, between what I was taught and what I’ve come to understand, between respecting other people’s beliefs and standing firm in my own.

And the hardest part?

Convincing people that belief in God and belief in science aren’t mutually exclusive.

For many of my friends, faith feels antiquated, something that belongs to a past where people didn’t understand the world as we do now.

Science, with all its progress and knowledge, seems like the ultimate answer.

But for me, science doesn’t diminish the existence of God—it enhances it. The more we uncover about the universe, the intricacies of biology, and the wonders of space, the more I am in awe of the mystery that binds everything together.

Science gives me a glimpse into the magnificence of creation, and that reinforces my belief that there is something greater than us—something that brought all this into being.

I believe in science and God—together

I am not blind to the realities of the world. I believe that LGBTQ people are born the way they are.

Science, genetics, and countless studies have shown us that identity, orientation, and the complexity of the human experience are not a choice.

I don’t see this understanding as a contradiction to my faith but as a reflection of the diversity and beauty of creation.

If God created everything, then God also created the vast spectrum of human identities.

I also believe that women have the right to determine what happens to their own bodies. Autonomy, choice, and dignity are values that I hold deeply.

I don’t see reproductive rights as an affront to my faith but as a reflection of free will—something God endowed us all with. People should have the ability to make decisions that are best for their lives, and I trust that God’s grace and love extend to those who walk complicated paths.

Respecting others without compromising my faith

I was born and raised with an understanding of deities, spirits, and ancestors that shaped my worldview long before I fully grasped what it meant to believe in one God.

I carry with me the teachings of my Ilocano heritage of my ancestors and the Hawaiian heritage of my birthplace—beliefs in gods, demigods, ancestral spirits, and aumakua that have been passed down for generations.

These traditions instilled in me a reverence for the unseen, a respect for the mysteries that surround us, and a humility in acknowledging that we don’t have all the answers.

This foundation didn’t disappear when I came to believe in the one God who created us all. Instead, it gave me a broader perspective.

I don’t believe that acknowledging my heritage or respecting other people’s faiths takes anything away from my belief in God. It reminds me that faith is complex, deeply personal, and not something that should be forced on others.

And that’s where I struggle most—with the perception that being a Christian means I should impose my beliefs on others.

I don’t want to be that person.

I am not that person.

I was raised with stories of gods and spirits who protected and guided, and now I follow a faith that calls me to love my neighbor, not judge them or force my worldview onto them.

I believe that people of other faiths have a right to exist and worship freely, just as I do.

My relationship with God is deeply personal, and I have no desire to make it a weapon used to diminish or control others.

Why it’s hard to explain

What’s frustrating is that people often assume that belief in God is rooted in ignorance or a refusal to engage with the realities of the world.

They think I’m choosing comfort over reason, faith over evidence.

But I’m not.

I’ve asked hard questions. I’ve wrestled with doubt. I’ve studied science, history, and philosophy.

And after all of that, I still believe.

I believe because there is so much we don’t know.

Science explains a great deal, but it doesn’t answer the ultimate why.

Why is there something rather than nothing? Why does beauty exist? Why do we have a longing for meaning?

Science gives us the mechanics of the universe, but faith gives me the context, the story behind the data.

I believe because I feel the mystery of a Creator in the rhythms of the world.

I see it in the order of the cosmos, in the chaos of human existence, in the moments of grace that defy explanation.

I don’t need to choose between science and God, because for me, they are both part of the same truth.

Living in the tension

Living in this space—where science and faith coexist, where respect for others is a core value, and where belief is deeply personal but never imposed—isn’t always easy.

It’s messy.

It’s misunderstood.

But it’s where I find meaning.

I don’t need others to believe what I believe, but I do wish they could understand that belief doesn’t make me blind, foolish, or intolerant.

It simply means that I’m open to the mystery that exists beyond what we can see, and that’s something I’m not willing to let go of.

So, when my friends ask why I believe, I tell them:

I believe because the world is too vast, too intricate, and too full of wonder for me not to.

I believe because science and faith, together, give me a deeper appreciation of this beautiful, complex existence.

And I believe because I’ve learned that true faith isn’t about forcing others to see the world as I do—it’s about living in a way that honors the Creator I believe in while respecting the dignity of everyone around me.