Many religions have elements of a socially stabilizing moral code for life. Religious faith sustains believers during incredibly trying times. But religion has propagated and flourished in the fertile soil of ignorance. It evolved from our belief in and fear of spirits, the charisma of visionaries, the promise of salvation, and supernatural phenomena. But the influence of religion has stifled scientific inquiry and the search for truth. Religious faith and irrationality have also promoted myth, patriarchy, terrorism, conflict, hypocrisy, genocide, and repression through fear of damnation.
Empiricism is the use of evidence discovered in scientific experiments. Valid evidence is empirical—not based solely on assumptions, intuition, or revelation. Science requires that all hypotheses and theories be tested against direct observations of the natural world. For example, evidence-based healthcare, used in all major health disciplines in Western medicine, has its roots in empiricism. Treatment approaches and decisions are aided by evidence obtained in meta-analyses, systematic reviews, triple-blind studies, and randomized controlled trials.
Nonbelievers and skeptics are generally committed to evidence-based truth. They choose to ignore myth and supernatural concepts, opting instead for debate, open questioning, reason, science, fact, and what can be clearly proven. If you doubt accepted religious beliefs, you are a skeptic. You possess the higher order executive function of reason—the faculty or capacity for truth-seeking and problem-solving. The results of your logical reasoning have enabled you to exercise sound judgment in living; to acquire valid, empirical knowledge, and to gain insights leading toward wisdom. Skepticism diminishes the influence of theological and metaphysical dogma. You are promoting truth by forcing dogmatic believers and philosophers to seek stronger bases for their ideas. Your skepticism thus benefits humankind: it serves as a check on the power of unverified beliefs. Rejection of incoherent, contradictory, and illogical dogma and beliefs is driving a trend of secularization. The Enlightenment championed humankind’s use of reason and the empirical sciences as the means to achieve knowledge, freedom, prosperity, and happiness.
Denialism is the radical, controversial rejection of empirical science. It is non-acceptance of social, political, or scientific truths. (The ego defense mechanism of denial is a separate concept.) Reasonable, legitimate dialogue with a denialist is difficult. He will see your empirically-informed reasoning as a threat to his worldview. He may interrupt and overreact often as he defends his bigoted, bizarre, or unreasonable ideas against scientific facts. You may be rudely patronized, condescended to, overridden, intentionally sidetracked, or loudly distracted from the orderly flow of discussion. In a large public gathering, your rights of expression and of free assembly may be suppressed. Be ready to respectfully and calmly find a thread of commonality between opposing views, support your argument with hard data, and cite your specific research sources.
Continually examine your beliefs and culture. Oppose flawed, illogical, erroneous, delusional, or fallacious thinking and the reasoning underlying these modes. Your open questioning or challenging of the religious or political status quo entails risk of social rejection. You must have the courage to challenge and resolve contradiction or unverified truth.
Evidence-based truth is the path to human enlightenment and freedom.