Sometimes the sheer audacity of other people amazes me.

If I were to say that Christians were cannibals because they ate Jesus’ body and drank his blood, or that Christians were polytheists because they worshiped three gods, I’d be castigated for grossly misrepresenting the Christian faith.

Yet, if Michael Ives’ [column] in Nov. 7 Daily is any indication, Mr. Ives thinks he can do just that to atheists and get away with it.

Sorry, Mr. Ives.

I am an atheist. Much as Mr. Ives would like to believe otherwise, not everybody has a religion or worships a god — I certainly don’t. Atheism is nothing more than a disbelief in the existence of God— it is no more a religion than bald is a hair color.

It has no dogma, no creed, no ceremonies, no clergy, no holy book of sacred writ, no community of “believers,” or any other of the characteristics that make up a religion. Calling atheism a religion doesn’t make it one.

Mr. Ives goes on to say that life has to be meaningless if you’re an atheist — another falsehood. I find a great deal of purpose and meaning in life.

The relationships I have with my family and friends, continuing to learn about the world around me, partaking of the fine arts, doing kind things for others, watching children play — all these things make my life meaningful and worth living.

If these and other similar things are enough to give my life and other atheists’ lives meaning, why are they not enough to give purpose to anyone’s life, God or no God? I have genuine pity for people whose view of life is so grim that only God can save it from total meaninglessness.

Mr. Ives then shifts the subject to ethics, and once again demonstrates his misunderstanding. I don’t believe that morality has anything to do with majority rule, or who has the biggest guns. It’s about the effects our actions have on other people.

To quote Mr. Ives’ example, I should not rape or murder because it would mean harming another human being against their will.

This, by definition, is wrong —acting morally means refraining from harming others, unless an action would cause a greater harm to more people. So why should I care about others?

Because they’re people like me. Because I depend on other members of society for my well-being. I wouldn’t want to be raped or murdered, or have it happen to someone I love. I wouldn’t want to live in a society where rape and murder were looked upon favorably.

Therefore, I have no right to murder or rape myself. I don’t need God to keep me from acting immorally, and I seriously have to wonder about people who claim that I do.

Could it be that they believe that the only reason other people matter is that the god with the biggest gun said so?

And yes, Mr. Ives, I am thankful in this holiday season.

I thank my parents for giving me life and support. I thank the farmers who grow and raise the food I eat, and I thank all the people involved in getting the food to my table. I thank the scientists, writers and artists who have made life more than a struggle for survival. I thank our founding fathers for establishing a government where all can express their own religious beliefs without fear of persecution.

But I have no thanks to raise to a God who, if he existed, would be responsible for allowing millions of people around the world to starve to death while we in the United States get fat off of turkey and mashed potatoes.

Mr. Ives, this is a free country. If you want to express your disagreement with what I think, you certainly have the right to do so.

However, if you’re going to criticize atheism in front of an audience, you have a responsibility to make sure that what you criticize is in fact what atheists believe.

I do not fit the character that you painted of atheists in your editorial, nor do any other atheists I know or have spoken with.

How many atheists do you know personally? How many did you talk to before you wrote your article? Have you read any books on philosophy or theology written by atheists?

I would not presume to criticize Christianity without having first educated myself by at least reading the Bible and talking with a few Christians of different denominations.

Is it too much to ask that this courtesy be returned? What gives you the right to set up a strawman of atheism out of your own ignorance, knock it down and gloat over it? A final bit of advice: Mr. Ives, you have three or four more years left at Iowa State.

During that time, you will meet people from all kinds of social, economic, cultural and yes, religious backgrounds. Take the time to get to know and understand them.

Many will hold beliefs that you find strange or even disturbing — find out what they believe and why, even if you disagree.

Until then, the only thing your criticism will prove to others is your own ignorance.

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Mark Anstrom is a senior in chemical engineering from Cedar Rapids.