Losing Faith in Atheism

The New Yorker

by Christopher Beha

February 14, 2026

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The article "Losing Faith in Atheism" recounts the author's journey from a devout Catholic upbringing to his eventual rejection of religion and exploration of atheistic ideas. The story begins with a harrowing experience during college when the author's twin brother, Jim, nearly dies in a car accident. In the face of this crisis, the author turns to prayer, a natural response rooted in their religious upbringing. However, despite their faith, the author finds that his experience of vulnerability leads him away from belief rather than deeper into it. The incident becomes a turning point, marking the start of his gradual departure from Catholicism and his eventual embrace of atheism. The narrative then shifts to the cultural context of the early 2000s, when the New Atheist movement gained momentum with works by Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens. The author notes that while these figures criticized religion's role in causing harm, their focus on facts and rationality left little room for addressing deeper existential questions about how to live or find meaning. The author reflects on his own search for purpose beyond atheism, finding the New Atheists' emphasis on morality as self-evident insufficient. He craves a more nuanced understanding of ethics and existence, one that extends beyond mere

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Originally published on The New Yorker on 2/14/2026