Philippine E-Journals

Light and Darkness: A Phenomenological Inquiry on Adult Filipino Atheist in a Religious Household

Mark Lester C. Cuayzon

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to examine and understand the perspectives of self-identified atheists and non-religious individuals living in religious families. The focus of this study is to learn more about the living experience of adults who do not have religious or spiritual beliefs, but who live with or are supported by a family with sacred religious beliefs. Thus, the researcher delved into the historical background of phenomenology to determine and understand the process of phenomenology. The study revealed the following structural themes: rejecting the infallibility of deities and religion, atheism leads to knowledge, life away from despair and liberation from chains, captive by misconception, the toxicity of generational and cultural stigmatization, in the process of being an atheist, and the downside of being an atheist.