What If I'm an Atheist?: A Teen's Guide to Exploring a Life Without Religion

What do you believe—and what if the answer is “I’m not sure”? This thoughtful, accessible guide helps young people explore atheism, agnosticism, and nonbelief while navigating questions about identity, values, family, community, and finding meaning in their own lives.

What do you believe—and what if the answer is “I’m not sure”?

Questioning religion, faith, and spirituality can be an important part of figuring out who you are. Maybe you grew up in a religious family but aren’t sure you share the same beliefs. Maybe you identify as atheist or agnostic. Maybe you’re curious about what it means to be nonreligious—or you simply have questions you’re not comfortable asking out loud.

What If I’m an Atheist? is a thoughtful, accessible guide for young people exploring atheism, agnosticism, nonbelief, and their own evolving ideas about religion and spirituality. Without telling readers what they should or shouldn’t believe, it offers practical guidance for navigating the questions that can arise when your beliefs differ from those of your family, friends, or community.

What does it mean to be an atheist? How do you talk about your beliefs—or uncertainty—with other people? What happens when your family celebrates religious holidays that don’t hold the same meaning for you? Where can you find community, values, purpose, and meaning outside of religious faith? Through approachable explanations, practical advice, conversation starters, and perspectives from both religious and nonreligious teens, readers can explore these questions in a supportive, nonjudgmental space.

Whether you’re atheist, agnostic, questioning, nonreligious, or simply curious, What If I’m an Atheist? offers reassurance that you don’t need to have everything figured out. It gives young people the information and confidence to ask big questions, think critically, respect different perspectives, and decide what they believe—or don’t believe—for themselves.

David Seidman is a Los Angeles–area journalist, editor, and author who often writes nonfiction for teens. He comes to the topic of atheism with empathy for teenagers and for people in the religious minority, but he’s nobody’s advocate. He has written on topics as diverse as a US president, civil rights, teens in Iran, and holiday lights displays.