A Journey to Atheism and Humanism

Karen Mizner is and has always been a seeker of truth. She was a questioning child and an avid reader with an insatiable quest for knowledge that has continued to the present day.

She credits her inquisitive mind with leading her in her teens to question God, theism and organized religion. She asked lots of questions, read books and talked with trusted friends. She had come to understand that the ideas and concepts she supported were only as good as the next challenge and thus she questioned and challenged everything. By the time she was 20, she had determined that she was at least an agnostic and by the time she had her first daughter at 26, she was a self-declared atheist though she remained in the “closet” out of fear of losing her family, friends and/or her job if she revealed the truth of her beliefs.

Upon retirement and still seeking knowledge, Karen attended a free lecture put on by a secular group associated with the American Humanist Association. Their philosophy led her to join their ranks, adding “Humanist” to her identity. “Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism or other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity.” It’s a philosophy she embraces and shares with those who are also seekers of truth and knowledge.