Comte-Sponville is not out to convert people to atheism. In his own words, he is a "nondogmatic atheist—that is, I do not claim to know that God does not exist, but I believe he does not exist" (69). He realizes that human conflict arises from theists and atheists alike. He finds some believers admirable and "most worthy of respect. Their faith in no way offends me" (11).
Comte-Sponville rejects faith but not fidelity. He believes society can do without religion but not without communion or fidelity. Ethics continues whether or not one has religion. He believes strongly in preserving the past, including religious traditions and teachings: "only by being culturally conservative can we be politically progressive" (27).
Though rejecting Jesus, he embraces "the spirit of Christ" - justice and charity, the wisdom of love, the virtue of doing good and living in joy (32). He believes a commitment to truth is necessary in order to possess knowledge. Though he believes all truth and values are relative, "[i]t is not true that anything goes." He calls us to "fidelity to humanity and to our own duty to be human. ... Our primary duty, the one which which all the others follow, is that of living and behaving humanly (49).
Though he admits that the Christian faith offers a great hope and atheism is prone to nihilism ("There is no way for a lucid atheist to avoid despair" 51), he rejects Christian hope as impossibly idealistic, and rejects nihilism as an extreme and dangerous response. He calls for a "tragic wisdom," a "wisdom of despair" similar to the first Epicurians, Stoics or Buddhism. Consequently, hope plays no role in his philosophy: "To wish for what does not depend on us (to hope) is to condemn ourselves to powerlessness and resentment" (53). The comfort he offers: "People who hope for nothing... cannot be disappointed" (53).
He invites us to yearn for a kingdom such as the one Christ preached, arguing that atheists share this same kingdom in their desire for love and knowledge and part ways in regard to hope and faith (59). He also invites us to imitate Jesus' life - not his faith or hope, but his love. He accepts a large part of the Gospels, but feels separated from belivers "by only three days," namely, Good Friday through Easter Sunday (63).
In the end, Comte-Sponville embraces a secular sort of transcendence. Contemplating the immensity of the universe puts the ego in its place. This dying to oneself is "opening oneself up to life, to reality, to everything. What could be more boring, more restricted and more vain than my self?" (200).
Comte-Sponville's lack of condescension and contempt characteristic of many popular atheist authors who speak with the certainty of fundamentalists and fanatics is refreshing. Though he may reject theism, he is not out to destroy all theists. If faith helps people live better lives, he is content: "Humanity is far too weak and life far too difficult for people to go around spitting on each other's faiths. I loathe fanaticisms of all kinds, including atheistic fanaticism" (100).
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