I remember growing up, my family and I often attended synagogue and never missed Yom Kippur. Whether you believed in God, were agnostic, or even an atheist, you went to the synagogue because of a deep need to belong.
Yom Kippur is a time when many Jews reflect on their roots and history, and because of what the Jewish nation has endured over the centuries, there is a collective struggle as a people. People need to connect to something from the past that will carry into the future. This strong attachment, even for atheists, might even lead them to fast on Yom Kippur.
But is that need for connection the only reason they choose to fast? Let’s remember that Yom Kippur is closely linked to sin, repentance, and supplication before God. So even though an atheist says they do not believe in God, we know what it says in Romans 2:15—that all humans have an innate knowledge of God. People are not as autonomous as they might think or hope they are; after all, every time an atheist feels guilty, seeks forgiveness, or extends forgiveness to someone else, they are acting in a God-like way, demonstrating morality and proving that the knowledge of God is in their hearts.
How can an atheist appreciate nature, music, and beauty, which also reflect a connection to the Creator who made all of this? Even though they deny God’s existence, their love for these things shows an attachment to Him.
With this in mind, we have a duty to pray especially for those who identify as atheists. During this holiday season, ask the Jewish atheist why they are fasting and help them see a reality they might have never considered—that even if they are not actively seeking God, their heart may already be speaking His language. The mind might oppose, but the soul still feels drawn to God’s things. May God give us divine opportunities to share His beauty and truth and demonstrate that His mark is already on their hearts—the wisdom of God engraved deep into the heart of every person.