The fallout from Oprah‘s ignorant comments toward an atheist guest is still in high gear and I offered my thoughts in the Washington Post‘s “On Faith” section:

Are atheists capable of feeling awe about our world?

Absolutely.

Atheist musicians experience that feeling when playing or listening to a beautiful composition.

Atheist scientists experience that feeling when they gaze at the stars or look through a microscope.

Atheist parents experience that feeling when they first lay eyes on their newborn child.

There’s nothing religious about it. It’s just nature: elusive, expansive, and enveloping. You don’t need to look for a Higher Power to give thanks. Sometimes, you can just bask in the wonderful way the world turned out, considering all the ways it could have gone in another direction…