Issue Date
2025
Abstract
This study explores the lived experiences of Filipino atheists and how they negotiate traditional Filipino values in a predominantly religious society. Using a phenomenological thematic analysis, it draws on in-depth semi-structured interviews with seven self-identified Filipino atheists. The study examines how participants interpret and navigate values such as pakikisama (smooth interpersonal relations), utang na loob (debt of gratitude), hiya (propriety or shame), and kapwa (shared identity). Findings show that Filipino atheists do not reject these values outright but reinterpret them through secular moral frameworks grounded in empathy, responsibility, and relational care. Participants maintain social belonging through selective disclosure, pragmatic accommodation, and the cultivation of secular communities, while redefining gratitude and morality beyond religious belief. Despite persistent stigma, their experiences demonstrate that moral agency and cultural belonging remain deeply relational, revealing that Filipino values possess ethical autonomy beyond theological foundations.
Source or Periodical Title
UP Los Baños Journal
ISSN
0117-1461
Volume
23
Issue
1
Page
68-81
Document Type
Article
College
College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)
Language
English
Subject
Filipino atheism; Filipino values; Secularization; Phenomenology; Moral agency
Recommended Citation
Aldama, Prince Kennex R., "Between belief belonging: Filipino atheists’ lived experiences of cultural negotiation" (2025). Journal Article. 6498.
https://www.ukdr.uplb.edu.ph/journal-articles/6498