05/16/2026
Why I became an atheist—
When I was little, I was hospitalized for a heart condition. The ward I stayed in was full of seriously ill children, so from a young age, I experienced the deaths of many friends. I wasn’t emotionally mature enough to understand or accept death, so every night I prayed to God for my friends to come back to life. I cried desperately and repeated the same wish thousands of times.
But nothing changed.
Eventually, I became bitter and convinced that God didn’t exist. I learned to believe that dreams, hopes, and wishes are not granted by some higher power—they are things you fight for yourself. You stand up with your own strength and grab them with your own hands. That belief made me mentally and physically strong as I grew up.
Still, life brings situations far beyond our control—family health, the happiness of people we love, things no amount of effort can fix. In those moments, all you can do is pray. And even as an atheist, I probably pray more seriously than anyone around me.
A patient once told me about a temple she visited during the darkest time of her life. She said it had many Buddha statues and a bell hanging above a fountain. If you throw a coin and ring the bell three times, your dreams will come true.
She told me,
“When life becomes something you cannot overcome on your own, you should go there too.”
The funny thing was… she couldn’t remember the name or location of the temple.
After asking dozens of patients and friends, I somehow miraculously found it. Since then, I’ve called it the “Miracle Temple.” I think it’s probably a Chinese temple, but if there truly is some greater power watching over us, I don’t think it cares about labels or religion. There are as many religions as there are people. Whether someone prays to Jesus, Buddha, or something else entirely, I don’t believe any god would reject a lost soul searching for hope.
Every time I go there, I gather every coin I can find and ring that bell with all my heart.
So far, every wish I’ve made there has come true.
I pray that all the people I love stay healthy and happy.
#伊藤流神頼みの心得
