What Is The Meaning and/or Purpose Of Life To An Atheist?

[jtpr312]

I don't believe any true atheist is interested in fleshing out your delusion. There is no "god is" such and such because god isn't. An atheist isn't interested in all the ways a believer incorporates their hallucinations about a god in relation to anything. An atheists denial of a god isn't "like" anything. It is a simple concept. God does not exist. God is nothing. Your hallucinations are real. Just as any mental illness is real.

Really? Not interested? Then pray tell why so many dang posts on this thread telling us God doesn't exist? You spend as much time telling people Santa doesn't exist? Probably not because you REALLY don't believe there is a Santa. God on the other hand, it's not a matter of disbelief, ALL men are born with the belief in God, what you're experiancing is a separation from God. For your sake I hope God one day decides to call you to His Son.

“ALL men are born with the belief in God”?

There is no reason to believe that.

Can you support that statement - that we are implanted with monotheism or any idea of gods at all?

Babies seem to be blank slates, devoid of anything but instinct (eat, defecate, sleep, that sort of thing). They also display curiosity and experiment with their environment, so they seem far more in tune with the processes of science as opposed to those of faith. If you raise a baby in a Hindu culture, it will almost certainly embrace Hinduism; if in a Christian home, Christianity. All theistic beliefs seem to be externally brought to human beings, none of them display inherent hardwiring. If you raise a child devoid of god concepts in the middle of a remote jungle, the child will not arbitrarily and spontaneously generate theism.

I am not a theist, I am an atheist and your statement that presumes we are implanted with a god spirit requires it to be supported or discarded as mere speculation (and you're entitled to speculation).

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools.

Carry on my friend, as a Calvinist I don't blame you for your supression of the truth at all, as I believe not all are called to be with God and that ONLY the Father calling you to the Son will save you and furthermore, that God actually works against some people ever learning the truth because they prefer the lie.

 

[jtpr312]

I don't believe any true atheist is interested in fleshing out your delusion. There is no "god is" such and such because god isn't. An atheist isn't interested in all the ways a believer incorporates their hallucinations about a god in relation to anything. An atheists denial of a god isn't "like" anything. It is a simple concept. God does not exist. God is nothing. Your hallucinations are real. Just as any mental illness is real.

Really? Not interested? Then pray tell why so many dang posts on this thread telling us God doesn't exist? You spend as much time telling people Santa doesn't exist? Probably not because you REALLY don't believe there is a Santa. God on the other hand, it's not a matter of disbelief, ALL men are born with the belief in God, what you're experiancing is a separation from God. For your sake I hope God one day decides to call you to His Son.

You are an idiot. Don't hope anything on my behalf. It's none of your business.

Lol, little bit of a communist as well as an atheist there aren't you? Telling me what I can and can't hope for. Here's the facts sweety, I hope God calls you to His Son, I don't know you so it won't effect me if He doesn't, but mark my words, one day, you, like every other human being that ever was or ever will be, will bow down before Jesus Christ and confess Jesus is Lord. For your sake it would be much, much better if God called you to His Son and you did this while you where still alive, so that will be my hope and prayer for you. As a matter of fact, I will now, every day at 6:30 AM eastern standard time, make it my business to pray for this to happen for you.

 

[HUGGY]

Really? Not interested? Then pray tell why so many dang posts on this thread telling us God doesn't exist? You spend as much time telling people Santa doesn't exist? Probably not because you REALLY don't believe there is a Santa. God on the other hand, it's not a matter of disbelief, ALL men are born with the belief in God, what you're experiancing is a separation from God. For your sake I hope God one day decides to call you to His Son.

You are an idiot. Don't hope anything on my behalf. It's none of your business.

Lol, little bit of a communist as well as an atheist there aren't you? Telling me what I can and can't hope for. Here's the facts sweety, I hope God calls you to His Son, I don't know you so it won't effect me if He doesn't, but mark my words, one day, you, like every other human being that ever was or ever will be, will bow down before Jesus Christ and confess Jesus is Lord. For your sake it would be much, much better if God called you to His Son and you did this while you where still alive, so that will be my hope and prayer for you. As a matter of fact, I will now, every day at 6:30 AM eastern standard time, make it my business to pray for this to happen for you.

You are mentally defective. I "bow down" before no man and definitely not before any man's sky fairy.

Your words just emphasize the need for more attention towards mental health in America.

 

[jtpr312]

You are an idiot. Don't hope anything on my behalf. It's none of your business.

Lol, little bit of a communist as well as an atheist there aren't you? Telling me what I can and can't hope for. Here's the facts sweety, I hope God calls you to His Son, I don't know you so it won't effect me if He doesn't, but mark my words, one day, you, like every other human being that ever was or ever will be, will bow down before Jesus Christ and confess Jesus is Lord. For your sake it would be much, much better if God called you to His Son and you did this while you where still alive, so that will be my hope and prayer for you. As a matter of fact, I will now, every day at 6:30 AM eastern standard time, make it my business to pray for this to happen for you.

You are mentally defective. I "bow down" before no man and definitely not before any man's sky fairy.

Your words just emphasize the need for more attention towards mental health in America.

Oh don't worry, it won't be a man you bow down to, it will be your Creator you bow down to. Like I said, I'll be praying it's not at your judgment.

 

[HUGGY]

Lol, little bit of a communist as well as an atheist there aren't you? Telling me what I can and can't hope for. Here's the facts sweety, I hope God calls you to His Son, I don't know you so it won't effect me if He doesn't, but mark my words, one day, you, like every other human being that ever was or ever will be, will bow down before Jesus Christ and confess Jesus is Lord. For your sake it would be much, much better if God called you to His Son and you did this while you where still alive, so that will be my hope and prayer for you. As a matter of fact, I will now, every day at 6:30 AM eastern standard time, make it my business to pray for this to happen for you.

You are mentally defective. I "bow down" before no man and definitely not before any man's sky fairy.

Your words just emphasize the need for more attention towards mental health in America.

Oh don't worry, it won't be a man you bow down to, it will be your Creator you bow down to. Like I said, I'll be praying it's not at your judgment.

There is no judgement. That's the beauty of your ponzi scheme isn't it. You don't ever have to prove anything. It's ALL handled after someone dies. How convenient. Dead men tell no tales. If you were not so stupid I would say you are the epitomie of evil. No dissatisfied customers eh? At least when your "flock" dies they don't have to listen to your bullshit any more. What a complete waste of human existance. Hopefully someday you will wake up and be very ashamed of the damage you people do with your false promises and theft of people's time and resources.

 

[rightwinger]

The purpose of life is to be able to sleep late on Sunday mornings

 

[AVG-JOE]

Atheists just want a title to fall back on for having rarely any morals and being able to do as they please and not be judged. Well they will be judged long before they can enjoy the sins of the flesh and leading a life with no purpose.The H.O.A will and can do what the Christians can't their non violent approach makes them seem weak or helpless.I assure we of the H.O.A are not if blood shed is needed then blood shed it shall be .Our horseman will stand as one and be judged for our sins but they will be well deserved to defend humanity from itself

What does H.O.A. stand for?

 

[jtpr312]

You are mentally defective. I "bow down" before no man and definitely not before any man's sky fairy.

Your words just emphasize the need for more attention towards mental health in America.

Oh don't worry, it won't be a man you bow down to, it will be your Creator you bow down to. Like I said, I'll be praying it's not at your judgment.

There is no judgement. That's the beauty of your ponzi scheme isn't it. You don't ever have to prove anything. It's ALL handled after someone dies. How convenient. Dead men tell no tales. If you were not so stupid I would say you are the epitomie of evil. No dissatisfied customers eh? At least when your "flock" dies they don't have to listen to your bullshit any more. What a complete waste of human existance. Hopefully someday you will wake up and be very ashamed of the damage you people do with your false promises and theft of people's time and resources.

Psalm 14:1 The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt.


Good life to you bud, I'll be praying for you.

 

[editec]

What Is The Meaning and/or Purpose Of Life To An Atheist?

The question implies that believers come equipped with a build in purpose to life.

Do they really?

What is it?

 

[MarcATL]

What Is The Meaning and/or Purpose Of Life To An Atheist?

The question implies that believers come equipped with a build in purpose to life.

Do they really?

What is it?

To serve God, our Creator, and let Him work through you.

 

[amrchaos]

I have a couple of questions myself.

First off, I take it that anything that occurs without intent is therefore considered chance. If this is the case, should we then consider everything that is "chance" to lack value to those who observe it.

I tend to think not. Any occurance, in my op, comes up under the judgeship of the observer. That is if something of chance occurs and you observed it, you decide if it is valuable, detrimental, or inconsequential based on your perspective.

With this, let take the supposition that our Universe was created by chance. Then the life you have came about though a chance occurance. Is it, therefore, valueless to you? Most rational people would say it is valuable, but the reason why they say it is valuable may differ. Note that the question of "PURPOSE" of a "CHANCE OCCURANCE" does not make much logical sense as a question.

I will give my definite answer to why my life is valuable. It is the only life I know I have!


Think about it. Why would I throw it away for some claim that is not provable? Because I wish to fit into a group? Because I have the truth(which is only based on what other humans say. By the way, since humans can lie, I don't put much stock into human claims without some additional proof especially when it concerns how to live my life. )?

If I assumed that I was going to have another life, one that last for eternity, then how much value should I place into this one? Not as much since this life is only a prelude to what can be considered a more worthy and valuable life, right? In other words, having a spare life, an assumed better life, depreciate the value of this life. Kind of leaves open the question "Why are you FORCED to live this life?" If you believe in a life after death concept.

Of course, this seems problematic to some theist because they will begin to ask questions about "others" and whether a non-theist can value others without their theological teachings. But remember, you were "TAUGHT" to value others according to your own claims about your religion. Not one theist was born with their holy books imprinted in their minds and needing not to attend a course in their religious understanding. If we are to assume that value of others and behavior are "Taught" then atheists are also taught despite not believing in the more fantastical claims of any religion.

On the other hand, if you believe you were not taught to assess values in others, to differentiate acceptable behavior from non-acceptable behavior, but believe our psychological makeup is a product of nature instead of nurture. Then, for the theist, one has to question why do people change religion, since belief "is in their blood". That is why do some people convert to your religion while others convert from your religion. For the atheist, the question of "genetic based" behavior leads to question why do people have different personalities and take on differing beliefs regardless of their familiar relations.

In my op, I think that given a otherwise perfectly healthy person, genetics have very little to do with behavior.

We are taught the basics of our behavior.
Either through the way we are raised or through lessons of religious/philosphical material.

Religion is a form of Educational/Social Programming.
Social programming, basically, is method of teaching people how to behave. It could take on a logical course such as a study of cause and effect in terms of human behavior. Or it could take on doctrines claimed to be absolute "Truth" and the follower advised to follow it for their own benefit.

Their is some bias against the "Programming" due to some cults "brainwashing" their adherents. The truth is, Every single one of us has, or should I say currently, in a form of programming! That includes you and I

"What is The value of your life" is determined by your own personal judgement.
If you believe that your religion is correct, then you will take on that perspective to give definition and value to your life. In many cases, you would seek to imitate a model of individual perfection(WWJD for christians is a particular obvious case of this.)

But the truth is: Your life is valuable to you because it is the only one you are sure to have.


If you need anything more to give your life valuable, then surely you ask for too much.


Sorry for the long post.

 

[Bubba]

"What actually IS the meaning and/or purpose of life as you see it?"


----------

There is no "MEANING TO LIFE"
at least not the way you are thinking.

most religous people believe that the ONLY REAL REASON for life is to worship some god

else....what's the point of even existing?


There is NO MEANING to life other than the MEANINGS we give to ourselves

some people live to do good works
other people live for their art or their music
some people live for their families
LOTS of people just float around from one reality to the next trying to have as much fun as they can
and some people, full of hate and ignorance, have found their own meaning to life; to HATE, to lie, and insult, and denigrate as many cultural enemies as they can and have a lot of fun doing it!

if they're lucky maybe there will be blood!

sniperfire obviously hopes some day to shoot as many liberals as she can from some cowardly hiding place

that is HER meaning to life!

 

[Bubba]

uscitizen
"I have about 8 or more religious channels on my satellite. I do not recall any atheist ones. "


MANY religious people are ALWAYS trying to FORCE THEIR religion on everyone; in schools, at football games, in politics, on our money, in a pledge to the nation...

meanwhile atheists (and lots of liberal christians) merely try to PREVENT religious zealots from staking too wide a claim to our constitution and our Country

And each time we work to prevent tyrannical religious theocrats from stealing another piece of America they whine that THEY are being persecuted!

THEY are UNDER ATTACK!

simply because we defend ALL RELIGOUS FREEDOM!

apparently if we don't just let them have the whole country then we are discriminating against them....

with THAT kind of logic the japanese should have complained about Americans fighting back at Pearl Harbor

 

[oldfart]

What Is The Meaning and/or Purpose Of Life To An Atheist?

The question implies that believers come equipped with a build in purpose to life.

Do they really?

What is it?

To serve God, our Creator, and let Him work through you.

OK you serve God and do what he tells you to do. Here is my concern. How do you know that you will not become a Jim Jones who hears voices from God telling him to have everyone drink the koolaid? A large part of the evil in the world is done by people who are doing what the voice of God is telling them to do. It's not enough to say Jim Jones was possessed by a devil, or was mentally ill. The same thing could be said of you or I after we have committed some horrible crime. How does a believer or an observer decide whether the message is truly from God? Or are all such cases messages from God, in which case it was God's intention for all of the Jonestown people to die? This line of reasoning has all of the earmarks of circular reasoning and has a terrible outcome.

Personally I believe that if a god existed, despite the many contrary examples in the Old Testament, that such a deity would not be genocidal or a mass murderer. If so, there must be something in a religion that allows believers to draw a line that says, "This is not
God's will."

So is your god a mass murderer whose instructions you will follow blindly regardless of how amoral and depraved they may be? If not, how do you distinguish between a true message from god and a manifestation of mental illness, either in yourself or in others? If ordered in the name of God to do unspeakable acts, what in your religion prevents you from doing so?

 

[Jimmy_Jam]

The question implies that believers come equipped with a build in purpose to life.

Do they really?

What is it?

To serve God, our Creator, and let Him work through you.

OK you serve God and do what he tells you to do. Here is my concern. How do you know that you will not become a Jim Jones who hears voices from God telling him to have everyone drink the koolaid? A large part of the evil in the world is done by people who are doing what the voice of God is telling them to do. It's not enough to say Jim Jones was possessed by a devil, or was mentally ill. The same thing could be said of you or I after we have committed some horrible crime. How does a believer or an observer decide whether the message is truly from God? Or are all such cases messages from God, in which case it was God's intention for all of the Jonestown people to die? This line of reasoning has all of the earmarks of circular reasoning and has a terrible outcome.

Personally I believe that if a god existed, despite the many contrary examples in the Old Testament, that such a deity would not be genocidal or a mass murderer. If so, there must be something in a religion that allows believers to draw a line that says, "This is not
God's will."

So is your god a mass murderer whose instructions you will follow blindly regardless of how amoral and depraved they may be? If not, how do you distinguish between a true message from god and a manifestation of mental illness, either in yourself or in others? If ordered in the name of God to do unspeakable acts, what in your religion prevents you from doing so?

Good input. Let's not forget that the God of the OT convinced a man to kill his son and just before he did it sent an angel to say "Stop! We were testing you to see how much you fear God." That's like the behavior of a mob boss. If I were hearing voices in my head that told me to kill any of my three beloved children I would tell the voices to go fuck themselves. If I got sent to Hell because of it, then I guess I belong there.

 

[oldfart]

Good input. Let's not forget that the God of the OT convinced a man to kill his son and just before he did it sent an angel to say "Stop! We were testing you to see how much you fear God." That's like the behavior of a mob boss. If I were hearing voices in my head that told me to kill any of my three beloved children I would tell the voices to go fuck themselves. If I got sent to Hell because of it, then I guess I belong there.

It is a good question and I have heard a lot of thoughtful answers. It's an insoluble one for inerrantists because when they say "But God would never do that," the response is, "But he has." I got a pretty good, if convoluted answer from a Jesuit who taught philosophy and religion in a small liberal arts college. Christian theology is capable of coming up with an answer, the problem is whether or not you have to become a heretic to do it.

Where it gets really dicey is when you combine it with questions of religious authority. The quickest way out is to say that church leaders will tell you when such voices are truly from God. But this is even worse; it abandons an internal moral compass for an external absolute authority. Jim Jones and a host of other religious leaders who sanctioned pogroms, wars, and violence such as burning witches and heretics demonstrate that church leadership may be more of a problem than a safeguard.

 

[HUGGY]

What Is The Meaning and/or Purpose Of Life To An Atheist?

To live long enough to see every religious owned building burnt to the ground and it's "worshipers" sacttered to the winds..


Ya...that's it!

 

[Quantum Windbag]

In a response or complementary, rather, to chess' great thread...http://www.usmessageboard.com/religion-and-ethics/165908-what-is-death-to-an-ahteist.html

I'm curious to know from atheists, what is their understanding of the meaning and/or purpose of life?

I image that the majority of atheists believe in the Big Bang Theory, or some version thereof...which in essence states that we are all here by chance, some happenstance of a big bang that somehow ended up creating life from some amoeba or similar form that resulted in us, humans beings at the end/top of the food chain.

Along with that theory, the world is millions of years old, I just read someone's post in the other thread using "eons." Which raises another question of, why are we, humans, so lucky? How is it that we are on this planet for "eons" and we haven't had a catastrophic event, such as a meteor that obliterates this planet? Why hasn't it happened as yet? What's stopping it from happening? That seems to be quite a lot of luck to just end up being living beings, as we are, AND not having massively catastrophic event occur like that. No?

Anyway, back to the original premise...what's the meaning of life....if we are all here by some chance?

What makes you think that, just because you are a Christian, you have some kind of lock on the meaning of life?

By the way, I want to take the time to point out that this particular drooling idiot belongs to the left.

 

[Jimmy_Jam]

In a response or complementary, rather, to chess' great thread...http://www.usmessageboard.com/religion-and-ethics/165908-what-is-death-to-an-ahteist.html

I'm curious to know from atheists, what is their understanding of the meaning and/or purpose of life?

I image that the majority of atheists believe in the Big Bang Theory, or some version thereof...which in essence states that we are all here by chance, some happenstance of a big bang that somehow ended up creating life from some amoeba or similar form that resulted in us, humans beings at the end/top of the food chain.

Along with that theory, the world is millions of years old, I just read someone's post in the other thread using "eons." Which raises another question of, why are we, humans, so lucky? How is it that we are on this planet for "eons" and we haven't had a catastrophic event, such as a meteor that obliterates this planet? Why hasn't it happened as yet? What's stopping it from happening? That seems to be quite a lot of luck to just end up being living beings, as we are, AND not having massively catastrophic event occur like that. No?

Anyway, back to the original premise...what's the meaning of life....if we are all here by some chance?

What makes you think that, just because you are a Christian, you have some kind of lock on the meaning of life?

By the way, I want to take the time to point out that this particular drooling idiot belongs to the left.

I'm pretty new here, but I think I can smell that you two have a history pretty easily.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

In a response or complementary, rather, to chess' great thread...http://www.usmessageboard.com/religion-and-ethics/165908-what-is-death-to-an-ahteist.html

I'm curious to know from atheists, what is their understanding of the meaning and/or purpose of life?

I image that the majority of atheists believe in the Big Bang Theory, or some version thereof...which in essence states that we are all here by chance, some happenstance of a big bang that somehow ended up creating life from some amoeba or similar form that resulted in us, humans beings at the end/top of the food chain.

Along with that theory, the world is millions of years old, I just read someone's post in the other thread using "eons." Which raises another question of, why are we, humans, so lucky? How is it that we are on this planet for "eons" and we haven't had a catastrophic event, such as a meteor that obliterates this planet? Why hasn't it happened as yet? What's stopping it from happening? That seems to be quite a lot of luck to just end up being living beings, as we are, AND not having massively catastrophic event occur like that. No?

Anyway, back to the original premise...what's the meaning of life....if we are all here by some chance?

What makes you think that, just because you are a Christian, you have some kind of lock on the meaning of life?

By the way, I want to take the time to point out that this particular drooling idiot belongs to the left.

I'm pretty new here, but I think I can smell that you two have a history pretty easily.

That does not change the fact that he is a lefty through and through.