The general atheist meaning of life

by mankkeli 106 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  mankkeli

  I have posted this on another forum where I mentor on Spirituality and I am posting here again.

  When things like spirituality are no longer present in one's life, they may or may not stop looking for meaning. Meaning is an essential part of human psychology, though some feel the need for it less than others, and even a few seemingly don't at all. There also seems to be a trend that occurs: in the lack of a meaning of life, the brain tries to find one, because it sees a purpose for everything.
  
  What this thread is to address is the most commonly assumed purpose of living associated with atheism, but is rarely consciously understood: survival. The survival of life is the most common thing that is subconsciously assumed to be the only purpose for survival. From this perspective, things like art, music and spirituality are considered to be mere psychological needs.
  
  Though, to most it may seem like simply a depressing state of mind, it is hypothetically dangerous. Religion may have literally evolved physically because it supports clan efforts to make sacrifices for the group even when they may not recieve something in return. Due to this, they survived strongly as a group because they needed each other to watch out for each other. The only way they could sustain a tribe from a lack of morality in desperate times is fear of a diety, or promise of a better life, which only comes from religion.
  
  If the purpose of life is simply to survive, then there's really no reason why I shouldn't lie, cheat and steal. My instincts tell me not to, but others may come to the conclusion that their instincts need to be overridden with "reason," and that their desires should be met by whatever means necessary.
  
  A lot of this is subconscious, and it is part of why atheists won't succeed without first philosophizing the "whys" of life. Why not kill? Why not lie? Why not cheat? Why do any of these things if I'm not going to get something back, and especially if I'm not going to suffer consequences?
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  bohm

  didnt you just have a meltdown earlier and called everyone names?

  feel better now?
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  TheUbermensch

  Wow you're a moron.
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  cofty

  Ethics, morality and purpose without god is an interesting topic. Unfortunately your opening post is so ignorant it would be no fun discussing it with you.
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  soft+gentle

  excellent points mankkeli

  meaning is an essential part of my life and I also gain much satisfaction in studying how communites made and celebrated meaning as a group and individually. Music, art and spirituality have always been very important but of course to varying degrees on an individual level.

  Philosophy and the humanities discuss the why's of life rather than science. Theology does too.

  edit: having seen the contribution from our resident atheists here I can only say they are morons - don't listent o them.
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  Teary Oberon

  A hypothetical society filled with people similar to the one you describe (one who adheres to no moral code or philosophy other than survival and satisfaction of his 'gut'), would be literal case of "he who has the most power makes the rules and decides what is right and what is wrong." People would be held in check mainly through fear of negative consequences carried out by more powerful men. They would obey the rules simply because they get more advantage out of obeying them than disobeying them.

  The best literary examples that Teary can think of would be:

  "The Sea Wolf" by Jack London

  and

  "The Abolition of Man" by C.S. Lewis.

  both really good reads.
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  bohm

  would be literal case of "he who has the most power makes the rules and decides what is right and what is wrong." People would be held in check mainly through fear of negative consequences carried out by more powerful men. They would obey the rules simply because they get more advantage out of obeying them than disobeying them.

  As opposed to theology, where you have a powerfull guy who deside what is good and bad, punish those who does bad and reward those who do good.

  yah.

  totally different...
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  jay88

  @Rob Kardashian

  Thanks, for another fine thread!
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  JonathanH

  That's stupid, and an old argument. It makes the theist look worst than the atheist, because it implies that the only thing preventing the theist from murdering and raping is belief in god, and that if their sky daddy looked away for a few minutes they would pillage the world freely. I am an atheist, and I don't steal and murder and cheat. Which means your question is in itself incorrect. The question isn't "why shouldn't I kill and steal and cheat?" The question is "Why aren't they killing stealing and cheating?". Prisons don't have an oddly out of balance number of atheists per capita (it's actually skewed the other way, with a far smaller population of atheists in prison than in the general population.) It's not instinct that makes us moral, nor is it deities, I guess myself and millions of others must be a living conundrum. Or it's a question that's been answered a thousand times if you actual read anything written by atheists, or even various existential philosophers of the 20th century,"Mr. I have a fictional PhD."

  Which you never did answer me on. Where did you get your PhD, who was your professor, what is your PhD in, and what was your thesis on, and what was its title? Also, why do you claim to be a bearded finnish man now? Why not just admit you're full of shit, nobody here is going to give you the respect or validation you so desperately crave, and begin actually helping yourself over whatever it is that is wrong with you that makes you a pathological liar on a website for ex-witnesses? If you want to talk about what is really going on in your life feel free to message me, but you've got to stop with this pathetic display. Nobody here buys it.

  Apparently we are supposed to believe these are the same people. And they have a PhD, and are a world famous spiritual mentor and guru, also an elder and a secret apostate that travels the world and arranges apostate conventions and lives on the MOON.
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  Twitch

  @ OP

  such judgement, please you're hurting my feelings, beliefs and fragile sense of self worth

  lol