does a lack of belief in god imply a lack of morals?
Absolutely not. Actually, the people that I know who do not believe in God - bar none - are nonbelievers explicitly because they cannot do so in good conscience, because they see no compelling evidence to do so, and to believe something with no evidence is unconscionable to them. As people driven by logic, rationality, and the desire to do what is right, nonbelievers are in my experience among the most honest and ethical people I know.
does it imply hedonism?
No. Again, the problem is that believers think that non-belief is a choice. It is not. Do Christian believers choose not to believe in the Islam faith? Or does their lack of belief instead stem from the fact that they do not find the faith compelling? Do they choose not to believe in bigfoot out of malicious or self-serving motives? Or is their disbelief instead born out of the simple fact that they do not find the evidence to be substantive?
Lack of belief in God implies one thing, and one thing only: that the nonbeliever is not convinced that God exists, any more than he is convinced that the Loch Ness monster exists. Both may exist, I will grant. But I'm not going to positively believe something without positive evidence. There is no hedonism involved here. It is simply an honest statement of view.
And in actual practice, most people - believers and otherwise - live moderate lifestyles because of the simple fact that there are real consequences to oneself and others for extreme lifestyles. So lack of belief definitely does not imply hedonism, although I will grant that formerly repressed people often do find themselves making up for lost time by a hedonistic lifestyle. But I ask, is that the fault of the lack of belief or the ungrounded repression?
does it imply a lack of meaning in life? and if yes, why?
Again, no. Upon close examination, this assertion is just silly. If lack of belief implies lack of meaning in life, the underlying assertion is that belief in Jesus or Allah or (insert faith here) provides the only possible meaning in life, and that therefore lack of such belief would strip one of all meaning.
I ask, why is it that Christians find meaning in life by their belief in Christ? Is it not because they believe they are doing what is right, following a higher calling? So if I, a non-Christian, find meaning in my life by doing what I believe is right, trying to contribute to a greater good in my own way, how is that any less meaningful? For me, being a Christian would not be meaningful because I do not believe that it is based on true premises. It would be like a Christian trying to find meaning in joining the Brigade of Santa Followers. No matter how hard she tries, the Christian simply cannot believe that Santa really exists, so the religion is meaningless to her.
A person finds meaning in their life by doing what they feel is true and right, regardless of whether it is for Jesus or Allah or Humanity or Earth, or whatever is near and dear to that person.
In my opinion, being a good and ethical person and finding meaning in one's life, has nothing to do with belief in God, and everything to do with a strong sense of kindness, justice, compassion, and drive.
SNG
