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Atheists: Effectively Ever-Nihilistic, or With Meaning in Life?

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Not to misconstrue the intrinsic meaning(s) of nihilism, but to get people to ask themselves if being an atheist is innately a bad thing, I suppose?

Some people would say that atheists lack meaning in life, that they have none without a God or higher power to serve, live for, spread the word of, or respect and fear.

Albeit the fact that atheists make up a smaller portion of the world, such that numbers may not mean so much (albeit the fact there may be consistency in them, a larger 'test group' may be required), it is alleged that there is a higher suicide rate in people who claim to be atheists (or so I've heard).

As an atheist, however, and as I've aged, grown, and matured, I've found I never felt stronger with religion behind me (unless in times of great crisis, in which, much like anybody, I might turn to prayer for hope, to establish psychological positivity, in faith of being heard, et cetera). I've always found that I just have to make my own meaning in life. That means that I live to love others, to make them happy, and find happiness through positivity, even if I have to exude a false sense of happiness when I normally may feel, or truly be sad. It truly helps, in situations such as when interacting with peers who are sad; adopting a positive attitude, or going so far as to try to point out the positive and good in a situation, make light and humor of something gone wrong (humor in good taste, of course) can often affect other people and make their day better, from anecdotal experiences. Not to assume that they hadn't just masked any sort of sadness or depression under their own feigned happiness, a façade or the likes.

I, personally, try to hold myself up to standards of good religious/Christian morals (naturally, I had to learn them from somewhere, but I would also argue you can teach morals in any way... perhaps it all depends on what is the most convincing method to convey something that should be believed in or adhered to; is it enough to feel for other people, take their lives and their beliefs into account as you consider a meaning of life, though?).

I suppose some initially non-believers may essentially "lie" to themselves and believe in whatever their religion speaks of, if only to secure hope. They might argue that they truly believe in their religion, and it may become truths to them that they come to accept.

Something I once said "We're social creatures, following the foundations and fundamentals of nature's law, and that seems to be to survive and procreate in order to stay in existence...

That doesn't seem like an interesting meaning of life... I'd rather it be we make our own meaning, and we break laws... we transcend them, create on our own... make the impossible, possible"

Unless you do believe in creationism, this is probably a viewpoint you may have. Share or argue yours?

  1. Live Poll

    Do you think most, if not all Atheists live without meaning?

    8 votes
    1. Yes
      12.50%
    2. No
      75.00%
    3. Probably
      12.50%



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  • FredsnephewFredsnephew 361 Pts   -  
    I'm an atheist and probably realistically and by definition I'm a nihilist too.
    Nonetheless, I'm happy and contented with my lot.
    I certainly don't need the false hope that other people think they get from religion.
    Realistically what are we.
    We are a conglomerate mass of organic matter and perched on top of that mass is an organic computer.
    What we are and what we become and how we end up, depends totally on the information that gets programmed into that computer and how we subsequently choose to interpret and utilise that information.
    Religion is nothing more than a concept derived from stored information. In fact atheism and nihilism are nothing more than concepts derived from stored information too.
    As to whether everything has meaning. It is impossible to say.
    Maybe one day we will work out the answer to the big question.

    LoganL549
  • NonCredentiNonCredenti 46 Pts   -  
    Your question assumes meaning must come from some outside source. Why can't a person decide what gives meaning and purpose to their own life? 
    SkepticalOne
  • someone234someone234 647 Pts   -  
    I am meaningless and yet I am important.

    Just look at this website. I was a nobody a day ago to you guys, now I'm leader of the weekly leaderboard by miles.

    I am meaningless, I am important... How? Here is how: Only subjectivity can make something important. Objectivity can never define importance without a subjective basis form which to draw the 'poles of importance' to attract or repel objective ideas from.
  • EdrilEdril 67 Pts   -  

    I'd probably fit into the atheist category (agnostic is more accurate) and I definitely fit into the nihilist category.

    I'm happy with life. I make my own purpose. I'd argue that believers make their own purpose as well.

  • MedicMedic 178 Pts   -  
    For atheists, it's perfectly possible to determine morality emanating from reason alone. Sure.

    Under a system of perfectly free commerce, each country naturally devotes its capital and labour to such employments as are most beneficial to each. This pursuit of individual advantage is admirably connected with the universal good of the whole. By stimulating industry, by regarding ingenuity, and by using most efficaciously the peculiar powers bestowed by nature, it distributes labour most effectively and most economically.


    - David Ricardo

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