(October 1, 2012 at 7:54 pm)IATIA Wrote: The problem with those that believe in a 'universe creator' is that they feel there must be a purpose to all of this existence and their god gives them a purpose.
If god is infinite, then what purpose could there possibly be for creating a finite universe? What possible enjoyment or gain could there be for an infinite being?
The god of creation Wrote:They think, therefore, I am.
I would argue that purpose is fundamentally as meaningless for the religious as it is for atheists. Here's why.
Humans, regardless of their religious affiliation, all share the basic motive of seeking to maximize the quality of their existence (i.e. our own well-being) and minimize their suffering, and human empathy inclines us to wish the same upon others. It can be very strongly argued that people believe in and worship God only because he offers a pretty good option for optimum existence. Eternity in loving serenity is a powerful point of well-being to pursue, while the agony of eternal hell is surely a promise of suffering worth avoiding. However, if the God of the universe were actually an evil overlord who created the universe and the people in it so as to inflict suffering on them, and one of his "angels" revolted in order to protect humanity from his tyranny, I daresay we would instantly abandon all dedication to our creator and worship that benevolent rebel instead, because he's benevolent. Children do not respect their parents when their parents are abusive. Employees don't respect their bosses when their bosses are against them. People don't want purpose in and of itself, or they would be satisfied with it even when it caused suffering. And I mean suffering overall, not suffering in the short term, which people will absolutely accept for the sake of having a better existence in the long run (such as enduring tribulations on earth for a reward in heaven). But people aren't satisfied with harmful purpose. Purpose is only good if it's a good purpose (redundant sounding, I know). This proves that we have an idea of what good is before we ever begin considering it in light of our reason for being here, and of religion in general. And it turns out that a sense of purpose is worthless outside of that context.
By the way, I'm not making a value claim. I'm not saying we should value maximizing human well-being. It's a matter of fact. We do value it. Period. It's built into us, whether we like it or not (which we do, of course), and any moral notion we can claim, religious or otherwise, is in light of that value.
If you can think of one that isn't, please enlighten me, but I think it will be shockingly easy to equate the word "moral" with "conducive to human well-being (or that of conscious creatures)."
