Morality

[genkaus]

Now firstly I just want to make it clear that I don't come from any religion at all. I've been brought up an Atheist, and a very rational thinker.

But, it seems to me that atheism brought to it's logical conclusions is; nihilism... Nietzsche is another who came to this same stance.
That morality is non existent, and the only purpose left of life is to pursuer our own maximum pleasure, by any means necessary.
Love, moral values, and meaning is just an self delusion, no different to the delusion of god.
This seems the only honest conclusion. Just one big vanity fair, where anything goes.

but, this is not something I can agree with... Not simply because of the despair it entails, but because it just doesn't make sense to me in my own personal life, and I doubt it does in yours either!
Despite my love of reason, and distaste for dogma, I can no longer call myself an atheist... unless a solution is presented

So I'm here to ask how you guys deal with this dilemma?
What grounds for morality is there without some type of god(I'd probably prefer the word "consciousness") that we all come from?
nationality? power? science?


ps. Can we leave the red herrings out of the discussion...
I'm not trying to say atheists are evil, or dispute that terrible actions committed are in the name of god, and the nonsense of religion, I'm not denying evolution, and I don't believe in hell.
I want to try and address this from a purely philosophical point of view.



cheers.

I come back from months of hiatus and it seems nothing has changed. We are still having the same old debate.

As far as I know, Nietzsche saw nihilism not as the ultimate logical conclusion of atheism but as a necessary point one would get to once you abandon god as a source of everything in your life. The next step would be finding a more solid foundation.

Consider your own statement about maximizing life's pleasure and ask yourself if it seems possible if love, values and meaning are taken away from it. There can be no morality without a consciousness, but that consciousness doesn't have to be god - a human should suffice.