The nearness to God factor. How do Atheists feel about moving higher or lower?

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Hi

When I think of people that are really good people, I have sense they are nearer to God then others. I also feel we can move closer to God. I feel there is stages and that these stages are real, that we really move closer or further from God by how our hearts of souls move through out lives influenced by how we act and react.

Taking away God, what do Atheists feel they gravitate towards? Goodness has no metaphysical existence to draw closer to from an Atheistic perspective, so while we may become more good, we are not moving closer to anything really or am I missing something?

Do you still feel there is stages of higher and lower if we take God out of the picture?

I don't think these questions are meaningful. Other than goodness for its own sake, why should atheists gravitate toward anything at all?

In fact, with God out of the picture, I should think people would find it much simpler to achieve levels of 'goodness' more sympatico with a general greater good. As Jim Jeffries puts it, 'Try not to be a cunt.'

Boru