What meaning does love have to an atheist?

[Tiberius]

You all are a bunch of cowards. This guy or gal comes in and asks legitimate questions, and what do we see? Oh big surprise, red reputation points, feigned offense, vulgarity and insults.

Nice list, only you left out the answers that several people gave. Not really a display of "cowardice" really now is it?

You have nothing and you know it. And this is what pisses me off the most about atheists is the cowardice they have of facing the real implications of their philosophy. If there is nothing but matter then love is nothing but matter and that makes it meaningless. It's not even two pigs mating; it's a sick joke.

Why is matter meaningless? Meaning is given to things by people; people are made of matter. Our brains are made of matter; the neurons that fire within them are made of matter. Yet out of all this matter, we are able to generate meaning for things in the universe.

Is meaning objective? No. Is it subjective? Yes. Does meaning being subjective suddenly make it useless? No.

Adrian says understanding this makes it better. What a load of garbage comparing it to computer technology. You sound like someone who's never lost a thing or loved a thing.

I don't give a damn what I sound like. I've lost things...people in fact. I've loved things...people included again. My comparison was a valid one for the purposes of explaining how understanding something can give it more meaning, not less. If you failed to get that, tough.

You all walk around like you have answers to the things that matter most to people and you have nothing postive only doubt and skepticism. Outcasts from the spiritual caste and nothing more; Isn't that right?

Skepticism is positive. Reserving judgement until the evidence points a certain direction is a very good and positive thing indeed. It prevents us from making bad decisions, and it helps to reflect upon your beliefs.

Here let the theist with the worst reputation set the record straight for you:

Ok...and you *aren't* walking around like you have answers to the things that matter most to people? Hypocritical much?

If God is monistic in nature, which I believe He is, then love is a revelation of that unified nature. You feel like you are one with the other person, and in fact, you are. That's why Jesus said love your neighbor as yourself and to love your enemies. I don't think he really expected that to work, I think he wanted us to understand the monistic nature of God through our unity with one another. So, love does matter.

Any evidence of this at all? No? Didn't think so.

You are right though; love does matter. Love *is* matter.

Love is like a computer network--Jesus, give me a break.

If I'd said such a thing you might have good reason to call out to a supernatural entity, but I didn't, so you don't.