Solace

[Praetorian]

Hi all.
I've been thinking a lot lately about the comforts of religion vs reality. Theism has a lot to offer in the way of solace and acceptance of our ultimate fate, providing you can actually believe in it. There's a meme I'll see from time to time that talks about wanting a physicist to speak at your funeral. It talks about how comforting it will be to your spouse to know that all the energy you ever generated is still cycling through the universe. While factually true, the comfort it provides is slim to none, in my view.

I, for one, can accept the fact that this is all pointless. That the whole of life in our universe, even if it exists outside of earth, will eventually succumb to the inevitable heat death of the universe and cease to exist. However, that's a very bleak reality. If in the end, we're destined for oblivion, then the struggle, the day to day grind that makes up our adult lives, is utterly for nothing.

The obvious response to this, of course, is that we're here now. We're alive. And we have an instinct to stay that way, which means most of us won't kill ourselves. We'll continue to work because we need resources to survive. And we'll continue to search for ultimate meaning and find none.

My questions to the board are, how do you cope with the ultimate meaninglessness of your existence? What brings you solace, and what would you tell someone to comfort them? What would you say (or did say) at the funeral of a loved one who is an atheist?

This question obviously isn't aimed at the theists, but feel free to weigh in on what gives you purpose as well.

[Foxaèr]

If in the end, we're destined for oblivion, then the struggle, the day to day grind that makes up our adult lives, is utterly for nothing.

Even if one believe in an after life, it is not as though the comforts and things of the material world can be taken to the beyond. The difference, I have noticed, is that the religious who know and supposedly understand Jesus' message regarding giving away one's riches and possessions do not adhere to it while atheists tend to enjoy life to its fullest knowing full well it is the only existence available. Why not actually behave according to understanding this is the only life we have and working, not for the purpose of anyone else but rather ourselves, so that we can have what we want rather than what others think we should have?

My questions to the board are, how do you cope with the ultimate meaninglessness of your existence?

Life is only meaningless if one expects there is something better after this life. Atheists celebrate the one existence they have here, not pining away a life in the hopes of something better upon death.

[Praetorian]

I agree, and that's the view I hold of life as well. That sort of makes us hedonists, being that our entire drive is for self fulfillment, and I think that's ok.

However, it's still depressing to know that no matter how hard our species tries, how far we come scientifically or technologically, in the end we will still go extinct.

[Foxaèr]

in the end we will still go extinct.

As long as there is reproduction, human extinction is not a probability. The only probable end to the human race at this point in history is for the entire race to be wiped out via nuclear war.

[Praetorian]

In about 20 billion years, the last star will die and life will cease. Also, we're going to collide with the Andromeda galaxy. Our sun will probably destroy earth before that. Humanity has a very limited amount of time left, in the grand scheme of things.

[Foxaèr]

Humanity has a very limited amount of time left, in the grand scheme of things.

I do not consider 20 billion years a limited amount of time. Do you doubt that humanity could find someplace else to live and continue its existence?

[LastPoet]

Meaning is something we humans seek, as a result of our consciousness, the manifestation of our ego. I cope well with the lack of an absolute 'meaning' like most theist philosobabblers like to promote, I find my own meaning, its not a static property, my meaning 10 years ago was different from today and probably will be different 10 years from now. For all that I care, I intend to live my life, trying to figure out what is true, experience life, flavour it, the sweet and bitter parts and share it with my fellow humans that may not have the same idea I have for meaning, but that is what makes it much more interesting.

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In about 20 billion years, the last star will die and life will cease. Also, we're going to collide with the Andromeda galaxy. Our sun will probably destroy earth before that. Humanity has a very limited amount of time left, in the grand scheme of things.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6w2M50_X...w&index=21

Why linger in things that will only happen bilions of years into the future? Live your life free of fear and you will find it much more enjoyable.

[Violet]

My questions to the board are, how do you cope with the ultimate meaninglessness of your existence?

By making my own meaning. Isn't that great?

What brings you solace, and what would you tell someone to comfort them?

Oxytocin, seratonin, dopamine... cuddling and sexing and video gaming.

Everybody poops.

What would you say (or did say) at the funeral of a loved one who is an atheist?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz9nHvmdAb4

This question obviously isn't aimed at the theists, but feel free to weigh in on what gives you purpose as well.

Why couldn't a theist answer with respect towards the dead person's (absence of) religion?

[Praetorian]

The science saved my soul video offers some great perspective, ending with, "30 billion years. Are you fucking kidding me?" Lolz.

I completely agree, the scale of it seems absurd, and there's no point thinking about it now. Unfortunately, that's the best answer to the question we can hope for now. Don't worry about everything ceasing to exist, because you won't be around for it anyway.

[Neo-Scholastic]

To me this is an example of atheism NOT facing reality, i.e. the logical conclusions of its own premise. Without grounding in a fundamental justification for meaning, the attempt to find solace in some proximate meaning ends in futility (if you actually think it through). Like naked mole-rats, eating their own shit, atheists remain blind to their own cosmic nihilism, the void that devours the very substance of meaning itself.