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Atheist Morals/Purpose/Altruism
May 4, 2015 at 1:23 pm
(This post was last modified: May 4, 2015 at 1:27 pm by z7z.)
I was discussing with a Christian friend about how Atheists develop morals and find meaning in life. How are atheists not pessimistic (life is absurd w/o God), hedonistic/selfish, with no morals? Parents and teachers teach young people rules and morals (this is crucial and this is how young religious people are brainwashed at an early age because the brain is so receptive). Atheists have a conscience and know right and wrong even though they aren't threatened by heaven or hell. In this way, a good dead by an atheist is more altruistic. We are not doing it to please a God and get to heaven. I like the idea of karma even though I don't believe in it literally, but helping people makes you feel better about yourself and makes the world a better place. The book by Sam Harris "The Moral Landscape" also explains how science can determine morals. As an atheist, I can enjoy life because I know that's all I've got so I can make it "heaven" right now. I have complete free will (no shame or guilt) and there is no God controlling me or my thoughts. I am also very grateful to my parents for giving me life, not a God. Are religious people less intelligent (gullible, can't think for themselves, less science education)? There is even an argument that religious beliefs are a delusional mental illness.
I also admit I am still a 1% chance of God agnostic (shame) because I can't absolutely disprove God (that is why it's called faith) and I think that there are some good things about religion that give people hope even if it is a false hope(elderly, terminally ill), a social/support group(church,mission trips), and many religions do help people (homeless, poor, Red Cross, etc.). Also you are more likely to meet a nice girl at church than you are at a bar (as long as you can convert her to the dark side)
What is the meaning of life to you as an Atheist?
How do you determine your morals?
Are you selfish/hedonistic or do you still help people/volunteer? For example, the Freemasons are a group that doesn't discuss politics/religion yet they still volunteer and do charity work.
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RE: Atheist Morals/Purpose/Altruism
May 4, 2015 at 1:30 pm
I must say I've never quite understood why life should be any less pointless and absurd if there is a God. Can anyone explain that to me?
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition
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RE: Atheist Morals/Purpose/Altruism
May 4, 2015 at 1:33 pm
To one of your later points, there is nothing at all about religion that is good, that cannot be achieved through entirely secular and humanist means (which in my opinion is more admirable). The one exception to that might be the idea of the afterlife, though I consider false ideas less preferable than true ideas.
In every country and every age, the priest had been hostile to Liberty.
- Thomas Jefferson
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RE: Atheist Morals/Purpose/Altruism
May 4, 2015 at 1:36 pm
To answer your questions:
1) Most simply, the "meaning of life" to me is to maximize my own personal happiness. This is a long, long-view goal, though: basically, I'm happy when I make other people happy, or see that other people are happy, or feel fulfilled. I'm happy when I behave politely, when I don't feel like I've let someone down, when I feel like I've brightened someone's day, when I've helped someone in a jam... basically, when I behave like a good person, like my parents taught me to. When I have kids, I'll teach them to be nice and polite and good, because I want the world to be a happier place, and I'll be happy knowing my kids and their kids are going to be nice and helpful and make people happy; it'll give me great joy to know that my desire to make myself happy by making everyone happy is propagating through the generations. And, no, this isn't some kind of utilitarian-for-the-sake-of-being-utilitarian "would you kill one child to make everyone else's life better" happiness maximization exercise, it's just sort of a way of saying that - by this point in my life - I've got an idea of things like justice, and safety, and charity, and friendship, and it makes me happy when others are happy and it makes me sad when I harm others.
TL;DR: To make the world a better place, for both myself and others.
2) There are about a bazillion threads on this, including at least 2, I think, that have been posted in within the last month. Feel free to read through these; if you want to restart the discussions within, you should be able to without running afoul of necro prohibitions.
3) Am I selfish? Occasionally. Am I hedonistic? Occasionally. Do I help people? Occasionally. Do I volunteer? Occasionally. I'm not out helping earthquake victims; sometimes I take the last piece of pizza. But if I see someone struggling to get a mattress up stairs, I'll grab it for them, and I do some charitable work a few times a year. I think a lot of people will be in this same boat.
How will we know, when the morning comes, we are still human? - 2D
Don't worry, my friend. If this be the end, then so shall it be.
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RE: Atheist Morals/Purpose/Altruism
May 4, 2015 at 1:36 pm
(May 4, 2015 at 1:30 pm)Alex K Wrote: I must say I've never quite understood why life should be any less pointless and absurd if there is a God. Can anyone explain that to me?
Some people find it their calling to do "God's Work" and it gives their life meaning. Many people that are driven by God are very successful in their careers. Have you seen the look on some Christian's faces? They look like they are on super happy pills. It is almost like a drug to get a religious high. I must admit a lot of Gospel Music is very good and inspiring (Eric Bibb, Blind Boys of Alabama).
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RE: Atheist Morals/Purpose/Altruism
May 4, 2015 at 1:38 pm
(This post was last modified: May 4, 2015 at 1:43 pm by Alex K.)
(May 4, 2015 at 1:36 pm)mbk734 Wrote: (May 4, 2015 at 1:30 pm)Alex K Wrote: I must say I've never quite understood why life should be any less pointless and absurd if there is a God. Can anyone explain that to me?
Some people find it their calling to do "God's Work" and it gives their life meaning. Many people that are driven by God are very successful in their careers. Have you seen the look on some Christian's faces? They look like they are on super happy pills. It is almost like a drug to get a religious high. I must admit a lot of Gospel Music is very good and inspiring (Eric Bibb, Blind Boys of Alabama).
Sure, sure, they have happy faces, make a lot of money and think they are doing the bidding of a universal overlord. But that really doesn't answer the question.
p.s.
If you want to argue with religiously inspired music, there are better choices  Well Bibb and the BBA are good. I like the Golden Gate Quartet better though
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition
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RE: Atheist Morals/Purpose/Altruism
May 4, 2015 at 1:42 pm
(This post was last modified: May 4, 2015 at 1:43 pm by Longhorn.)
(May 4, 2015 at 1:36 pm)mbk734 Wrote: Some people find it their calling to do "God's Work" and it gives their life meaning. Many people that are driven by God are very successful in their careers. Have you seen the look on some Christian's faces? They look like they are on super happy pills.
They must be pretty happy with all that dough just for making shit up... professional tv evangelists get them coins
(May 4, 2015 at 1:36 pm)mbk734 Wrote: It is almost like a drug to get a religious high. I must admit a lot of Gospel Music is very good and inspiring (Eric Bibb, Blind Boys of Alabama).
Religion is a drug. To me it was more like crystal meth, but to some it's ecstasy
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RE: Atheist Morals/Purpose/Altruism
May 4, 2015 at 1:47 pm
My purpose and morality are kind of the same. I try to make life as good as possible for every person and animal, and to minimise harm. I need no incentive or threats to make me do this.
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RE: Atheist Morals/Purpose/Altruism
May 4, 2015 at 2:06 pm
There is a branch of philosophy called "ethics" that deals with this question, and most (though not all) philosophers have theories that don't in any way depend upon there being a god. If you want a reading list for a variety of opinions, you can ask (or just enroll in an Ethics course at your nearest community college). If you want my personal opinion, I posted it earlier in another thread:
http://atheistforums.org/thread-33164-po...#pid934918
"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
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RE: Atheist Morals/Purpose/Altruism
May 5, 2015 at 1:24 pm
I got my morals and ethics from my parents and teachers, not the big cloud man.
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