Atheism and Purpose

[Edward the Theist]

It dawned on me about a year ago why atheism is so attractive. I was having a hard time with existential issues. You know, what am I supposed to do with my life? What meaning do I have? Is there any reason for my birth? How can I find my purpose for being? That sort of thing.

Then I realized a startling fact: if there is no God who created me, then I have no purpose. No inherent purpose, no mission in life. If everything is chaos and natural selection, then I'm just a determined entity. I don’t have to worry about “purpose.” There is no purpose. I am free from my existential dilemma. Free at last.

All I have to do is stop believing in God.

I was wondering if any of the atheists in here would like to comment. Have any of you had the same experience?

[Tiberius]

No.

[Eilonnwy]

No.

First off you're assuming there has to be a purpose granted by some supreme being. Since that doesn't exist it's obvious that whatever purpose you have is what you want it to be. Life has the meaning you give. It may not be meaningful on some invisible transcendent plane, but it's meaningful to you and that's all that matters.

If life's purpose is just to go to heaven, why not kill yourself?

It's one of theists' major assumptions that atheists live meaningless lives. You once again prove you understand nothing of atheism.

edit: Oh and you've basically said, "I feel better thinking there's a greater purpose, so god exists!" Appeal to emotion as a logical fallacy and no basis in sound reasoning.

[Paul the Human]

No.

In fact, I have a hard time understanding why so many people seem to think there should be some sort of 'meaning' behind Life, The Universe, and Everything. ®

If life has a purpose, it is to be lived.

[Ace Otana]

I was wondering if any of the atheists in here would like to comment. Have any of you had the same experience?

No.

I have been an atheist all my life and so god and purpose never entered my mind. I only heard of this 'speacial purpose' from theists.
I was an atheist long before I even heard of atheism.

From my secular upbrining, religion was never something that I would dwell on.
Today, I don't think much about purpose or god because I don't believe in either. I just live and enjoy my life to the best of my abilities.

Atheists don't have meaningless lives like many crazy theists would assert. Actually we live very rich and full lives like any other. The only thing atheism is, is lack of belief in god's existance. That's it. That is atheism. Just lack of belief in god. Why many theists fail to understand this still puzzles me.

[lrh9]

My experience has been positive. I enjoy doing what I want to do.

[TheDarkestOfAngels]

It dawned on me about a year ago why atheism is so attractive. I was having a hard time with existential issues. You know, what am I supposed to do with my life? What meaning do I have? Is there any reason for my birth? How can I find my purpose for being? That sort of thing.

Go on...

Then I realized a startling fact: if there is no God who created me, then I have no purpose. No inherent purpose, no mission in life. If everything is chaos and natural selection, then I'm just a determined entity. I don’t have to worry about “purpose.” There is no purpose. I am free from my existential dilemma. Free at last.

Atheism isn't an attractive prospect because it belies a purpose, mission, or goal of life or that it means a freedom from purpose. More or less, that's a side effect of realizing something entirely different:
That I realized that everything I've been told about god, the bible, and religion is a lie to the same effect as santa claus, pixies, and faeries. I don't believe in god not because I desire freedom, but rather I realized that I've always had freedom because the master of my supposed servitude is a lie.

All I have to do is stop believing in God.

No. Windmills do not work that way!

I was wondering if any of the atheists in here would like to comment. Have any of you had the same experience?

Absolutely not. I realized the concept of god was a fake long before I realized what the consequences of my lack in belief would be.

[Edward the Theist]

If life's purpose is just to go to heaven, why not kill yourself?

What are you talking about? Who said it was? Y'all may be right: life may have no purpose whatsoever. In fact, it's easier to live life if it has no purpose, because then you don't have to live up to a purpose. You just have to be. My point is, atheists, real atheists, don't have existential problems--as evidenced by some of the replies right here in this string.

All I asked is whether you noticed that freedom or not. It's almost more telling that everyone dogpiled in to register their "no" vote as quick as they could. Adrian up there posted "no," I think, before I actually published my post!

[TheDarkestOfAngels]

All I asked is whether you noticed that freedom or not. It's almost more telling that everyone dogpiled in to register their "no" vote as quick as they could. Adrian up there posted "no," I think, before I actually published my post!

That was because your first post's implication was that atheists reject god to have the existential freedom you were talking about, whether you actually inteded to say that or not, that's what I've gotten from reading your post.

[Paul the Human]

All I asked is whether you noticed that freedom or not.

Oh yes... we are well aware that we (atheists) are free from superstition and dogma. We are well aware that we are free to live our lives without fear. We are well aware that we are free to live our lives as we see fit and that personal happiness comes from within ourselves and from each other (people in general, not just atheists). We have the freedom you talked about and, yes, we are aware of it.

Does that answer your question?

(EDIT: Let me add that the freedom you speak of is not why I am an atheist, but it is a nice side effect.)