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As An Atheist Can Your Life Have Purpose and Meaning?

I was wondering what other people thought about this.

I realize we weren't born with a purpose. No creator or "higher calling".

But as a non believer can your life have meaning and purpose without god?

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Permalink Reply by TNT666 on November 16, 2012 at 1:17am

I confess to fantasizing about "Earth After Humans", and I fantasize about the rivers running clean again, and all urban smog not existing, and no papermill stench next door, and no synthetics in my food. I also fantasize I'm among the only survivors who'd survive long enough to see Earth ecosystems reestablish themselves. Yup, some people fantasize about sexual positions, but I've done them all, so I fantasize about a clean earth.

Will an eventual end to humanity happen during my lifetime, no likely, unless it's a major rare cosmic event. Would I be among the sole survivors, even less likely. But I can still fantasize :)

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Permalink Reply by Tom Sarbeck on June 20, 2012 at 3:47am

Alan, very well said, and clearly too.

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Permalink Reply by Alan Perlman on June 19, 2012 at 12:55pm

PS. Two quotes:

"In this world, we eat, shit, sleep and wake up. After that, all we have to do is die."

(Zen master Ikkyu)

"There is no enlightenment outside of daily life."

(Thich Nhat Hanh)

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Permalink Reply by Tom Sarbeck on June 20, 2012 at 3:39am

Alan, Zen master Ikkyu has little imagination and maybe terminal depression.

Thich Nhat Hanh sounds like a good guy to have nearby.

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Permalink Reply by Alan Perlman on June 20, 2012 at 9:11am

Tom...I think he was only saying that most of life is up to us to make something of it.

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Permalink Reply by TNT666 on November 16, 2012 at 1:21am

Some of my Buddhist friends accuse me of having Buddhist ideas. My opinion of Buddhism is as low as my opinion of Western religions. The grass is not greener on the other side. But of course both sides do occasionally come up with a good line.