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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 Richard Goscicki on July 14, 2012 at 4:29pm

I believe that there is a principle to everything, and that the purpose of everything is to function according to the way of that natural principle.

The basic principle of all things is to exist in a natural state of harmony.

In the cosmos above and around us; there is a natural tendency for all things to exist and co-exist in a natural state of harmony.

Davy, wouldn't the fact that humans are causing the extinction of thousands of species, refute these lofty sentiments.

Consider the photo below. It’s the largest iron mine in the world—right smack in the middle of the Amazon Rain Forest.

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Permalink Reply by Gwaithmir on July 16, 2012 at 9:54am

I can't say that God or religion ever gave my life any purpose or meaning. If anything, atheism emancipated me from all that useless superstitious baggage. Whatever meaning and purpose I have in my life is entirely the result of my own thoughts and actions.

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Permalink Reply by Dana Garrett on July 16, 2012 at 10:35am

"Meaning," "purpose," to the extent that those terms apply to the range of one's own life connote what we highly value or value more than anything else we might value. As such I not only don't see why atheists cannot have a meaning or purpose in life, but I would also argue that they are uniquely positioned to have more authentic meanings and purposes for their lives than theists. The meaning and purposes of the lives of theists are often prescribed for them by their religion and as such they are obligated to adopt those meanings and purposes (values) as opposed to discovering them for themselves. Atheists don't have to follow any external prescription and are, therefore, more likely to be authentic about what gives their lives meaning and purpose.

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Permalink Reply by Richard Goscicki on July 16, 2012 at 10:47am

Good post, Dana, I certainly agree. There’s a line in Mirror Reversal, that the cosmos is nature’s greatest spectacle. Just knowing it’s there and marveling at the ineffable beauty make life worthwhile, if even for the lifespan of a mayfly.

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Permalink Reply by Dana Garrett on July 16, 2012 at 11:46am

Well said, Richard. The cosmos, biological life, what's given--all of it is rife with mystery and presents multiple avenues for discovery.

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Permalink Reply by Jameer Logan on July 16, 2012 at 7:04pm

Yes it can. I will admit that one of the hardest things for me to come to grips was that if there was no god then there was no "higher calling". It put me in a depressive episode for a while. However, the one thing that I did realize was I can take full control of my life and give it purpose. My story is not predetermined by some deity, but is currently being written and re-written by me. I am in my early twenties and I realize i only have fifties years left on this earth before I return to my true home. This has ignited this sense of urgency to leave something behind for future generations. I don't care about being wealthy, but worry about how I can use that wealth to impact the world. I write short stories, poems, raps, songs and other writings just to leave something behind just in case I meet an early demise. I've made it my mission to add to the collective human knowledge.

I know that was a little long winded, but the short answer is that being a non-believer has amplified the meaning and purpose of my life and caused me to take control of it. Just remember that your destiny is in your own hands so choose it wisely.

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Permalink Reply by Chuck Boyer on July 17, 2012 at 10:01am

Well spoken. "Higher calling" from within, not from without. As for me, the final step taken to remove myself from religion/Christian dogma tyranny brought profound relief. I felt depressed by the belief(s), have experienced empowering release and freedom since. So refreshing. And honest. And true to self. That, of course, and much, much more.

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Permalink Reply by L Jordan on July 17, 2012 at 3:45am

Do we have to have a purpose ? The way language has evolved and the difficulty humans have with understanding the concepts of nothing and infinity may lead us to think that there has to be some purpose to our lives but what if its all just coincidental ? I guess this is on a grander scale.

On a smaller scale, within our lifetimes I'd say that anything that makes us or others happy adds meaning to our lives.

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Permalink Reply by Richard Goscicki on July 17, 2012 at 11:07am

Well spoken also, Chuck. I second what you say and would like to add a humanist aspect. I devote my life to trying to raise consciousness that religion has spent thousand of years trying to obtund and anesthetize. That’s what writers do. We’re all in a mental cage and writers and artists try to tell us what’s outside the cage.

In a nutshell: “We have to learn to live in harmony with nature.” Consider what happened today. A horrific mudslide obliterated a pristine idyllic village in remote British Columbia.

My vitriolic comment is on Facebook. I’m just getting into FB and building up a friend base until they kick out for my unorthodox worldview. Lol. Please make a comment.

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Permalink Reply by Steph S. on July 17, 2012 at 11:13am

Wonderful words Richard. Humanist aspect is very necessary. I am just so pleased with the intelligent responses I am getting to my discussion. Words cannot express my gratitude.