The World’s Largest Coalition of Nontheists and Nontheist Communities!

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?

7 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tim on November 15, 2012 at 5:41pm

My life has more meaning now that I've abandon any dogmatic security blanket of an eternal father to guide me like a fucking puppet on a string. I was born, I will die, then as Bertrand Russell said "rot in the ground". But what happens from this moment till then is all up to me, an me alone. That's the beauty, the freedom.. To be the sums of my own choices. To rise into this world an define myself. I find with a little introspection, discipline an belief in myself there isn't much I cant achieve or rectify.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by TNT666 on November 15, 2012 at 8:37pm

IMO "purpose" is purely a religious concept. We should be just a small component of the ecosystem cogwheel. People with "purpose" and "ambition" are IMO the equivalent of original sin. Unfortunately, because there are so many morons on the planet, I have given myself a purpose, to fight those with a purpose!!! :)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on November 15, 2012 at 10:22pm

Ok I get your meaning TNT666 - we need to cast off that belief that you have a purpose because it is based in religion.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on November 15, 2012 at 10:20pm

Thank you so much TNT66 - I read all your replies. Appreciate your input.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dana Garrett on November 15, 2012 at 10:40pm

We don't need to buy into the religious notion that there is an absolute purpose undergirding all life to choose an existential purposes for our lives individually (eg. helping the needy).

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on November 16, 2012 at 12:07am

Thank you Dana. I would agree.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Glen Rosenberg on November 16, 2012 at 1:44am

No fairsies, TNT snippets make him or her appear to be prolific responder, when a couple of paragraphs would have limited those numbers. Maybe is it a special purpose. One which gives meaning to the life of TNT, a person who has seen it all and done it all. And has fantasies of extra human imagination.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom Sarbeck on November 16, 2012 at 2:10am

Glen, a sillygism:

TNT has found a purpose: to provide snippets for readers here.

Purpose is religious.

TNT has a non-Buddhist religion.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by TNT666 on November 16, 2012 at 7:01am

Well, at least I stuck to the subject of the person I was responding to... which I think was neither of you two. Sorry if I missed the memo stating we're not allowed to address more than one person, have I stepped on your pinkie toe? hmmm. Anywho, I also didn't go ad hominem as you and your respondent are doing, so why aren't you's sticking to the subject instead of attacking my character... Could it be that you're not living up to your own mantra of "the importance of pursuing happiness and good deeds"? (rollseyes)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on November 16, 2012 at 11:12am

TNT666 you can address as many people as you like. I am pleased you are here to add to the discussion. I value your intelligence.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JP Carey on November 16, 2012 at 8:38am

I like how this discussion keeps coming back to life -like a zombie that wont lay down :). I'll say it again, that there's a simple purpose to life.

1. You're an animal and have the same purpose as every animal: To reproduce and raise you young to survivablility.
2. You're new "big brain" compels you to search for purpose: Find any'ol purpose that means something to you and follow it. This will bring you happiness -especially if it helps people. But it comes FROM you.
3. If there's a reason for life to EXIST at all, it is to evolve (refine towards specialization), to witness & experience the universe WHILE YOU'RE HERE -So literally, go have the time of your life.

Meaning is different than purpose. If purpose is your job, then meaning is the value of that job. -Everyone's life has a meaning when they influence those around them (positively). A life of negative influence means you're just an ape, flinging crap at the progress-train as we go whizzing by.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by TNT666 on November 16, 2012 at 9:57am

1. Not all individuals in animal species breed, breeding is not an individual biological urge, breeding is simply the result of each specie's reproductive strategy.

2. It's not your brain that compels you to search for purpose, it is your parental

3. That's not a purpose, it's a consequence. In biology there is not "big" WHY?

trains... or you're the train thrashing through everything...