Can an atheist be more than just a nice person?

Question

The average atheist might be "good" compared to conservative white southern christians and radical muslims. Just putting in your two cents worth and not offending anyone does not make you holy though. Would an atheist ever be willing to sacrifice their whole lives and forego earthly pleasure, like Gandhi or Mother Theresa?

Answer 1

Many athiests make just as many and great personal sacrifices as people who act for religious reasons through charitable causes and volunteering. Think about how many doctors/nurses give their lives in third world countries and war zones while volunteering for example. I think the fact that they do it of their own volition rather than because their god demands it of them is a true indication of how "good" they really are.
But really, it's the acts of kindness that are important, not the reasons why anyone acts, people seem to forget that sometimes. If you are truly making a sacrifice why would you care if you are holy as a result of your actions, surely you do it without expecting any praise or recognition and certainly don't expect anything in return.

Answer 2

To both questions - Nope.

Let's look at it this way, if an atheist believes that anybody who's devout and faithful to their religion is a nutcase (as seen here in the forums), then they'd have to consider that Mother Theresa and Gandhi are the supreme nutcases. An atheist wouldn't understand what made Mother Theresa a saint and wouldn't understand what Gandhi found in Buddism, both are based on individuals with a devout belief in their religion and belief system.

What does an atheist believe in? Nothing - absolutely nothing - a person can not be devout about nothing, you can build a television series about nothing, but not a devout faith.

Perhaps with atheists, it's a case of nothing risked, nothing lost - but then nothing gained either.

Answer 3

One of my atheist friends and I used to argue all the time. Oddly enough, he was a Vegan. Now, imho, anyone who is an honest atheist would come to the conclusion that nobody else matters because there is no connection (which a Buddhist or Christian would at very least imagine). But, an honest atheist would also have to admit that s/he needs other people...preferably to control other people. So Machiavelli would be their primary method of living life--appear righteous, decent, etc. except when it is important. One of your answerers is taking that path. He says, see, I am serving my country, do I have to die for you? This is called manipulation. Atheists have to manipulate because THEY are their own highest good--their appetites and desires. I asked my Vegan friend why he was atheist and Vegan. It wasnt for health. It was for compassionate reasons. He would say, "would you want someone chopping your beak off and killing you?" To which I would reply, "so you are applying the golden rule--a superstitious Christian principle, to chickens?" If he was a true atheist, why would he choose to adhere to morals based on superstition? Why would the feelings of that chicken matter AT ALL? As soon as any being believes that another's feelings have any importance, that being has taken a step toward some form of spirituality.

Since, to an atheist, there is no punishment or reward, and this world is all that is, why not enjoy a good chicken sandwich if that is what you like? Even our service member above is choosing arbitrary definitions of good. What does he get out of it? Well, he is getting paid. And his family is being taken care of. But, as he is an atheist, and as this life is all that matters, to risk ending it prematurely for any reason seems absurd. And that's the big problem with Marxist communism. If we remove spirituality from the equation, people have NO legitimate reason to act in the interest of the state over the individual and all communists will eventually come to that conclusion. Anything else is another form of superstition and religion--a replacement of the morals of one superstition with the artificial morals of another.

So, imho, no, a genuine atheist cannot act altruistically other than to manipulate others That would mean s/he has taken a step into the spiritual--realizing that another's good is one with hir own.

Answer 4

Nothing makes anyone holy.

holy

Belonging to, derived from, or associated with a divine power; sacred.

Holy doesn't exist any more than god does.

By the way, Gandhi was Buddhist wasn't he? Buddhists are atheists.

As far as Mother Theresa goes, I'm sure she did the things she did because they made her feel good. There really isn't true sacrifice. No one does good things and feels bad about it. Everyone gets something, even if it's just a good feeling.

Answer 5

Plenty of atheists have sacrificed their lives for the greater good. As for foregoing earthly pleasure, that is something that only the faithful do as they seek approval from their god. Warren Buffett, an atheist, has just donated 44 Billion (yes, with a "B") dollars to Charity, an act that has no historic precedent. However, I'm sure he would agree that living in a cave when you don't have to is pointless.

Answer 6

Of course, and many do! A person doesn't have to believe in deities in order to devote their lives to the greater good- I just don't see the correlation between the two.

Answer 7

Well, being that their are plenty of people in every religion who wouldn't sacrifice themselves.....I think it really has more to do with the individual person and their morals than with their religious beliefs.

Answer 8

Certainly. There have been atheists of very high moral sentiment who have sacrificed everything for the greater good.

Best wishes and God bless.

Answer 9

They can be a nice person, a great friend, and some worth caring about. But in the end where will their soul be?

Answer 10

Does this count? I'm going to go defend the USA after basic. I'm in infantry and plan to go ranger-air borne-special forces. Do I have to die for you? Because I may.