Many religious people ask how Atheists can be happy without God?

Question

.For me and for many Atheists I know, the realization of our Atheism has been extremely freeing and has opened us to our own happiness.
Atheism helps us to see reality as it actually is, without the mental filters of superstition preventing us from directly experiencing it.
Atheism opens us to experience our selves, without the debasing idea that we are innately sinful.
Atheism allows us to experience true interpersonal love, without any imaginary supernatural intervention.
Atheism gives us the freedom to think for ourselves, to construct our own meanings. We each can choose what we think has value.
Atheism shows us that we can gain meaning by seeking to make our world a better place, for ourselves and our posterity.
Atheism teaches us to take responsibility for our behaviors in the here and now, not in an imaginary afterlife.
Atheism lets us see that we have to make choices about our future. No big daddy god is going to protect us from bad decisions.

Atheism teaches us to treasure this moment, this life, and this world — because we realize that it’s all we have.
Atheism also can work well for free societies. Free nations with high levels of Atheism — such as Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia, Switzerland and Japan — are among the healthiest, wealthiest, most educated, and most free societies on Earth.

Answer 1

Very beautifully put, I respect your views, and your right to your beliefs.

Admittedly I am a believer, I just wish more religious people would act half as nice as many atheist I have known. And take more responsibilty for their actions and behaviors. Not all religious people of couse, but many.

P.S. If ignorance is bliss does that mean all happy people no matter what their beliefs are ignorant. (ha ha - just joking)

Answer 2

I see you and other atheists on Y!Answers, in the R&S section, all the time, making this or similar assertions. I have to wonder...if you are truly as happy as all that as an atheist, what exactly is it that compels you to come into a religious forum to explain this happiness you have found in atheism to a bunch of strangers, who really don't care? What, exactly, are you trying to accomplish? I've heard you talk about how you hate those Christians who try to shove their religion down your atheist throat...are you not as bad, trying to stuff your atheism down the throats of religious people?
Did you know that, as a Christian, I also experience all of the things you speak about, in a different way?
To see reality as the Creation of a loving God is to experience reality in it's highest form.
To experience myself honestly, flaws and all, knowing that God knows all about it, and loves me anyhow, is totally awesome.
There is no interpersonal love greater than the love between God and His Creation. Human love pales in comparison. Human love is temporary at best...but the love between a man and a wife who both love God is unimaginable!
Christianity gives me the freedom of knowing what has true value.
Christianity gives me a framework in which I can, truly, make my world a better place, now, and in the future.
Christianity teaches me to take responsibility for my actions, knowing that I am accountable to my Creator, even for every idle word.
My Christian "Sky Daddy" not only encourages me to think for myself, He insists upon it, making it very clear that He will not protect me, or the ones I care about, from my bad decisions. But He is always available to help me make good decisions...
Yes, with atheism, the great pity is that you truly believe that this is "all you have." Christianity also teaches me to treasure each moment, knowing also that the best is yet to come!
I don't think you really want to go into what atheism can do to a society. Not good... But think about this...fifty years ago, the United States could honestly say that it was the most powerful nation on the face of the earth. Of course, that was before such as you came along, and kicked God out of Public Office.
Not to worry though. Jesus has already proven...you can't keep a Good God down.

Answer 3

Proportionally speaking, population to population, how many athiests are happy compared to agnostics? Ignostics? Apathetic Agnostics? Then again, a lot of people just call agnosticism "practical athiesm" (which it has a lot of elements of: the differences are more philosophical than practical in nature) anyway, so it's probably irrelevant.

I just like the freedom of agnosticism: I don't have to justify my point (though you don't HAVE to justify yours either, you just choose to, and I choose to myself, so ignore this part of my response... damn I'm wordy), and I can accept not only the teachings of religions (as an athiest can live by the dictates of, say, buddhism, by saying they are wise words of a man), but also the theoretical aspects of metaphysics.

In general, an athiest is a man of science first. As an agnostic, I consider myself a man of reason first. Science is built entirely off of reason, and as thus there should be little contradiction, but science is about *practically observing the world and understanding it* and as thus, it is limited by Occum's Razor: you can get by without god in the equation and the theory works just as well, so you toss god out. But Occum's Razor isn't a logical necessity and doesn't allow us to make observations of truth (it's supposed to allow us to make observations of likelyhood, but even that is kind of dubious). So, I remain agnostic, allow all (logically possible) possibilities, and allow myself some wiggy weird out, scientifically unverifiable theories on the nature of reality.

So how happy am I? Less, more, the same? And what does that prove/demonstrate?

Nothing.

Edit: Oh, and ProZack? You can prove god as a scientific by redefining it, but then it ceases to be god. Necessarily, god has to be the "first cause" and though all things may share various energies, wavelengths, string theory, collective unconsciousness, or connection fo the Ultra/Infinity/Void/Omega Matrixes (sorry, lil' of my own sci fi nonsense thrown in there), that doesn't mean we're all "god." Or does it?

If we define God as the "First Cause" and we decide that all energy and mass can be neither created nor destroyed, then obviously all the matter that was then, is also now. So it was all uncaused (or else it would have been created), and therefore was the FIRST cause. Thus we're all god. But that definition of god is essentially meaningless: when we say "God" we mean something that is a divine force, a creator, that stands outside the limitations of science. The bottom line of "the deity" is that it serves to tread where science can't. If we manage to get Hyperphysics to an extent wherein science can interpret it and understand it, it ceases to be "God as a divine force" (unless it's also conscious).

Answer 4

I am studying quantum physics at the moment and I believe that everyone will believe in God one day because of the findings of QPhys.

I am a Christian and I believe that the Bible is the actual key to all knowledge, but I think the problem is that mankind looks at God from a carnal or human perception and not the supernatural (but actually more natural than life itself) standpoint that is more accurate.

Christians, Athiests, and every other type of believer would believe if they truly understood what God really is. The message of the Bible is God by human definition and example- but every religion has some truth in their religious texts as well.

God is the energy force in which all things exist in every dimension- Athiests do not believe in a humanistic type God that created everything, as Christians and people of other faiths do. All are correct to an extent- for an athiest to say there is no God is incorrect, and for others to say there is a humanoid form of God (only) is also incorrect.

Jesus Christ was real, God is real, I am real and you are real. We all exist and are all connected in energy. If you learn the truth about all existence in the form of energy- you will see that we are all one, a part of that same energy, a part of God.

Athiests may refuse to CALL that energy force "God" but that matters little, because they too are a part of the same force that WE call God. Athiests may say they dont believe in God, but they cannot deny that energy exists.

I will be upsetting many Christians when I revamp my entire Christian website to reflect the answers I have been divinely given-but it is that very ego that depletes their own energy and chance for everlasting life.

Answer 5

I can be similarly happy *with* my God. And I respect you for having found happiness, as that is the ideal outcome of life.

For me, and for many theists I know, the realization of our belief in an unconditionally loving Creator has been extremely freeing and has opened us to the joy of knowing that even if all else fails in this world, we still have one being who will always be our Protector. Our Father.

Personally, I see reality not through the eyes of superstition or blind faith, but accompanied by the explanations of both science and logic. Just add God into the mix, and I've explained the unexplainable.

The religion that I follow, Catholicism, does not debase the character by saying that we are bound by innate sinfulness. Instead, religion is the means by which I am encouraged to bring out the innate goodness within myself. Life should not be a struggle to create goodness within myself, as goodness is as innate as sinfulness. Religion is simply the guide that leads me away from the path of violence, judgment, hatred, and all other wrongdoing.

We realize that God does not intervene in our relationships, but is within us all since the beginning. So if I am to love my parents, I believe that this is the earthly reflection of God's love toward me. If I am to love another as a spouse, it would be incorrect to say that I have married God. My spouse is not God, and I am not God. My marriage, though, is blessed by God.

I, a theist, also choose to think for myself. This is a key part to having faith. We are taught to question our own beliefs, as life is to be a constant struggle with faith -- some things just don't make sense, and until it does, how can I place my trust in it? I must first come to an understanding, born through my own free logic, of each aspect of my faith before I can claim it valid and present.

Theism also shows us that, as you say, we should be "seeking to make our world a better place, for ourselves and our posterity." The only difference here is that while you find this to be your *only* purpose, I also add that it is God's will that these be valued, as this world is His own. Life is His creation, and why would He ever want His beloved humans to cast aside all the gifts He has presented for us in this life?
Theism also teaches us to take responsibility in this lifetime. The idea of the afterlife may be something of an incentive, but it is only one of many rewards that I live my life for. I take responsibility for my behaviors because, like you, I too have a conscience. I know that there are some actions in this world that are not right, and in my terms, these are sins. I will be punished for my sins here and now -- that is why I still choose to seek forgiveness for my wrongdoings, instead of shoving it aside, expecting ultimate punishment after death. I do not use an afterlife as an excuse for any of my actions, and I pity those who do.

God does not protect us from bad decisions. He gave us free will, and we are to act upon our free will as we see fit, naturally. If we do something wrong, it is by our own choosing -- not God's -- and so we will have to suffer the consequences on our own. He's like a parent. If I were to suddenly start taking drugs, my parents would not give me a big hug and tell me to forget about it. They would reprimand me and bring out severe consequences. At the same time, though, they would most certainly sit me down and have a stern conversation with me. God is the same way. If I were to make any sort of bad decision, God would be very upset with my choice to do wrong, and would most certainly not protect me from the consequences.

And lastly, If I did not have to make any choices about my own future, then what would be the point of existence? Of course I have to choose my way through life!

Answer 6

Interesting - a disguised rant instead of a question.

If you really believe that atheism allows everyone to "construct our own meanings", then why do you seek to tear down the one I have constructed? Your actions are inconsistent with your stated philosophy.

Also, atheism does not teach you to make choices about your future. As you clearly stated, according to you, there is no afterlife, thus, no future, thus no real consequences from your actions and decisions.

While you may choose to deceive yourself, please refrain from trying to convince others of the strength of your position. Or keep trying -> the more you talk, the more you reveal about the inherent inconsistencies and illogic of atheism.

Answer 7

By religious do you mean Christians? Or are you assuming Buddhists are also Atheists?
Reality actually isn't. All you have is perception, and everybody's is different. Some people are more flexible when discovering new things.
A big daddy god removes the element of free will, which is essential to our existence. You don't need to be an atheist to do those things, but they can be hindered by organized religion.

Answer 8

Can atheism help you after grave? which happy......? only 1 or 50 or 70 years....15 of it is a term of childhood when u can not clearly choose bad or good... after 55 u need to help from others( a big probability) school, study,job,family,deaths ,leaves.....These are not only for u for believers and muslims..too same...and we believe real happiness is here after ..I mean after death.....DEATh will come.... now or 40 years later...and u will leave all of ur BE LOVED ONES AND UR İMAGİNARY HAPPİNESES..OPEN UR EYES...

Answer 9

It has been my experience that very few people go to the grave unbelievers. Ask 100 20 year olds what they think about god and you will not find much enthusiasm. Ask 100 80 year olds and you will not find much dissent. Perhaps people get stupider as they gain more experience in life, but i would not bet on it.

Answer 10

Thank you for your question. You are totally right.
And hey, crazies, don't put up that "complete" bull.
What is the definition of "complete" for a person? That is completely subjective! If a person feels "complete" than they are "complete", atheist or Christian. There is no possible way for you to know if someone is "complete" or not based on what religion they are!!