Please answer if you're an atheist.?

Question

For what reason should I continue to exist?

I don't believe in any gods; love is just a chemical reaction; I am annoyed by having to interact with religious people; I am bored with life; I am bored with conversation.

If you're going to advise me to seek professional/spiritual help, then please don't answer this question. I'm looking for open-minded, thinking individuals.

Answer 1

80% of humanity, the religious folks, don't need to ask the meaning of life, the church tells them....the supernatural explanation. But the rest of us can't swallow religious dogma, because there's no evidence. Nobody can prove that there life after death, that people are tortured or rewarded after life or that there's invisible spirits running around.

I've come to two conclusions recently:

1. Life has no meaning
2. Life has a million meanings.

First, there's a certainty that death and annihilation awaits not only you, but the Earth in general. It's an astonomical certainty that our sun will supernova and leave the earth a burnt crisp, not to mention all the other extinction level events around the corner.

Second, the million things that give us meaning are the pleasurable experiences we can conjure up during the short period we are here on the earth, in the form of the relationships we have with our kids and other people, and the 'housekeeping' types of purposes. What i mean by that are the curing disease, ending hunger, improving literacy, reducing crime, preventing war, helping other kinds of things.

Answer 2

You guys are so smart, intellectual (yes, those are 2 different things) and articulate, you atheists. I'm impressed. Maybe you're just "overthinking" things. Chocolate Jesus, I am not an atheist, but if I WERE, I would look at life as one big box of opportunity. Each day when I arise, I would take a reach in and see what it had to offer. Some days, I'd make a deposit into that box. Knowing that I am taking and giving from something that, while it has a limited supply, I can make constant investments into, I would be spurred by my passions, power, purpose and play. You won't be bored for long when you begin to do things this way. You've just excited all your answerers here, and there was not an ounce of boredom to it for US: it is all about your perspective, hon. Continue to exist in order to be engaged in the wonderful exchange of energy between people and opportunities life gives to us.

Answer 3

I'm an agnostic, but I'll try to field this one. First, I must ask, why is belief in supernatural deities and magic fairy tale love so important to you? Life is the same, whether or not god(s) created it, and love is a good feeling, regardless of how it is generated. If you are annoyed by having to interact with religious people, couldn't you just stop interacting with them in ways that emphasize their faith? If not, then you should ask yourself why you get annoyed. Does their certainty, contentment or popularity, however formulated, make you envious in some way? As for being bored with life and conversation, I suggest developing some new interests and seeking new people to converse with. However you deal with you plight, as described above, it doesn't sound to me like anything that should sour someone on life or their own existence. Since I don't know you, I couldn't give you specific instructions. But my general suggestions are to live now and not get caught up in wishing for things that do not exist.

Answer 4

First, have you felt this way all your life? If you don't mind how old are you? If love is just a chemical reaction to you, do you like it? Have you seen other parts of the world? Don't get caught up in thinking you have to believe in something in order to live free or be happy. Look inside yourself to find your answers. It seems to me just by you asking your question for what reason should you continue to exist it's in you, you just don't see it. Try this on for size just to eat and get yourself a pet and feed it. Oh! I am an atheist. If you feel like you need someone to talk to just ask confused.

Answer 5

Well Pablo covered a lot of what I was going to suggest, but here's a bit more food for thought.

Life is all the more precious because it's finite, because there's no afterlife. So it's important to live this one to the fullest. For me, that means racking up as many experiences as I can, learning as much as I can about the world around me, and hopefully gaining more wisdom as a result of doing these. Will this do me any good when I'm dead? Nope. But I'm not doing it for that. I'm doing it because it does me good in life.

There is really no reason for boredom. There are tons of things to do if you think about it. The fact that you're posting here in the Philosophy section means you are striving for intellectual answers and stimulation. All is not lost yet. :-)

Why should you continue to exist? Because we can benefit from your existence, and if you pay attention, I think you could benefit from us too. Besides, non-existence has the unfortunate property of being permanent and irreversible. Ennui, like everything else, is temporary, even if it doesn't seem like it at the moment.

If you're looking for purpose or meaning in your life, I can't help you there. That is something that each individual must discover--or create--for him/herself. But creating a purpose for your life really isn't too hard. Just find something you would like to do over a period of years, and go for it. Learn about everything that you're curious about. Be a parent. Travel the world. Volunteer at a charity or cause that interests you. Overcome a personal challenge in your life. Take up a new hobby.

I hate to sound cliche, but the world really is your oyster. Avoid self-pity; that is a very dis-empowering emotion that often leads to feelings of hopelessness. We all have our down periods in life, but they are always temporary. Happiness is out there for all who are willing to put in the little bit of effort to grasp it.

Answer 6

Honey, I'm as Atheist as they come. Let me ask you something: How can you be bored? what reason do you want? you can learn a new language, you can learn a new philosophy in this new language, just for kicks; you can travel and watch all the marvelous things that man have built, many of them trying to please one god or another.

You can meet new and exiting people, and many more dull and boring, but how will you know the difference if you are not here.

Also, since you and I don't believe there is another life after this one, it is a good idea to try to experience everything that you like, and also, we should study what happened in History, to device new things for our offspring to enjoy and profit.

You can have lots of fun with all those people trying to sell us spiritual help. You are bored because you have overgrown your environment.

The only thing that keeps me going is playing this game with lots of people. I can teach you.

Answer 7

Why are you bored? There is so much to do in life that is challenging, interesting, helpful, or just plain needs to be done. Love is a chemical reaction? - where did you dig that one up? Life is beautiful, and you only get one, so don't waste it being bored and pessimistic - get out there and make the world a better place - or at least yourself a better person! You don't need religion to be happy, busy, and loved.

Answer 8

As an agnostic, I think you put too much pressure on yourself to have a huge important life. We all have a place, and there's no need to make a giant mark on the world. Be happy with your little corner of existence - we're all gone so fast anyway. Try to appreciate the little things that happen every day in your life, and find fulfillment through those.

Answer 9

when you feel pleasure that feeling is nothing more than a chemical reaction. does that mean you don't like it and can't find value in it? i think that religion is unnecessary to give meaning. There is a lot of meaning that we create or find in the world. Pleasure and happiness are examples of things that have intrinsic value. If doing a thing makes you happy, then that thing has meaning for you. Whether or not god exists has no bearing on that happiness. Thats why so many religious people are so worldly. They fear death, like material goods, have meaningful relationships, etc. just like non-religious people do. these values have nothing to do with religion and are enjoyed by religious and non-religious alike.

why should you continue to exist? i can think of a lot of reasons.

-there is a lot of beauty in the world. corny as it sounds if you really do spend some time out in nature just observing and being there you will get some appreciation for the beauty of the world.

-if this is our only life, then why would we want to cut it short? it seems like religious people should be the ones embracing death. for atheists, once you die thats the end of your conscious existence. it seems like we would want to live life to the max in that case.

-going on that thought, you have the opportunity to live life to the fullest. teach english in russia, find an interesting career, travel around south america, help others, party, join a community, study a topic you like, whatever. there is a lot to experience in life, more than could be experienced even in many lifetimes.

-religious people get their meaning in life not so much from believing they are going to heaven after they die (this wouldn't really give meaning to THIS life, would it?), but from having a life philosophy that explains the world to them, connects them with others, and gives them purpose. But they are a lot of many non-religious alternatives. Philosophy is a great one. Political involvement is too. even just helping others provides a sense of purpose in life. a lot of people feel that their lives are meaningless because we have been taught in modern society that we need to be individuals, think about only ourselves, and work only for our own benefit. But his denies a fundamental part of human nature, the desire to connect with others. Helping out others is a great way to find purpose in life.

-if for no other reason, continue to exist to spite the religious people that assume that atheists' lives are meaningless. ;)

Answer 10

Are you that ready to sacrifice the freedome you proclaim? Your boredom is a chemical reaction (or lack of one) so why put an stock in it, either? It seems you are looking for something to give meaning to the things you experience, without realizing that thing is you. If there is no puropse, that means no purpose can get in the way; you get to decide. How wonderful is that?!