Isn't life kinda pointless if there's no God behind it?

Question

I mean why have kids, why go to school, why do anything if your just gonna die in the end for pretty much no reason. If there's no purpose to the world then there's no purpose in me, and that just don't sound right through these ears. If my mom says be nice to that old man, why? Why can't i be mean and take his money.

Answer 1

Life certainly is "kinda pointless" if we all just die, rot in the ground, and return to the eternal nothingness from whence we came. At least if there is a God and there is no afterlife, we are remembered and there is a possibility of being recreated. I honestly don't understand why atheists are so moral if they don't believe in some sort of universal justice. Without the belief in a just God of some sort, life is just plain cruel, full of sorrow and pointless suffering. I think Shakespeare puts it best... "To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despis'd love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action"

Answer 2

You make a good point. But turn it around. So many believers avoid life for fear of losing their afterlife status. Atheists see life as the main event, not a rehearsal, so they go out and live without worrying what "God" thinks of them.

I don't mean go hedonistically crazy. People do have to get along. Atheists have morals, but they tend to be less arbitrary and more practical. The Golden Rule is universal. Even without a "reward" at the end, life can be enjoyable and fulfilling.

But every ride eventually comes to an end. The world eventually changes enough that even the most fulfilled person can get tired of it. Death is a process as natural and "meaningful" as birth. And even though I don't continue, humanity continues, a humanity that would be different if I hadn't lived.

Answer 3

I am an atheist, and my life is far from pointless. I don't need any kind of reward after death to enjoy life, my friends, my family, and my career. If going to heaven is someone's only purpose in life, I think that's sad. My purpose is to live life to the fullest, work hard, love and be loved, and die with dignity. You can be nice to an old man because he is a fellow human being and you don't want to cause him pain. People are nice every day, without needing to believe that God exists.

Answer 4

So if there is no "God" there is no purpose?

If you had never heard of god what would your purpose be then? Thats probably a bad example.

Better put, life isnt about servitude - its about leaving a good impact for the generations to come. Its about finding love and building family/friendships. Getting the most out of what this earth has to offer because if god DOES exist then it still wont change that when you're dead, you dont get what earth has to offer! There are so many things to find purpose in on this world, and religion is just one of them.

Personally, im not going to align myself with any one religion so I can have purpose in my life. I have plenty of purpose without saying im a christain, muslim, jew, etc - or without the "faith" that god exists.

Im not saying ignore your god, or that its wrong to believe in a god...but there is a lot more to living here than just worship and servitude. Try to find out on your own what else that could be. :)

Answer 5

The purpose of life is not death. Why don't religious people understand this? You have one life, do something with it besides prepare for death. Religion sells the belief that you get a second chance to live again but to this day they still can't prove it. After thousands of years the only proof that they have is because someone said so. There is the possibility that they are lying.

Answer 6

Life is what you make of it! You can chose a path to take...wheather it be a spiritual path or not is your choice. There are many Gods and Goddesses to chose from. Some believe in no God but that doesn't mean that they have no life to live for. They just have different priorities and morals. In my religion death is rebirth. What you do in this life affects the next through karma. Think of that when you consider takeing the old mans money. Karma can destroy a soul or make it beautiful.

Answer 7

If there is no god the having kids is to alow us humans to continue into the future and poputate the universe. Goimg to school it to learn where the old left off so we dont need to invent the wheel again. doing nothing is doing something Be nice to the old man is what you want when you are the old man with the money isnt it. I cant give you a 100% that there is a god and Einstien couldn't prove he didn't exist. but what if there is one what if your children are the children that prove HE is or IS NOT if you dont have them a bring them up smart they will never be able to.

Answer 8

I completely understand where you are coming from. You start out in life being taught right from wrong; but who really knows what is RIGHT and what is WRONG. What if there really is no God. What are we going to do? Can we do anything except breathe the polluted air, eat the contaminated food, and drink the dirty water? Life sucks the big one; everyone knows it. I guess I am just one of those people who would rather believe the fairy tale of a loving being who is waiting for me with open arms when I die. Kinda comforts me in a childish way.

Answer 9

Okay, seeing several sides to your ??? I am not sure how to best answer...............
As a NONbeliever---- Your aren't living for some final reward...EVERY DAY is the reward, you make life what it is---Go around uneducated, with no purpose beating up old men....your life will lead you to jail. If that is the daily reward you are after----go for it!!!

As a Believer-------I love my life!! My children are the light of my life, before them I was happy as a lark, but with them I am centered. GOD gave us each the ability to do what we want and whatever name you call him...as long as you call on him......he will guide your heart the right way.

Answer 10

Because it's up to you to make your own calls. You shouldn't have to rely on a religion or god to tell you everything you should do with your life. That makes you a puppet. Then you're only living life based on guidelines and scriptures. How is that any kind of meaningful life?

Oh and most atheists are good and moral people, even more so than some so-called "Christians". Your beliefs don't define who you are, if you don't want them to.