Please don't take offense, this is an honest question.
If, as an atheist, you don't believe in God or life after this one then why have children? Why would you want to bring someone onto this planet, which is often harsh and painful (albiet joyful at times), when their is no "happily ever after" to look forward too?
2007-01-16 02:00:04 · 33 answers · asked by gtahvfaith 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Because life is a wonderful thing regardless of how it came to be.--It is, mostly, the religious people who thumb their nose at it, as they wait,and "pray" for something better.
One life is not enough for them, and one death is too many.
2007-01-16 02:13:19 · answer #1 · answered by big j 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The word Christian in Hans Christian Anderssen is just part of the guy's name. You're confusing complex theological doctrine with fairy tales and you're bound to come out of this kind of reflection with little or no idea as to how the real world works.
Try taking an objective look at life on planet earth and not just in the United States of America and you will begin to understand that God has nothing to do with the harsh and painful times that the majority of human beings suffer; your government is responsible for that and rather than looking for eternal salvation you should look more to the immediate future by either voting for a president with good intentions or simply refraining from voting for criminals.
2007-01-16 02:29:42 · answer #2 · answered by Diarmid 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I really wander what kind of parents athiest would be to bring children into the world to show them the path to eternal seperation from God. As athiest claim they are able to love is that a form of love. Athiest claim there is no God. I think of that like this boy that is claiming to know everything. Frankly a athiest is not really to smart actually they lean on the side be being a fool.
Even a unedcuated man will tell you he knows only a little but a athiest will tell you he knows everything when he knows nothing and that is being a fool. A wise man knows he knows nothing in the big scope of things but then again who said a athiest is wise. Wisdom is to know you are not any wiser then anyone one else and to learn from other people knowedge and experence and athiest can't do that. Athiest can't get beyond there own limited knowedge i mean there noses. They are trapped looking at there nose and saying my, i created that nose and it smells so nice. the problem is they want the fame of being athiest but all people consider a athiest a fool. So there fame is folly. And there reward is to be branded fools and also to be sent to hell as a reward of foolishness.
2007-01-16 02:24:27 · answer #3 · answered by Thomas A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This world is all we've got -- there's no "happily ever after." So the choices are this world or nothing...I choose this world :)
Life is hope. That may sound strange coming from an atheist, but I don't mean hope in the religious sense of hoping for a magical paradise in the sky -- I mean hope that we humans can resolve our petty differences and learn to leave in peace. In this life, which is all that there is. One of my children, raised with reason and logic, raised to be skeptical and rational, raised to respect all people and not live their lives pretending to be ruled by a mythical magical sky fairy...one of those children might just be the one to figure out how to get us to all live together in peace. They might make a huge contribution to our knowledge and understanding of the universe. They might discover a cure for cancer, or AIDS, or Alzheimer's. That's hope.
It's an evolutionary imperative that we live to pass on our genes and continue the species...it's my intellectual goal to pass on my knowledge and experiences to my children so they can make their world better than mine was. And in their success, even after I'm dead and buried, I gain some measure of immortality. That's a much greater legacy, and reason to live and have children, than some idea of a magical paradise :)
I often tell people that I live my life by reason, logic, and evidence -- not by believing in things for which there is no evidence. My one exception to that is the belief that humans *can* solve their differences and live in peace on this earth -- since there is no compelling evidence for that notion, it really is just a belief. But if I can contribute to that happening, or my children can, then we can help make it come true.
Peace.
2007-01-16 02:16:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Atheists do not claim to know everything. Quite the opposite, we recognize that there is still much that is unexplained and seek scientific closure. If we as a species were content with some supernatural power as the answer to every unknown, then we would still be living on a flat earth.
2007-01-16 02:37:59 · answer #5 · answered by einzelgaenger08 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The "happily ever after" is a metaphor of children and children's children you see. So is the idea of "eternal life". It's not something to be taken literally.
And there is always hope that the children will have a better life than the parents did. That's what life is all about.
2007-01-16 02:12:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Because we're not living for a happily ever after in death. We're actually living life. And yes, life can be harsh but it's what you make it.
I don't understand why you would have children if the only point in living for you is to wait for death. What would be the point?
2007-01-16 02:08:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
I understand that we need to have children in order to further the species. But personally, in my 21 years, I have never found a good reason for me to have children. Perhaps I'll just have them by accident like 80% of people.
2007-01-16 02:42:19 · answer #8 · answered by Subconsciousless 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is your life really so bad. Personally I think life is great. I am sad that you are so unhappy with yours. If your life is harsh and painful as you say and you are only depending on a possible afterlife to make it better, maybe you would be happier if you live life a little more for the present.
2007-01-16 02:07:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Atheism isn't the same as nihilism. A disbelief in God and an afterlife has no bearing on one's ability or desire to live a fulfilling life here and now.
2007-01-16 02:14:30 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christian beliefs do not guarantee a happier life for your children either, bro
Nor does it guarantee that your children will make it into heaven either.
So what's your point?
Pro-creation is a function of nature. All live things have a strong desire to make more of the same.
Plus your argument is inane, anyone can make up any rationale to dictate to others who disagree with them.
2007-01-16 02:09:12 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋