If there is no supreme being (a God), then what is there to live for?

Question

Living to die all in wait? Or is there more behind this world than that?
Every one religion believes that they are in the right, so how can a person be so sure he is in the right?

Sorry for the many questions, but these are very few of the ones that run through my mind daily.

In my personal opinion, i believe there is but ONE God. I'm a Born-again Christian. I do not like referring to this as a religion only because this is all too true to me, and religion is all of the other beliefs...

Answer 1

I wonder about this as well and like you I am a Christian. I guess that's where I faith comes in. Christianty is a personal relationship with God not a religion, it's so much more than that. Stay strong in Him.

Answer 2

Oh my goodness times 3.

Seriously, no offense, but why do people ask the STUPIDEST questions? Don't you read your question BEFORE you click the submit button.

First, how the hell can we be sure that there is a god? (we CAN'T)
Second, who the hell knows the point of living? (no one)
Third, since nobody knows the answer, why the hell are you asking? I mean, who is going to give you an ACCURATE answer to your question? (NO----ONE)

Also, you're right, people who are religious think that their religion is 100% right. But the FACT is, that not ONE religion is right. Why? Because, let's say that one religion was actually true, don't you think that by now everyone in this world would follow that religion? Of course, just like everyone in this world knows that 2 + 2 = 4, no one can disagree with that. So then why do we have all these different religions? I don't know, but people must be really bored with their lives.

Sorry if I'm offending you but if you read what I just typed, you know that what I'm saying is true.

The world is exactly the way it seems. There is no invisible man in the sky. There is no mermaids, fairies, talking gnomes, pixies, unicorns, etc. etc.

You would usually say, just because you can't see god doesn't mean he isn't there. I can say the same thing about unicorns, just because you can't see them, doesn't mean they don't exist, yet you still wouldn't believe that unicorns exist.

Answer 3

What is the point of going to an amusement park? You know the fun all be over at the end of the day. Why buy that fancy waffle iron? It's just going to wear out. Why get out of bed? You'll just get tired. Why eat? The full feeling doesn't last.

I know, all these things can be done again. The point is, these things all have their own gratifications, despite their limited duration. So does life. Your argument is essentially that you want approval, you don't want to play the game unless somebody promises to pay you for winning and to punish the cheaters. Can't the game be its own reward? The joys and challenges of the game justifies the playing.

The existence of God provides an audience to care about your score. Heaven provides a way to continue on, to maintain a sense of victory after the game is over. But heaven is its own problem. What do you do after you've "won" (or "lost")? Can gazing into the face of God forever be that perfectly distracting? Can eternal torment stay eternally fresh? Do they not begin to resemble each other after a few eons?

Speaking from a strictly theistic perspective, St. Paul debated in one of his letters about his inner conflict between dying and being with God, and living and continuing to do "productive work". Guess what he chose? Even though he believed in God, he thought continuing Earthly life was the better choice.

For atheists, the choice is simpler. Life has its fascinations and its worthy objectives. The highest goal seems to be making the experience better for the next batch of players. (For some theists, it's all about winning, even if the playing field gets trashed.) We can see our interdependence, our obligations to help each other. Even if individuals die, and are even forgotten in time, we each have our effect, and WE continue on as a species.

Answer 4

the purpose of life is survival.

You may not like it, but our only meaning is to carry on the species and pass on our genes. Same with any lifeform.

Mankind often can't accept this simple truth and it is humbling to be so intelligent and yet have the same simple purpose that a rat, snake, otter, or penguin have.

There is no grandiose meaning, just survive and reproduce for the good of the species.

Whether you are religious or not doesn't affect this as this is the way the world is. If there is a god, then it was god that instilled these simple rules of life and nature and the world into people causing this to be a real factor and rule of the world.

If there is not, then these are just the rules of life that are the result of our instincts and the instincts of all those that live as a species.

How you explain how the rules and meanings of life came about, is irrelevant, as you asked for the purpose of life and what is there to live for, not why it is that way and who created it or how it got created.

Answer 5

Whether you believe in God or not, we are all together on Earth. Looking at all of the things that plague the earth today, like poverty, war, disease, racism, pollution, etc. one would think that we are here to do harm. Hopefully we are here to try to make the world a better place. It can sometimes be overwhelming to think of where to start, so many just give up and become self-centered, greedy, thinking of no one else but themselves. It's interesting to think of Earth as an organism in which all parts depend on the cooperation of others. Add to that cooperation -respect, compassion, and a little love, perhaps? Mother Teresa said, "Do what is in front of you." And you don't have to look very far to see a need that can be filled.

Answer 6

Life is wonderful absent the belief in an oppressive god. My family, my children, my friends, the natural beauty of this world are all fine reasons for living without any hope of pie in the sky in the end.

I am a proud and HAPPY Athiest

Answer 7

Actually, most neopaganism does not believe itself to be the only right path. We are encouraged to question everything and continually search for knowledge. Don't classify all religions as the same.

On that note, I have learned that there is much much more to this world than many are willing to explore, mostly do to constrictions of society on what is "normal" and "rational."

Answer 8

We live for family , love, and pursuit of knowledge. I believe that we live many lives in an effort to educate our souls.

I believe in God. I believe that any religion that claims to be the only way to God is a lie.

Answer 9

For joy, for enhancing ones self, for bettering the world, for loving our children, for loving one another... why do xians need an imaginary god to do those things that come natural for us atheists?

We are here and we should make the most of what we have, without care for religions or social class or race or creed. Atheists are the most happy people I know because we have nothing to fight over. Most hate comes from religiously based prejudices.

Answer 10

Life. Doesn't your mortal life on this planet have meaning to you?
Since I have no idea whether or not there's a God, I'm going to live my life like it's the only one I get, not like it's a practice run for a second life.