For athiests: Do you ever have a hard time dealing with your belief?

Question

For example, I don't believe in heaven or hell. I believe when we die that's it. Lately, I'm having a hard time with that idea and the fact that I don't believe we are here for a reason, we are just here, like bugs. It's what makes the most sense to me, but it bothers me too because it's so hard to accept that nothing that I do matters. I'm just going to die anyway. I'm having a hard time figuring out the point of it all. Anyone else feel this way? How did you deal with it? No God is the answer answers please or I'd feel better if I found God answers.

Answer 1

not at all, reality is great!

-I take solice in the belief that this life is all I have. It encourages me to live my life to the fullest. I feel that my purpose is to make life better for the future of life in general. And even if it isn't a true purpose, it is still a great one and very respectable.

Answer 2

"the fact that I don't believe we are here for a reason, we are just here, like bugs ... it's so hard to accept that nothing that I do matters."

Just because you aren't here to please an invisible superpower does NOT mean you are here for nothing. There are so many good reasons to be alive, the world gives many people all kinds of fantastic opportunity. You don't need to believe in invisible kingdoms and old ghosts to find satisfaction in life. It turns out that mostly all people who believe in gods and mostly all those who don't live for the same reasons, they have the same passions and drives and interests, it's just that there's an added gremlin-like (the original meaning of gremlin, not the hollywood meaning) explanation added on top for the religious people, a conceptual shadow behind or thin veneer covering the furthest reach of their reasoning, a cap, if you will, the explanation they need to fill the void they find at the place where they can reason no further. Many religious types will tell you that their beliefs form a bedrock for ethics and meaningful existence. However, with or without the shadow-like religious beliefs, people still come to the same passions and motivations and loves and hates in life. This provides fairly strong evidence that the supposed bedrock provided by religion is nothing but a shadow, since when it is avoided in forming lives, people still turn out very much the same as they would have with the "bedrock".

If you loved someone, would it matter to them? if you had kids, would it matter to your kids? if you killed someone would it matter to anyone? of course it would all matter. Anything you do would matter just as much as it would matter if you believed in gods.

It is very unfortunate that some people believe they have the right to claim ownership and control over meaningfulness in human life. The only ownership and control they have is given to them by us because we have allowed them to claim that they have such knowledge and power. They belong to powerful organizations that make it their business to convince people that they have the monopoly on and can offer things like meaningfulness or "eternal happiness", whatever an idea like that means.

If you feel that you need some kind of deeper satisfaction, then look into exploring spirituality(NOT supernatural religion). Spirituality is a different thing than religion, and you need not believe in supernatural elements like gods, angels, hell etc. There are spiritual teachings that are called "religions", even though they are very different than something like christianity. Look into them to learn about being spiritual, it can be very meaningful and satisfying without being based on books which tell very fantastical, extremely doubtful and logically inconsistent stories that have no REAL evidence.

Unfortunately, I can't explain, except at great length, what "real" evidence is, but I can say that
a) most people don't know what real evidence is, but they are quite sure that they do

b) the difference between real evidence and what many people think the words "real evidence" mean is the difference between a broken roller skate and a 747

c) the reasons why it is the difference between those two things are NOT arbitrary, they are subtle, elegant, self-sufficient, inevitable, extremely powerful and compelling in ways beyond the understanding of most people.

This is not because they are too difficult to understand or because they are only for an elite few, it is because they are not valued in western culture and, believe me, this is to our great peril.

Answer 3

I went through a time when I believed that there was nothing after death. But now I am happy to accept the mysteries of death & I accept that there are many things in this world I don't understand. I am willing to wait until I'm dead before finding out if anything happens. There's no point in worrying because you can't know until it happens.
As for the point of life, I just feel compelled to follow my heart and do what I think is right and what will make me happy.

It doesn't have to be complicated with all these rules you have to follow and all these eternal consequences of not following the rules.

Answer 4

Then don't accept it. You don't have to be a religious freak to believe you matter. Of course you matter you are here not only for the perpetuation of the species but to advance civilization. Whether you believe it or not the knowledge you leave behind however little carries on through generations to come. That is why we have jet airplanes for transpiration now instead of every one still pushing each other around on wheel borrows and it has nothing to do with God. Hisszzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Answer 5

Take pride in yourself knowing that you don't believe in something just because it makes you feel better. As far as the meaning of life and all...I'm afraid there are no comforting words about our mortality, I mean, biologically we are here to live, breed, and die...but what we do for the world in between is what I believe the meaning of it all is. Live your life to help the world and others in it and your life will be fulfilling in 50 years when you look back, and your own mortality won't seem so bleak if you know that you have done all that you could during your life.

Answer 6

Bugs are here to feed birds and other creatures, fertilize plantlife, and, in some cases, keep the population of other bugs down. And who would your deeds need to matter to in order to justify them? My deeds matter to me, which is why I do the things I do. If, like many theists, the only reason you'd need to do good in the world is for some type of reward, like some rat getting the cheese at the end of the maze, then I pity you. Unfortunately, many theists speak of a glorious reward awaiting them at the end of this life if they do things just right, or some kind of eternal torture if they slip up. Personally, if your actions make you feel like a true, honestly good person, what difference would it make whether you believed in a god or not?

Answer 7

Does there have to be a point?

We are in the here and now whether there is some big "plan" for humanity or not. Human beings are trying to make the best of their lives and we each affect each other in good and bad ways.

We have the power to make our own meanings in this world. Why would what happens after this life make living more "worth it"?

Answer 8

Our ideals selection from one yet another. i do no longer think in evolution, I settle for it because of the purpose evidence. How do I manage complicated situations? i'm getting help the two from different individuals or from different sources. "i comprehend i could be a warm mess if I couldnt pray or i did no longer believe in God." What do you mean by ability of this? Are you announcing which you would be the worst individual interior the international in case you probably did no longer believe?

Answer 9

No, I have a hard time with everyone else's.

You are just afraid to die. That is normal. I went through it about 20 years ago. You can't change it so don't worry about it.
If you are having a problem finding a point to your life, you need to change the way you are living it. I went through that too. Good luck to you.

Answer 10

Why does not believing in God or an afterlife automatically mean that "nothing I do matters"?

EVERYTHING you do in this life matters, because it's all about what you do in THIS life, not about sitting around achieving little in this life because you are afraid to jeopardize your chances of some unconfirmed reward in the afterlife. ( I think even believers could benefit from that attitude too, btw)

Answer 11

You mean, no belief. Glad we cleared that up.

So find a reason to keep living. Make your own purpose in life. Make a contribution to humanity - be an artist or a musician or a scientist or a humanitarian.