Good without God?

Question

can I be a good guy without worrying about religion's "good vs. evil" all the time?

no matter how hard I try, and even as a child - I can't seem to reduce the infinite invisible to a finite entity.


we are all "audaces solum" (or boldly alone); but can we be OK without any God in our lives? The atheists I've met seem so unhappy, is there any alternative to this?


I'm torn, ALL friendly input welcome.

Answer 1

I would say if all the atheists you met were unhappy, you havn't met the right atheists. Me and the ones I know are no different then anyother person one would meet on the streets. We have familys we love. Jobs and schools that we go to. Friends and fun and life. We live like anyone else. The only difference is the disbelief of god and gods.
I feel a little sorry for christians, always wondering whats sinful or not. (see questions on ya) worry about the devil. Many believe they are constintily fighting the devil! How? from what? He dosn't cause me to do anything! Life is Life. Live it, enjoy it. and treat others as you would like to be treated.

Answer 2

How many atheists do you know? I'm atheist, and I have many atheist friends, and none of us are unhappy.
What you need to understand, is that if you follow what you believe in your heart and mind to be true, then you won't be unhappy. You absolutely can be a good person without belief in a God. There's not a single atheist that I know that's any less moral than any Christian I know. You don't need the Bible to tell you the difference between right and wrong. If you DID, then slavery would be OK, you would have to force a rape victim to marry her attacker, and you would need to kill those that work on the sabbath, or kids that disobey their parents.

Answer 3

I'm an atheist and I'm happy! I don't have to beat myself up about not following some crazy doctrine imposed by my religion. I eat bacon sandwiches, I pig out during Ramadan and Lent, I don't sacrifice virgins at the big oak tree down the road. I have no hope of Heaven or fear of Hell.
However, I have supreme regard for the sanctity of human life although we are just transitory arrangements of atoms and molecules called human beings and one day we will be recalled to the universal chaos. So it goes!
There is no God. Live your life and do good by your fellow man, that's all there is. And that is enough.

Answer 4

i think that to be truly happy, you need God. Recently I have gone through a tough time with the same problem. I was a very sad and lonesome person. I was feeling the same way you have described. I saw the happiness in one of my friends face and I knew it was different from anything I had ever experienced. I began to explore on my own for a few months, listening to her and letting her show me the way.

Since I found God again, I have been happier than ever. THings don't bother me as much anymore and I have things to look forward to. I am not saying that you MUST have God in your life, but it helped me. I was ok for 25 years without Him in my life. Ok, not great.

Just know that if you ever, I mean, ever need anyone to talk to you can directly e-mail me at barbergirl2000. I might have different views on this issue, but I can definitly listen and just be there for you.

Answer 5

I am an atheist. What makes you say atheists are unhappy?

I'm not happy with this life being all there is, but I am certainly content with it. You just have to accept it.

I wouldn't worry about the "good vs. evil" of religion. Ethics are an exclusively human concern. Religion just tries to enforce them by promising a reward (Heaven) and punishing those those who don't (Hell).

Answer 6

You need not be an Atheist. YOU, are God. Believe in yourself! The atheists are just a group that got tired of dealing with mainstream religions. We are Gods unto ourselves. The heck with anyone else...BE YOU! BE GOD! Christ even said in the NEW Testament..."Even greater things shall you do"! It's a universal law we cannot break away from...we are what we are! Deal with it! You can be whatever you want to be....I choose Love!

Answer 7

It really all depends on your definition of "good".

Compared to a child molestor or mass murderer, you probably look like an angel.

However, compared with God and His Holiness, you probably look like a devil.

You need to ask yourself a few questions and see if you truly ARE good, even by your own standards:

1. Have you ever lied, even a little "white" lie? if you have, then you are a liar.
2. Have you ever taken something that didn't rightfully belong to you? It doesn't matter how big or small it is. If so, then you are a thief.
3. Have you ever looked at another person with sexual desires? Jesus said that if you even LOOK at another person with an attitude lust, you are already guilty of adultery in your heart.
4. Have you ever been so angry at someone that, even for a moment, you hated him or her, and maybe even wished them dead? Again, Jesus said that you are already guilty of murder.

Based on only these four items, if you answered honestly, you are a lying, thieving, adulterous murderer.

If God were to judge you on only these 4 of the 10 commandments, how would you stand up? Would you be able to say you are innocent?

How good is good enough for a holy God? 100%, and nothing less.

Like everyone else, you have broken God's Laws, and there WILL be a judgement.

But that's not God's desire for you. That's why God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross - to pay the penalty for YOUR sins (crimes against God).

The blood that Jesus shed on the cross not only cleanses you of your sins, but puts you in a position in which (if you ask for it), God can actually forgive you - if you QUIT your sins (repent). When that happens, you are actually reconciled with God and He adopts you into His forever family.

You tell me - are YOU good enough for a holy God? If not, why not do something about it even now? God said that if you admit your guilt and repent of your sins, He is faithful and just (justified) to forgive you for all your sins, and to cleanse you from all your unrighteousness.

Otherwise, the alternative is to face Him on judgement day.

I pray you make the wise choice.

Answer 8

I truely believe that we are nothing without God and love for one another. For a long time I didn't know really what to believe but now I know that HE is the only way. Since I started believing (which was the beginning of this year) I have had so many blessings poured down on me. The biggest one was my son was Kidnapped from me for 3 years, and God finally brought him home to me. Every positive thing I do God is there with a big reward for me. Go to ksbj.org

Answer 9

Sure you can be "good" without God, but you will have to somehow determine what is "good."

Can you be happy without God? Some seem to be.

Have you sought out God? just laid it out all on the table and had this discussion with him? God promises that if you seek him, he will be found. That seems an invitation worth exploring.

The Bible teaches that we were created to have fellowship with God and that, outside of that relationship, we will always be empty and hollow on the inside--a spiritual part of ourselves is broken. I believe it because I have experienced the fulfillment and peace that comes from standing on the other side--in right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

It seems that it would be worth it for you to do some exploring to discover if I might just know what I'm talking about and you might just be missing out on the very thing you were designed for.

Blessings.

Answer 10

How many atheists have you met? Did you meet enough for them to be an accurately representative sample?

I say do what makes you happy. For me, that entails being honest with myself and never sugarcoating life's problems. Once that is done, I am free to engage in that life, be with my husband and my kids, fight for causes about which I am passionate, and enjoy being on this beautiful planet on which I was lucky enough to be born, for however long it may last. And during all of that, I manage to be law-abiding. It is indeed possible to be "good without [a] god."