Why can Atheists see the universe as cold, pitiless, & indifferent, & be themselves warm, kind, & caring?

Question

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{You may want to refer to my earlier question for some details:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvhOPO4m9hoQBhYSCjQ.Ag7sy6IX?qid=20070729170943AA9hy6Y }

Atheists are among the least likely to commit violent crimes, yet we are repeatedly told that we have no reason for interpersonal responsibility or to care for others less fortunate.

What reasons are there to behave responsibly in a godless universe?

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Answer 1

There are bad atheists just as there are bad Christians, but being an atheist does not make one immoral or heartless. Quite the contrary:

When was the last time atheists went on a bloody "crusade" of murder, rape and thievery? Christians have done so on many occassions throughout Christian history.

When was the last time atheists held an "inquisition" and robbed, tortured, and murdered innocent people who happened to disagree with their philosophy? Christians did this throughout the middle ages.

When was the last time atheists invaded a newly discovered nation, continent, even an entire hemisphere, and engaged in bloody slaughter, exterminating the inhabitants so they could steal their gold and their land? Christians did exactly that for centuries after Columbus discovered America.

Being a Christian does not necessarily mean that one is moral or immoral, or make them so. The same is true for atheists.

Why behave responsibly in a godless universe? Perhaps it is even more important to do so in a godless universe, because one cannot blame the Almighty for their faults, the failures of mankind, or those who are evil. We must be moral for morality's sake, not because of fear of punishment or rewards for being good people or followers of the right religion.

Answer 2

Because there's nothing else in the universe to create goodness, warmth, kindness, caring, art or society.

Interpersonal responsibility and actually caring for others is the only way in which atheists can possibly create a better world.

There is no supernatural being who will magically make it all better. There is no after-life that will take away all the worries of this world.

Without each other, we have nothing.

And because there is no God, we atheists have no recourse to blaming some supernatural, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent force that works in mysterious ways. We don't believe we're being tested, or punished, or rewarded for our good thoughts. Our lack of faith in a deity means that we believe that we are all capable of making the world a better place. We may be able to help each other and make a better future.

To us, the lack of a god, and a cold, pitiless impersonal universe actually makes for a world that can be improved if we all work together.

Answer 3

I hardly look at the universe with quite the class of words you've mentioned. I'm much more inclined to say "awesome" or a word that's a close cousin and of a similar vain.

The universe is all that we can know and it is our school, workplace and cathedral as well as our home. I haven't found anyone or anything at all to suggest that there's a god of some kind included in the big picture of reality; and, for the sake of the greatest knowledge, the act of suggesting the involvement of a god at every opportunity to learn something new could only stand in the way of making progress and knowing our environment a little better.

The idea of god in our modern world is a wasted effort and a virtual anchor to escaping the ignorance of our safe harbors. It's time to retire the god-idea with proper thanks for bringing mankind along so far... but no more - the idea of god is no longer needed.

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Answer 4

i'm an Atheist. i do no longer think that human beings have some particular destiny. yet i do no longer see human beings interior the comparable way I see all different existence varieties. we are unique and clearly ''above'' different kinds of existence. despite the fact that some are way extra above it than others. I even have self belief that animals have a much extra complicated variety of emotion than some human beings think of. they could be dealt with with as plenty kindness as obtainable. i'm in simple terms asserting.

Answer 5

It is inbred into us .We were Taught by the most important and influencial beings on Earth ,OUR PARENTS.
They taught us right from wrong ,kindness ,fairness ,compassion and love .
So we don`t worry about what is beyond our realm .We care about living the best life we can to make them proud .

Answer 6

morality and religion are uncorrelated. atheists generally live for themselves and not for religion and do things that make them happy. some of these things may be "sins" to the religious types, but generally don't harm anyone else.

think of it this way.

I'm thinking about stealing something, but then I think well if someone stole something from me, that would suck. so i don't do it. logic.

i want to have sex before i'm married. i think, well if someone else has sex before they are married, i don't even know about it. so i do it. no regrets. no one hurt.

not logic--i can't have sex because the bible says so. i want to have sex but i don't and now i'm pissed off and unhappy.

Answer 7

Because of something called "morality", which seems to be utterly foreign to the kinds of people who tell you that atheists have no reason to be responsible.

Answer 8

Because we find value in every day life for the simple fact that we know there is no other.

Answer 9

I question the premise that athiests are least likely to commit violent crimes.

Athieism is a religion.

We are wired from birth to believe something and can not turn it off at will.

We are all believers, the only question is what will we believe (i.e. worship)