Hi, friends. I think we probably have some atheists here and, therefore, i would like to ask them: if, for you, god doesn't exist, why live then? This question comes from some thoughts i've been having about the topic... because... if we think about life in a crude and pure way, it's basically sitting around until death comes to pick you up, so life isn't a thing "worth living", it's filled with horrible stuff we have to face such as disease, the loss of a loved one, disappointments, wars, hunger, genocide etc. So, in some sort of way, life is suffering and, if God doesn't exist, if there isn't anything after our death, if everything simply ends and that's that (and, to be honest, it is kind of hard to even talk about some sort of "nothingness" after we die), why be good? Why go through suffering? Why do anything if everything we do will go away as we die because we won't remember a thing and we are just a simple biological occurence (that's atheist thought). In short terms, why live if life is, practically, suffering and it would end if we died? (Considering that, for atheists, God and the afterlife, doesn't exist.
I'm already here so I might as well see this through. I know that one day I will die but I don't really see any reason to speed up the process. At this point I have a morbid curiosity to see just how crazy this shitshow is going to get, so I plan on sticking around as long as I can.
My aim in life is to do something that lessens the suffering of people around me . That way before I die there will be a little less suffering. ( or so I think ). And what @brokenmillennial wrote .
I don't get the question. I didn't ask to live beforehand but it happened and existence is, although sometimes harsh and cruel still a neat experience. And to experience the sh*t out of it is exactly the point when there is nothing after, isn't it.
Are you looking for answer or these are rhetorical questions? I think we're programmed to be eager to stay alive and live. We evolved like that. That can be one of the reasons. I think this is something a religious person could think of too. In fact many religious people tend to say these things you mentioned about this world. But many people don't think the world is so bad. They enjoy their lives and appreciate it. And because atheists believe it'll end someday, they'll probably appreciate it even more. OTOH, religious people believe they can live after this life. I bet life doesn't get less precious if it's temporary and rare, if not more precious? Also, religious people might tend to end their lives because they believe there will be a perfect eternal life in heaven. That's why there are suicide bombers. It's good that many religious people believe suicide is a sin.
Is this a serious question? Is your life seriously so bad that without your faith you’d want to die!?
Yeah I’ve often wondered the same thing. I mean if the best we can hope for is rationality then the rational thing to do would be to kill yourself. Think about it. You don’t have to suffer at all. Just end it now. No work no nothing. In fact not only that but it would be rational to kill everyone including yourself. You’d be compassionately ending the suffering of your fellow man. but as much as we pretend to be purely rational we’re not and this proves it. There is an innate presumption that survival is the key. And even though that is meaningless (why bother surviving if life is meaningless) we carry that presumption as though it were meaningful. Even nihilistic Buddhists seem to conclude that compassion is the essence of life. I have no idea why but they do. maybe if they didn’t they’d just kill themselves. In the end we presume it to be rational to survive even when it’s not. disclaimer: I am in no way advocating you kill yourself or anyone else. That goes for all of you.
Most “atheists” are agnostic atheists, which means they don’t believe in a god/gods because they can’t be proven through rational means. They usually believe that belief in God isn’t relevant. Contrast that with gnostic atheists, who are the loud minority and who use the same method theists use (faith) to either mock beliefs via Flying Spaghetti Monster and Eric the God-devouring Penguin, or to shout that there isn’t divinity until they’re red in the face. These are usually the people who have bad experiences with religious people or organisations, and they are typically miserable (as people who aren’t miserable, or at least sure about their beliefs tend to not attack/mock others’ beliefs).
Like all life on Earth, humans are hardwired to survive. So even if someone wants to end their life, biological instinct will always be a powerful deterrent to suicide. So of course we're not 100% rational, our own biology in some ways prevents that. I am aware of my own mortality though so I don't really try to resist my survival instinct. I know the end is coming at some point in the not-too-distant future, so I might as well continue to experience the insanity known as existence for awhile longer.
But you do see how irrational that statement is, right? It's absurd. What benefit do you have in experiencing insanity? LOL! I'm just sayin bro....
I think it is rational though. Since I'm going to die no matter what anyway, what's the point in making it happen even faster? I do believe that once I die I will remember absolutely nothing from my life, so it doesn't really matter if I die tomorrow or 50 years from now. Since I'm already here though, I feel like I might as well finish it.
I cannot believe we’re arguing over whether or not it’s rational for someone who doesn’t believe in a god to continue living… Billybrasco, do you really need it explained to you or are you just starting arguments. You’re seriously saying you can’t work out why any atheist you know didn’t kill themselves this morning? Buddhists aren’t nihilists, thats an oxymoron. Come on man, people are here to rid themselves of toxic online behaviour, quit trolling
There's no "real" reason to live, if God doesn't exist. Human reasoning changes. God doesn't. If the reason you're alive is "helping others"— but the best way to do that is to kill yourself to "reduce over-population"... now you need to find a new reason to justify your existence. Human lives are intrinsically and equally valuable, from conception until death.
In response to your question, the answer is yes. Would you like to add anything or were you just wondering?
Life is suffering? Yes It is, only suffering? No Ever heard of books? not everything we do goes away. We humans and our capacity of complex communication, we stack information on top of the previous generations, we literally stand in the shoulders of giants, on the ones that impacted the world in some way before us, they are gone, but everything they did is still around. That, and that life have much more to offer than just suffering, is reason enough. You die three times in life, first one is when you truly realize you only live as what you call yourself, once, second when your body decays and stop, and third when the last human that remembers you and your works dies for the second time.
I’m just surprised and I was giving you the opportunity to show some civility and respect. Obviously you’re not interested.
No real reason for you. Obviously millions of people get out of bed every single day for their whole life and don’t think this, and are still alive some how. The reason I’m alive is because I was born. I say alive as I enjoy it or feel I have stuff I want to do. It’s so rudimentary it’s frustrating to have to write it. You’re both too used to sitting in your echo chambers and should get out more and talk to other people who have different views to you.
Why do you need to believe in an imaginary being to cope with life? Ask yourself that question. I don't believe in God, I believe in myself and the reason I keep going on with life is because I want to experience the beauties of life while ignoring most of the problems in the world, because we all know we live in a fucked up world. You don't need a sky daddy to cope with life. Before believing in God, think if the idea of a God and an afterlife is even rational. If the whole concept doesn't make sense, then why feeding it? To keep going on in life, you need to have motivations: to live good, have a family, becoming rich, have fun while living healthy. Remember, you were born into this world, now fill your existence with a nice fulfilled life. That's the goal of living.
Uhm ok. You're the one calling me a troll and you're saying I'm uncivil and disrespectful? So far you've added zero to the conversation. Only adhominem comments.