Comments on: The Emptiness of an Atheist’s Life http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/ Ramblings of a Middle Aged Guy Who Found Relief Through Non-Belief Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:08:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: shrubber http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/comment-page-1/#comment-399 shrubber Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:35:32 +0000 http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/#comment-399 Timotheus, Yes. Life is a gift. From your parents. Timotheus,

Yes. Life is a gift. From your parents.

]]> By: Timotheus http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/comment-page-1/#comment-394 Timotheus Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:20:15 +0000 http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/#comment-394 Angelo, "Let’s make the best of it. In dealing with the afterlife we neglect the most precious gift given to any living thing." - - - - - - - - I'm sure it's just a slip, but every atheist eventually makes this mistake. So life is a gift? From who? John Lennon? Angelo,
“Let’s make the best of it. In dealing with the afterlife we neglect the most precious gift given to any living thing.”
- – - – - – - –
I’m sure it’s just a slip, but every atheist eventually makes this mistake.
So life is a gift? From who? John Lennon?

]]> By: Chris http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/comment-page-1/#comment-391 Chris Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:22:50 +0000 http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/#comment-391 Yes, a weight has been lifted only to replace it with scorn and surprise by other people. My daughter has the toughest time, because all children are brought up to believe in god. I let my daughter choose to believe or not, and she goes though hell, even having to change schools because of close-minded CHRISTIANS. Yes, a weight has been lifted only to replace it with scorn and surprise by other people. My daughter has the toughest time, because all children are brought up to believe in god. I let my daughter choose to believe or not, and she goes though hell, even having to change schools because of close-minded CHRISTIANS.

]]> By: Angelo.:.Corbo http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/comment-page-1/#comment-382 Angelo.:.Corbo Thu, 28 May 2009 19:49:39 +0000 http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/#comment-382 Ed and everyone else: When confronted with the notion that if mistaken, he would have to answer to God about his heresy, Bertrand Russell is said to have replied : "But God... you didn't provide us with enough evidence". I can't understand the obsession of people with the afterlife. This life is what we know we have for sure. Let's make the best of it. In dealing with the afterlife we neglect the most precious gift given to any living thing. The natural world, as we are able to understand it now, should be enough of a reason to find meaning in life. Why look for meaning in the unsubstantiated? Why waste time and living energy in questions best left unanswered? I don't get it. Some day (hopefully in the not too distant future), we, high primates of this planet, will come to the realization that the natural world we live in, is all we have, and it is all we should care about. Anything and everything else is unworthy of pursuit. Before that day, it'll be a struggle.  We are in the midst of it right now, and will be for generations, I'm afraid. On a positive note, the reason we are still roaming around this planet today is because only love can sustain us all. It was not religions or gods, it was love for family, friends, and neighbors. John Lennon was right. Ed and everyone else:

When confronted with the notion that if mistaken, he would have to answer to God about his heresy, Bertrand Russell is said to have replied : “But God… you didn’t provide us with enough evidence”.

I can’t understand the obsession of people with the afterlife. This life is what we know we have for sure. Let’s make the best of it. In dealing with the afterlife we neglect the most precious gift given to any living thing.

The natural world, as we are able to understand it now, should be enough of a reason to find meaning in life. Why look for meaning in the unsubstantiated? Why waste time and living energy in questions best left unanswered? I don’t get it.

Some day (hopefully in the not too distant future), we, high primates of this planet, will come to the realization that the natural world we live in, is all we have, and it is all we should care about. Anything and everything else is unworthy of pursuit.

Before that day, it’ll be a struggle.  We are in the midst of it right now, and will be for generations, I’m afraid.

On a positive note, the reason we are still roaming around this planet today is because only love can sustain us all. It was not religions or gods, it was love for family, friends, and neighbors. John Lennon was right.

]]> By: Prophet Steven Bently http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/comment-page-1/#comment-376 Prophet Steven Bently Mon, 18 May 2009 05:26:35 +0000 http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/#comment-376 Yes my life was completely empty until I found Allah and his prophet son Mohammad, (pbuh). Until I found them, I was a total nothing, I did not even deserve to live, I was a destitute worthless infidel in the eyes of Allah and his prophet son Mohammad, (pbuh). No one can be worthy unto his highness Allah and his prophet son Mohammad (pbuh). So now, I've found God and his only begottten son, Jesus the living Christ saviour of the whole world. To whom, I would be nothing without them, except now, I deserve to be killed for being an savage infidel in the eyes of Allah and his prophet son Mohammad (pbuh) and now I deserve to be stoned to death for believing in Allah and his prophet son, Mohammad (pbuh). It's all self-righteous bullshit!!! To Ed, the moment you die you instantly become ex-christian, ex-moslim, ex-whatever. Yes my life was completely empty until I found Allah and his prophet son Mohammad, (pbuh). Until I found them, I was a total nothing, I did not even deserve to live, I was a destitute worthless infidel in the eyes of Allah and his prophet son Mohammad, (pbuh). No one can be worthy unto his highness Allah and his prophet son Mohammad (pbuh).

So now, I’ve found God and his only begottten son, Jesus the living Christ saviour of the whole world. To whom, I would be nothing without them, except now, I deserve to be killed for being an savage infidel in the eyes of Allah and his prophet son Mohammad (pbuh) and now I deserve to be stoned to death for believing in Allah and his prophet son, Mohammad (pbuh).

It’s all self-righteous bullshit!!!

To Ed, the moment you die you instantly become ex-christian, ex-moslim, ex-whatever.

]]> By: Doug http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/comment-page-1/#comment-345 Doug Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:31:16 +0000 http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/#comment-345 Sure I have some issues with emptiness and a lack of meaning. I fully admit it.  However, theist belief is simply a lie. It is not terribly unlike a child believing in Santa Claus. Sure Christmas isn't quite the same without really thinking old St. Nick is on the rooftop, but at least you can make everyones Christmas a little bit merrier by taking care of getting the presents for the ones you love, instead of waiting for a farie tale figure that isn't going to arrive. Sure I have some issues with emptiness and a lack of meaning. I fully admit it.  However, theist belief is simply a lie. It is not terribly unlike a child believing in Santa Claus. Sure Christmas isn’t quite the same without really thinking old St. Nick is on the rooftop, but at least you can make everyones Christmas a little bit merrier by taking care of getting the presents for the ones you love, instead of waiting for a farie tale figure that isn’t going to arrive.

]]> By: Joy http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/comment-page-1/#comment-344 Joy Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:51:29 +0000 http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/#comment-344 I really like Ed (from his posts), and sense a wonderfully-well-meaning person.  But I'm with Infidel above--some people truly must not be able to envision having a meaningful life without an external authority spelling it out.    I see people doing things that they find meaningful all the time without invoking God. Sometimes they'll mention God because they felt they were supposed to "give him all glory," but they truly were enjoying the thing and in the zone of their true them-ness before the guilt trip hit and they had to credit God.  I don't envy them one bit.  I really like Ed (from his posts), and sense a wonderfully-well-meaning person.  But I’m with Infidel above–some people truly must not be able to envision having a meaningful life without an external authority spelling it out.  
 I see people doing things that they find meaningful all the time without invoking God. Sometimes they’ll mention God because they felt they were supposed to “give him all glory,” but they truly were enjoying the thing and in the zone of their true them-ness before the guilt trip hit and they had to credit God.  I don’t envy them one bit. 

]]> By: Melissa http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/comment-page-1/#comment-334 Melissa Mon, 20 Apr 2009 02:02:33 +0000 http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/#comment-334 I, too, tire of that line of reasoning.  A young man once told me "Your life is so empty and depressing without God.  You just don't realize it!"   Then I suppose I'm not suffering from it.  ;) I, too, tire of that line of reasoning.  A young man once told me “Your life is so empty and depressing without God.  You just don’t realize it!”   Then I suppose I’m not suffering from it.  ;)

]]> By: Infidel http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/comment-page-1/#comment-333 Infidel Sun, 19 Apr 2009 09:20:53 +0000 http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/#comment-333 I too have felt far more fulfilled as an atheist than I ever did as a Christian. I wrote a parody playing on the misconceptions of people like Ed - <a href="http://www.curefaith.com/2009/04/7-reasons-why-becoming-atheist-sucks.html" rel="nofollow">7 reasons why becoming an atheist sucks</a>.  Reading back over it I’m not sure if its paradoxical nature will come across to some… People like Ed have such a hard time grasping meaning without God, perhaps that’s why they are so religious? I too have felt far more fulfilled as an atheist than I ever did as a Christian. I wrote a parody playing on the misconceptions of people like Ed – 7 reasons why becoming an atheist sucks.  Reading back over it I’m not sure if its paradoxical nature will come across to some… People like Ed have such a hard time grasping meaning without God, perhaps that’s why they are so religious?

]]> By: Brian http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/comment-page-1/#comment-330 Brian Sat, 18 Apr 2009 18:26:50 +0000 http://40yearoldatheist.com/the-emptiness-of-an-atheists-life/2009/04/#comment-330 I feel the same way regarding the weight being lifted off my shoulders when I let go of the sillyness.   My transition was a slow one (a gradual progression away from delusion).  It didn't really sink in for me until a year ago or so that their is no god.  I am 37 now and I wish it didn't take as long as it did.  I recently bought Dawkins book (The god delusion) and I am still reading it.  On page 50 Dawkins give a belief scale and rates himself a 6.  I rate myself a 7 (those that have the book know what I mean).  Like you, am a much happier now.  I feel the same way regarding the weight being lifted off my shoulders when I let go of the sillyness.   My transition was a slow one (a gradual progression away from delusion).  It didn’t really sink in for me until a year ago or so that their is no god.  I am 37 now and I wish it didn’t take as long as it did.  I recently bought Dawkins book (The god delusion) and I am still reading it.  On page 50 Dawkins give a belief scale and rates himself a 6.  I rate myself a 7 (those that have the book know what I mean). 

Like you, am a much happier now. 

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