motorhead

For those who do not believe in a personal God, and therefore, do not believe there is some ultimate meaning and purpose in human life, why should you strive to do much of anything in life? I think most would agree that overall life is not easy. So, why strive to make so much of your life? Why go through all the trouble of striving for so many things in life when in the end it doesn't matter? In 100 years, unless you did something that will somehow be remembered by people, you will be forgotten. Why not do the minimal to get by in life?

mirage

I don't know. For fun? Because it feels worthwhile? What's the point in heaven anyway? Eternal meaninglessness whilst your friends burn alive.

johntheapostate

When I was a Christian my life here on earth meant less than it does now that I am an atheist.

It was just something that had to be endured with the correct belief and actions so that when you died you where on the right side of god.

Hiero5ant

Watch the nonsequitur there.

As a contingent matter I happen to meet both criteria, so you're in luck.

Because it's the only one I've got?

Because I've got a sense of humor?

Because I have a deep, passionate curiosity to learn as much as I can about the universe?

Because I love my friends, and want to see the best world possible for them?

For the hell of it?

Consider an economic analysis. For any resource, its value is determined by the intersection of supply and demand curves. If life is an infinite resource, then the discounted value of any finite amount of it is exactly zero. Under whose model does life have greater worth?

Consider also that under standard Judeo-Christian-Islamic theology, this world is "corrupt", "sinful", and "full of suffering", whereas the next life is full of bliss, winged harpers, harems of virgins, and 24 hour chinese takeout. Strangely enough, almost no Abrahamic montheist I've met is in any hurry to get out of this hellhole and into the Land of Eternal Coolness -- almost as if they didn't really believe in the stated "ultimate purpose of existence".

sourdough

without belief in god/afterlife your life becomes totaly meaningfull,
why? b/c thats ALL you got!!
b/c you have to eat to live,and you need money to live comfortably.
it may not matter in the end,but now it does!

PatrickHays

For those who are left behind after my death . . . As for being remembered, for those that remember me half will hate me and half will love me for whatever reason they may decide, and most will not even know who the hell I was during or even after my life in 100 years, famous of not. It is worth it for me to just try and do the best I can and perhaps help or touch one other person in this life, that is meaning enough for me . . . I don't need a belief in a god to have love, compassion and concern for my fellow man . . . O hell, I am rambling, sorry guys . . . did I say,

For those who are left behind after my death.

Stacey Melissa

Because between now and the end, it does matter.

Tuvar Ane Ingolenen

If purpose in life can only be derived from higher beings, then there can be no purpose in life, unless the higher being itself derives its purpose from an even higer being. Since there is no higher being than God, he can have no purpose, and thus has none to bestow on us.

Luckily, purpose in life can be got from other places than 'personal gods'.

Gunnaheave

I'm often fascinated by the drama that people seem to see in negating unnecssary superlatives. How often have I read "...but that's not TRUE love," or "you can't know that that's the ABSOLUTE truth," or here that there is no "ULTIMATE meaning" without an afterlife. It's such an artificial problem, and yet so many people seem to think substantive values stand or fall on the matter.

Okay, so I'll take love, truth, and meaning in their perfectly mundane forms. Those holding out for the elusive superlatives of these things can stress over the matter if they like. But the absence of exagerrated values simply constitutes no objection to the existence of normal ones.

When a baby smiles, do you wory about how long it will last, or do you smile back at him?

Papa Smurf

"For those who do not believe in a personal God, and therefore, do not believe there is some ultimate meaning and purpose in human life, why should you strive to do much of anything in life? I think most would agree that overall life is not easy. So, why strive to make so much of your life? Why go through all the trouble of striving for so many things in life when in the end it doesn't matter? In 100 years, unless you did something that will somehow be remembered by people, you will be forgotten. Why not do the minimal to get by in life?"

i Agee with the part about doing as little as possible. Life can be a lot more fun that way.

For example: Me and a girlfriend Found and ate some Mushrooms by a river
at a spring one day, chilled there all day i had the time of my life.

After all even if i was "working" isnt the point of a job to do the least amount of work for the most amount of money???

I could have spent that day at some minimum wage job doing some menial task just so i could have a couple of bucks.

Thank God the mushrooms and the girl and the river were free...

go pick some mushrooms, and look out for ashreal. -Papa Smurf :thumbs: