Life without God, Meaningless?

[Davian]

I have been successful in my estimation on the matter.
...

Dunning–Kruger effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[CrashTestPoster]

"What do you guys think? What is the best way to answer this question?"

The truth. Would *YOU* find your life meaningless? This is not as hard a question as it sounds..it's actually remarkably easy, regardless of the answer you give him, because ultimately, it's not about whether you consider life meaningless, but whether life actually *is* meaningless.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Currently doing a YouTube debate with an Atheist, his question to me is: If you were persuaded that God does not exist, would you then consider your life to be meaningless?

What do you guys think? What is the best way to answer this question?

No, it isn't. I suppose though you could argue that the meaning would be relative without a god.

IMO I find it a much more beautiful and legitimate meaning if I have to find it for myself than if it is merely spoon-fed to me.

 

[Ana the Ist]

I would simply ask him: "What evidence do you have that would persuade me that He does not exist?"

If he is unable to answer this simple question, then just tell him until he can, then discussing what your take on life's meaning "would" be is immaterial.

The question is hypothetical and really is not one of the more challenging questions he could have asked you.

I don't think dodging the question and committing a logical fallacy will win the OP any debate points. He's going to be better off just answering the question.

 

[Ana the Ist]

No you all have not seen my best reasons, and therefore, no you all have not discussed them.

Nor have we up to this point engaged in debate, but amicable discussion.

I would like to invite you specifically, to engage in a formal debate on the question: "Does God Exist?" and I would like for you to represent whatever position you adhere to.

If you do not desire to do so, then that is your choice.

I'd accept this.

 

[windy35]

Currently doing a YouTube debate with an Atheist, his question to me is: If you were persuaded that God does not exist, would you then consider your life to be meaningless?

What do you guys think? What is the best way to answer this question?

People believe in God if they want to or not, so if you want to believe there is hope after you die then believe in God if it helps you feel better at times life is unfair. There is no proof one way or another for God. So regardless since no one can no whether God exists one way or another, and it is anyone's best guess; life on earth would still be meaningless regardless whether or not you believe in God. Believing in God doesn't make my life on earth any more meaningful, but it gives me possible hope maybe life could be better after I die.

 

[bricklayer]

Life without God equates to life without Life.
It's not meaningless; it's non-sense.

 

[dlamberth]

Life without God equates to life without Life.
It's not meaningless; it's non-sense.

Because God is Life itself, it is impossable for any human being to live life with out God. What's missing, if anything, is our thankfulness for Life and what she has to offer us.


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[GrowingSmaller]

People may be searchibg for meaning in maya. That is illusion. So any affirmation is really a shadow of that aytainable in the spiritiual domain. The materialist *could be* in something like platos cave the penitentiary of the unbiever freely chosen butvinvignorance of its lacklustre nature. Therefore mayan positivity is only a half light a glimmer rather than true spiritual bliss. Of course one might get high but thats a fools game. There are basics we can all grasp though and invfact rigion itself is responsible for much confusion and also outer conflict. Hence the mirror of peace needs to be reflected both internally and externally as a sign of hope refecting our better nature, at least this is an ideal towards the ideal within us. hopefully decay wil be defeated an war decay. So we can brush our teeth in good conscience at last. Kr-ching!!! But really i thonk an atheist can understand a smile sometimes better than i can.hence fusion power toothbrush is pragmatic solution.

 

[AHJE]

To ask if life would be meaningless without the existence of God is sort of like children asking if domestic life is meaningless without their parents' existence.

We would not be here to begin with to even ask this question without God Who created us.

Without God, ... there would be no order, objective truth to be discovered or revealed, and certainly there would be no meaning.

There would just be random chance and happenstance.

There would be no natural moral law written in our hearts which tells us that it is wrong to lie and steal from our neighbor.

What would such a world look like? I can't conceive of such a world because I could barely entertain the blasphemous thought filled with black ingratitude that our Loving God Who is the Absolute Good does not exist.

May He bless you and keep you all.

 

[Archaeopteryx]

To ask if life would be meaningless without the existence of God is sort of like children asking if domestic life is meaningless without their parents' existence.

We would not be here to begin with to even ask this question without God Who created us.

Without God, ... there would be no order, objective truth to be discovered or revealed, and certainly there would be no meaning.

There would just be random chance and happenstance.

There would be no natural moral law written in our hearts which tells us that it is wrong to lie and steal from our neighbor.

What would such a world look like? I can't conceive of such a world because I could barely entertain the blasphemous thought filled with black ingratitude that our Loving God Who is the Absolute Good does not exist.

May He bless you and keep you all.

You might not be able to conceive of such a world, but there are people who can (and do) see good in the world without faith in any deities.

 

[GrowingSmaller]

Does that make you a moral objectivist or phenomenalist (ie goodness is really appering if not mind independent).

 

[Eudaimonist]

What would such a world look like?

Probably like this:

I can't conceive of such a world

Neither can I, but I can conceive of a natural and godless world with order, meaning, and objective truths and morality. We're living in one.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Mustang56]

When I first de-converted, I suffered with mild depression for a few days regarding this topic. I thought, without God or an afterlife, what is the point of life?

Well, the point of life is life itself, and you can make it anything you want it to be. We have mental capabilities other species do not share. If our purpose in life was to just receive pleasure/avoid pain, nature would have just given us instinct alone.

But we humans have reason. We can actually go against our nature to accomplish whatever we desire. It's important to build self discipline to become what you want to be.

My point being, although I don't believe in God, I believe our lives are too precious (no afterlife) to just disregard. We should constantly be striving to evolve ourselves and learn. Shape yourself into someone you want to be, even if it's to be conventionally moral. Do it by being autonomous.

And recognize things that can lead to suffering (somewhat in line with Buddhism), such as coveting, lust, greed... These unquenchable thirsts that can never be satisfied.

 

[WonderBeat]

Only God exists, the question of meaning is moot.