A question for the Athiests/Agnostics....

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Lifer
Jan 7, 2002
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From the recent religion poll, about 1/3 voted for Athiest or Agnostic.
link

My question is, how do you find hope in life?

Please see that I'm not trying to incite anything, but I'm really trying to understand. Seems to me that if you are an Athiest or Agnostic, then life is really just 'existing', and hope is lost. Please elaborate.

Thank you in advance for your responses.
 

NewSc2

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2002
3,325
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It's better to live life to exist and further our species rather than believing in a fairy tale god IMHO.
 

datalink7

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
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I have a quote that explains my view (I am an atheist):

"I don't think we're [here] for anything, we're just products of evolution.
You can say 'Gee, your life must be pretty bleak if you don't think
there's a purpose' but I'm anticipating a good lunch."
-Dr. James Watson, Nobel laureate Biophysicist,
co-discoverer of DNA

:)
 

kleinesarschloch

Senior member
Jan 18, 2003
529
0
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Originally posted by: yellowfiero
From the recent religion poll, about 1/3 voted for Athiest or Agnostic.
link

My question is, how do you find hope in life?

Please see that I'm not trying to incite anything, but I'm really trying to understand. Seems to me that if you are an Athiest or Agnostic, then life is really just 'existing', and hope is lost. Please elaborate.

Thank you in advance for your responses.

is life only worth living if there is an afterlife, or a god? that would be a pretty sad state of affairs. i find plenty of reasons to keep me going through the day.
 

datalink7

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
16,765
6
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Besides, what does hope have to do with God? God can give you hope, I'm sure, but God isn't the only thing that can.

Sometimes it feels very alone though... but I'm used to it. I just hold onto hope :)
 

godmare

Diamond Member
Sep 25, 2002
5,121
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I believe in a 'god' of sorts, though I voted agnostic. I've been involved with many religions over they years, and really haven't found anything to which I can relate. At this point I'm just content to wait and see ;)
 

Skyclad1uhm1

Lifer
Aug 10, 2001
11,383
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As long as there are people I care about there is still a reason to go on. Remove that reason and I end it.
 

Ausm

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
25,213
14
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I have no problem Living day to day ,dealing with everyday problems. The only problem I have is when people who have religion feel obligated to RAM it down my throat i.e Johovah Witnesses


Ausm
 

DanTMWTMP

Lifer
Oct 7, 2001
15,908
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agnostic = me....

well, more athiest...well, actually donno.....there may be something up there, but so far, i don't buy it...i've been a die hard christian b4...but now that i thought about it, i figured it can't be 100% true and of course there are many flaws in religion to be taken literally...i guess i use it just as a moral guideline to life.......it's too mind boggling for a brain that has been designed by evolution to adapt to our surroundings, not to understand our surroundings...and our perceptions are flawed from the start because our brains and eyes are easily decieved from optical illusions...so i guess the only way to tell how the real world looks like is to well....see the world outside of ur brain.....

of course that's impossible...

so anyways, how do i find hope?....finding the right girl, being successful...hanging out w/ my friends...having fun..smile, get drunk.....life in the modern age throws all kinds of challenges that we love to accept......

everyone has their own opinions and views......if u care about us that much to ask us that question, buy me lunch :)

whatever one believes in, that's his business IMHO...i can't argue it, won't argue it..and it's unfair to argue another person's view...
 

jjones

Lifer
Oct 9, 2001
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After you realize that your significance in the world has no more meaning than a common housefly's, you tend to enjoy life for exactly what it is. As spoken by Dr. James Watson and quoted above, I'm anticipating a good lunch. :)
 

Orsorum

Lifer
Dec 26, 2001
27,631
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Death is certain for anyone born,
and birth is certain for the dead;
since the cycle is inevitable,
you have no cause to grieve!
 

snooker

Platinum Member
Apr 13, 2001
2,366
0
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so you have to believe in a god of some sort to have hope in life? Ok then so be it. The big pine tree in my back yard is my god, there, now there is hope in my life ;)

I think I do fine, and I do not run to church every Sunday, nor do I sit there and listen to church goers trying to 'sell' me their religion at my door. What I do withj my life and the direction it takes is all 100% my doing. No god nor devil made me do anything.
 

Anubis

No Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
78,712
427
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tbqhwy.com
Originally posted by: ausm
I have no problem Living day to day ,dealing with everyday problems. The only problem I have is when people who have religion feel obligated to RAM it down my throat i.e Johovah Witnesses


Ausm

couldent agree more. i also live day to day. its simpler that way.

if today was good then there is hope that tomorrow will be a good day also. and logically that makes sence.

if i had to put my self near any religion it would be Zen Buddahism because they dont worship a god or even beleive ion one. they just are and do. kinda like what i do
 

Nitemare

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
35,461
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Just because I don't believe in your God makes you wonder how I can live a life?!?!?!

This type of thinking drove me from organized religions. Their holier than though mentality, the hypocrisy and their damnation of every other religion.
 

AnitaPeterson

Diamond Member
Apr 24, 2001
6,021
547
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What has "hope" to do with (a) "god"?

What a silly (and loaded) question.

Believing in (a) god does not make you happier or healthier than me. Definitely not smarter.

It always puzzles me how people who otherwise claim to be intelligent and educated also claim to believe in (a) god. I don't wonder about the "hope" in their lives, I wonder how they can cope with this contradiction.

Where do you draw the line? Creation as well as evolution? Divine spark as well as serendipity?

How - and why - live with the rift? You call that hope, I call that schizophrenia (and double-standard)

Rather than worshipping any god, I'd rather worship nature (or the Universe).

As for hope as a purpose in life, I think hoping for a better life for future generations is more than generous - and good to keep you going, beyond strictly personal (and therefore "selfish") accomplishments.


P.S. - you also might want to correct the spelling, it's "atheist", not "athiest"
 

clamum

Lifer
Feb 13, 2003
26,256
406
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there's just too many reasons not to believe in a god, especially in the christian sense. to be honest, it's hard for me to understand why people believe in christianity.

here's a couple links to threads that are worth reading on the subject. must reads especially if you're a christian. i'm not trying to change anyone's beliefs, just presenting information on the subject:

* Victims of the Christian Faith

* How the Church Assumed, Established, and Imposed its Authority

* Various Points of Debate over Christianity

it's time to wake up!
 

Insane3D

Elite Member
May 24, 2000
19,446
0
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I just try to live a good life and be a good person. I take life as it comes, and try to appreciate every day because one of these days it will, as all good things do, come to an end.

:)
 

CraigRT

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
31,440
5
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what the hell does hope in life mean?
i think just living, not believing in something else works just fine for me.. no point in believing in something like that, IMHO. :D
(I am Agnostic) - I may have SOME hope.. ;)
 

rudder

Lifer
Nov 9, 2000
19,441
86
91
Originally posted by: NewSc2
It's better to live life to exist and further our species rather than believing in a fairy tale god IMHO.

why bother spending your life to further the species? You won't be around to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
 

datalink7

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
16,765
6
81
Originally posted by: rudder
Originally posted by: NewSc2
It's better to live life to exist and further our species rather than believing in a fairy tale god IMHO.

why bother spending your life to further the species? You won't be around to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

The people I care about will :)
 

Danman

Lifer
Nov 9, 1999
13,134
0
0
Originally posted by: yellowfiero
From the recent religion poll, about 1/3 voted for Athiest or Agnostic.
link

My question is, how do you find hope in life?

Please see that I'm not trying to incite anything, but I'm really trying to understand. Seems to me that if you are an Athiest or Agnostic, then life is really just 'existing', and hope is lost. Please elaborate.

Thank you in advance for your responses.

How can you say that? I am agnostic since my parents pushed their Catholic religion on me. All I see is them wanting money, it's a bunch of bs. Maybe you should watch what you say next time buddy. I believe there is a god but I'm looking for the right religion for me and I haven't found it yet.


And about the hope part, I have hope everyday when I see what I have. I am grateful for my friends, my beautiful girlfriend and all of my things.