Believers, non-believers and the blues

[Tobin S.]

I'm currently reading The Atheist's Way: Living Well Without Gods by Eric Maisel. I'm about half way through the book and so far it's been about creating meaning in your life. We don't have any gods or an afterlife to make our lives mean something so, as atheists, we have to do it ourselves. I've heard many people say that they don't understand how an atheist can be happy in life; that there is no hope in that world view. To them, being an atheist seems very depressing. Maisel has a chapter devoted to this in his book and I ran across the following paragraph in it:

"It can sadden us to recognize that what we do does not matter a fig to the universe, that no loving spirit is watching over us or waiting for us, and that every human action is exactly as justified or unjustified as the next, as far as the universe is concerned. Atheists see this, and seeing it, get blue. But believers often see these same things and get blue twice over. They get blue, first of all, because of what they see; they get even bluer because what they see makes them doubt their belief system and wonder if they're deceiving themselves. Given this double whammy, might not a believer be more prone to depression than the atheist?"

I do not get depressed now days about what is discussed in the previous paragraph. I rarely get the blues at all, and when I do it's usually over something like a family member or a friend becoming ill or a possible girlfriend who did not work out. I am at peace with being godless.

[trotsky]

1. "Atheists see this, and seeing it, get blue."

I don't. In fact, I'm not sure many atheists do. I've found it instead to be an exhilarating realization. We are but specks of dust in the scheme of things, the only meaning in our life comes from those fellow specks of dust that we are close to. And even though we specks may only last less than an eyeblink, to us it's a long time and we should enjoy it as much as possible.

[Tobin S.]

2. I don't have that problem either, but

I think what he says about religious people in that paragraph may be true in a lot of cases.

Possibly someone who has been religious may feel blue initially while contemplating atheism, but I think it will turn into, as you say, and exhilarating experience; especially when the realization comes that atheism is the path to personal freedom.

[trotsky]

3. Yeah, that sounds better.

I know it was one thing keeping me from discarding belief for quite awhile. I guess I only disagree with the part about the thought making me blue still. :)

[PassingFair]

4. Your post reminds me of this:

I have it pinned to my bulletin board, and
it makes me smile every time I see it...

[elleng]

5. Hey, Tobin!

'Being godless' sure doesn't describe me, and surely shouldn't describe you or others; it has such a pejorative sound. We like others live day to day, and are inspired by varied things; 'god' happens not to be one of those things. My depression was caused by physiological things as well as by ill-treatment by person I married. Nothing to do with 'beliefs.'

Be well.

[Tobin S.]

6. We are all godless, ellen. Most people just don't know it.

[rrneck]

7. All humans

naturally give meaning to their lives. Those who are unable to do so frequently commit suicide.

Religion is usually just pre packaged meaning. Like a Twinkie, it doesn't decompose naturally and it's fun to eat but it's just empty calories and it rots your teeth.

[pink-o]

8. You wouldn't believe how many people did not know how to approach me when my mother died.

They could not possibly figure out how I could get through my grief without faith in a "higher power". I tried to explain that I take comfort in knowing that humans are beholden to millions of years of evolution and natural law. We grew Big Brains (although not big enough for most people to wrap their minds around the fact that we're not special!) and we have the capacity to enjoy and celebrate life--something we should do every possible minute. My mom had a great life, she accepted it was her time. I'm not "blue"--I miss her every day, but she was an atheist as well and she told me the best gift I could give her was to go on with my own life.

That's all I needed from her. I don't need to imagine her sitting on the right hand of some fairy-tale supernatural being to give me solace.