Call of Cthulhu, and Atheist Concepts of coming to terms with existence?

Question

As an Atheist, I've always wondered how this might be relevant to our modern society and perhaps attempts to "turn back the clock." I'll stat with a quote from Call of Cthulhu:

"The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the light into the peace and safety of a new dark age."

Given the fact that Call of Cthulhu contains enough elements (and was acknowledged as such by Lovecraft, who was an atheist) to serve as a representation of being confronted with the psychological implications of our ultimate importance to the universe in the face of Atheism, I have recently begun to wonder if the current trends toward fundamentalism in religion worldwide is actually a reactionary movement to learning things about our universe that make us feel insignificant, powerless, and ultimately unimportant. I don't mean this as a insult or a judgment, but I'm noticing as we learn more and more about the world and universe we live in, that people (religious and even some non-religious nationalists of various nations) are becoming more and more defensive about denying things they hear/see are true, or that things we can actually observe have any merit to them because it invalidates one's accustomed moral/ethical/aesthetic/cultural truths and ideals. My guess is that Lovecraft felt (at least during his time) that atheism was something that, when realized by someone who had formerly attached divine providence/importance to their existence, would either cause them to go insane and become depressed, or choose living in willful denial and withdrawal from reality for the sake of happiness.

To use a religious example, somewhere in the bible, (Perhaps Ecclesiastes, I can't remember off-hand) there was a lament over fear that there might be no real pattern to god's moral code and behavior/attitude towards man, as having observed the various times famous figures had violated his laws by having multiple wives, etc. and were still considered holy patriarchs by the faithful, and a comment to the effect of 'the more truth and knowledge one gains, the less happiness they have.' Implying that even within religions there are things that no one should postulate in order to avoid madness/depression/denial.

What are your thoughts on this? I'm looking for answers from all faiths and the non-faithful as well. If you disagree, that's fine, just be polite to me and other posters is all I ask.

(The question didn't relly come out the way I wanted, but I'm attempting to wrap my brain around this theory of his as well, so be nice ^_^)

Answer 1

Like any mythos, it's an attempt to come to terms with our increasing existential angst and with the knowledge that no external "evil" is worse than what lurks inside us all. We are all capable of monstrosities that, to use your analogy, would be pleasing to Cthulu.





We cease to exist, and we are capable of atrocities.



These two things are very difficult for many to come to terms with...

Answer 2

"I have recently begun to wonder if the current trends toward fundamentalism in religion worldwide is actually a reactionary movement to learning things about our universe that make us feel insignificant, powerless, and ultimately unimportant."



Possibly, but since most of the "great" religions seem to make a virtue of being humble, theoretically it should make little difference.



As an atheist, I find that the sense of "belonging" in this wide and wonderful universe and simply being a part of it is all the "meaning" I need.

Answer 3

It might be easier for people to go through life thinking their lives are greatly more important than they actually are. The more we learn about the cosmos, the more infinitesimally small we become. Our society practically encourages self importance, so some turn to religion as a justification for selfishness when realizing how small and insignificant we really are.

Answer 4

you're putting the load on the incorrect get mutually right here. Atheism is the intuitive negation of Theism, as such without Theism there's no Atheism, and any reactions to or counter-arguments on the part of Atheists are inherently tied to the god Hypotheses recommend by Theism. Theism is the perception in a Deity with not in common words a personality yet an energetic pastime and interference contained in the lives of it truly is creation, it truly is needed of a theistic god to verify that it to be Theism in any respect, or you ought to be left with a variety of Deism, Pantheism or nature worship. As such, no Atheism (as by definition of the terminology) isn't poorly examining the concept of god because it really is inextricably linked to the concept as defined by Theists. you also misunderstand the time period Agnostic. Agnostic isn't the self-major fence-sitting concession to each part position characterised by commonplace utilization. Agnostic is a time period touching on to Epistemology, it isn't the mid-factor between Theism and Atheism Theism and Atheism relate to perception, they are totally break away Agnosticism and Gnosticism.