Question:
Is Atheism equivalent to Nihilism?
2013-10-01 14:31:10 UTC
It seems that Atheism is basically the pursuit of nothingness. Atheists believe that life has no inherent purpose, that we are here for no reason or meaning. They also seem to believe that morals are contrived and their is no absolute morality. How could thinking like this not be a negative thing that would cause depression and fatalistic thinking? The Atheist tries to fill this void of meaning with many things to try to create happiness, but ultimately fails without a higher purpose or meaning. Do you think Atheism at the very least shares some similarities with Nihilism?
Fourteen answers:
2013-10-01 14:33:32 UTC
Equivalent, no.

Are some atheists afflicted with that as well? Sure.



We're all individuals, which is why generalizations just fail.
green meklar
2013-10-02 23:59:58 UTC
>Is Atheism equivalent to Nihilism?



No.



Atheism is the belief that there are no deities. Nihilism is the belief that there is no genuine meaning or value.



>It seems that Atheism is basically the pursuit of nothingness.



It is not the 'pursuit of' anything. It's simply the belief that there are no deities in the real world.



>Atheists believe that life has no inherent purpose, that we are here for no reason or meaning. They also seem to believe that morals are contrived and their is no absolute morality.



There is no necessity for this. Atheists merely believe that there are no deities. Nothing else is necessitated by atheism.



>The Atheist tries to fill this void of meaning with many things to try to create happiness, but ultimately fails without a higher purpose or meaning.



That seems to be incorrect, considering that countries with high proportions of atheists tend to be among the happiest countries in the world.



>Do you think Atheism at the very least shares some similarities with Nihilism?



Only the very superficial similarity that they both involve rejecting the existence of something.



Of course, both also share the same similarity with aleprechaunism (the belief that there are no leprechauns), asasquatchism (the belief that there are no sasquatches) and ateapotism (the belief that there is no magic purple teapot orbiting Betelgeuse).
2013-10-01 14:37:49 UTC
While you can be an Atheist and a Nihilist at the same time, Atheism doesn't necessarily lead to nihilism. Just because you can't fathom what it would be like to NOT believe in god - doesn't mean that people who don't believe in god are nihilists... you can be a Buddhist and an atheist. You can believe in taking care of your family... you can be a secular humanist and try to improve conditions for humanity. There are plenty of different kinds of atheists.



Personally - I will admit that I am a Nihilist - I don't think there is any inherent/profound meaning to life... you basically make your own meaning. I also don't have much in the way of family/friends - so - that certainly contributes to my nihilistic viewpoint. But again - you don't have to be a Nihilist if you are an atheist.



Plus, there isn't anything inherently wrong with Nihilism - I just call it intellectual honesty... While I admit I have my own inner feelings about things, I also have the courage to admit that on a cosmic scale, those feelings don't really mean jack.
2013-10-01 14:55:09 UTC
"It seems that Atheism is basically the pursuit of nothingness"

Kid, theism/atheism are positions on the belief in god/s...

Nothing more/nothing less.



The rest of your nonsense is ignorant and baseless speculation.



"Morals are contrived and their[THERE] is no absolute morality."

Right on - I agree - well done, you ;)





“Every family, gang, tribe, nation, has rules of behaviour; all groups develop rules.

It starts in the home; you wouldn't spit on your mother's bed would you?

Were you told specifically not to or did you just work it out?

Surely it's not mentioned in bibel, huh?”



"Morals can't come from religion.

If you're religious you have no basis for claiming anything is moral, all you have is that some celestial father figure will punish you if you don't do what he says.”



Nearly EVERY single advancement towards morality (I.E: ceasing native genocide, freeing the slaves and women’s suffrage) was OPPOSED by the church and Christian organizations.



“Morality is doing what is right, no matter what you are told.

Religion is doing what you are told, no matter what is right.”



There is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so… Bill Shakespeare.



Good-bad/right-wrong are in the eyes of the beholder.



I think Circumcision is barbaric - others don't.

I think Death Penalty is barbaric - others don't.

I think Child Marriage is barbaric - others don't.

I think Genital Mutilation is barbaric - others don't.

I think ALL Consenting Adults should have Equal Rights - others don't.



See?



EDIT



@@@ OP "Here is one study that stated that Christians (on twitter) were more likely to be happy than atheists. This can be considered some evidence that Atheism leads to unhappiness and a void of meaning."

LoLz



The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. GBShaw.

~
marsel_duchamp
2013-10-01 14:38:40 UTC
No.



Atheism is not a pursuit of anything. It is one realization - no gods exist.

No inherent purpose is correct but leaves out the fact that we give our lives purpose - even believers do it but claim it comes from some omnipotent ruler of the universe with a plan just for them. What conceit.

There is no absolute morality. Please give one act that was universally looked down on in all circumstances in all times. Morality arise from the society as rules for that society. Religion is an enforcement mechanism that then says the rules are god-given. It has happend with slavery, mixed race marriages, marital rape, and on and on.



Then you go on to a series of conclusions not borne out by facts and your subjective view without any evidence.
?
2013-10-01 14:35:12 UTC
No. Atheism is simply lack of belief in any deities. And of course there is no absolute morality or it would still be okay to force women to marry their rapists. Do you agree with that?



Morality today is determined by what causes the least harm and the most benefit to humanity, from one human to another.

I would like to not have my stuff stolen, and I would like to not be killed, so I find a bunch of other people who think this way and enforce these as laws and punish those who break these laws.



We have no higher purpose or meaning, that is just wishful thinking. You may think we have a void to fill, but you have a god shaped hole in your heart with nothing to fill it with.



That to me is a failure to fill the void.
Adrian
2013-10-01 14:42:27 UTC
It isn't really thinking negatively. Do you think other animals are just wallowing around depressed because they don't believe in a god? It's just living life as it occurs, without making up stories about things we can't see or experience. It's your choice how you want to live your life, but most people want to live a life that they love. I as an atheist am doing just that. Life is wonderful, and I'm happy to exist. But I'm not going to lie to myself and pretend there is some greater form of existence after death. Nor am I going to pretend there is a terrible magic being in the sky who loves me, yet will torture me forever if I don't follow his book which was conveniently written by a bunch of men in a time when knowledge was low and gullibility was high.
David
2013-10-01 14:40:25 UTC
I absuletly disagree with this.

I am a full blown athies I just can belive that there is a magestic man out there.

And u no what I'm one happy person I love live.

I wount say athiest don't belive we serve no reason to live.

I wake up every day to live and be happy.

With out "god"

And u know what I respect every one who belived god.

I think if religion brings people to gether makes them a better person than so be it.

Personally I'm getting real teird of people saying OMG he's an athiest?!

Like I think u sound pretty funny that u go to a church and give money to some bs

Strory that has not yet one sign of proof.

And u no what if god came to earth and demanded we Obay him.

I would said absuletly not.

We're have u been sense the begging of time I'm going home and living me life like I normally would. And if that ment I would be burnd in the "pits of hell" so be it.





So I hope that some what answerd your question.
Michael
2013-10-01 14:34:48 UTC
Atheists believe that there is no deity. That is all that defines that position and the only thing that all atheists have in common. Most of us however aid in finding truth and understanding of reality based on reason and evidence -- you know, the things religions lack.
Toke Lover
2013-10-01 14:40:47 UTC
Not even....



this atheist sees it as we have to make our own purpose in this life......you can be as significant a contributor or as pathetic a detractor to life as you see fit - it is really your own choice.





I choose to try to better not only myself, but my community.....to leave a legacy those who come after me can actually be proud of.



Yet I need no god to do that....interesting that some do need a god to live a life with purpose.
tentofield
2013-10-01 14:34:10 UTC
No. Atheists do not believe in gods. That's it. That is all you can say about atheists and all we have in common. I really do not know why such a simple concept is so difficult to understand.
2013-10-01 14:33:20 UTC
"The Master in the sky has spoken! My only purpose is to please him, and compliment his awesomeness!"



Does that sound like a purpose to you? If so, there are some great job openings in Africa for slave labor...
God of Thunder
2013-10-01 14:33:39 UTC
No. It seems you've been fed a huge pile of lies about atheism.
five toed sloth
2013-10-01 14:37:03 UTC
You must be trolling or an idiot.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
Loading...