Politics How do I find purpose in life as an atheist?
- Thread starter Swede Immigrant
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Swede Immigrant
Well-known member
Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t religion something that speaks to you personally? I don’t think you can just choose when to start believing without a conviction.
Regardless, I’ll give Jay Dyer a watch.
1Based Frog1
Well-known member
It’s a conviction that has to come from within, something that resonates with your soul. Jesus says those who are lukewarm will be judged more harshly than a non-believer. So don't even try claiming the faith unless you're fully devoted.
Exactly. All these people who are arguing in favor of religion based on "muh culture" or "morality" are missing the point. If you're going to believe due to that then you might aswell just stay as an atheist. The words of Fr. Daniel Sysoev may be relevant here:
“There is another objection which push those who do not want to hear the truth and uphold the principle of equal respect for all faiths. They say there are traditional religions - they're good, because they are ancient. And because they have to co-exist peacefully for the sake of strengthening the state and society ... (but) Religion does not exist to strengthen morality, nor to strengthen the state, but to communicate with God.
After all, if you remember that without baptism there is no salvation, how can you limit the mission of the Church to just a nation or a social group? Why distinguish between traditional or non-traditional religions, all of whose followers in friendly rows descend into hell fire? How can you say that in the preaching of the Gospel, respect for other religious traditions is necessary, when we know that the result of these traditions will be the eternal decay of their bearers in the fiery abyss? All this is the manifestation of a truly satanic cruelty, when, due to short-term political goals, one looks through his fingers not at the murder of the body, but at the death of the soul, or the manifestation of an ordinary lack of faith, when the Gospel is perceived as a document of earlier historical epochs. Something that "forms the spiritual and moral image of the Russian nation", and not the unthinkable news of the sole salvation for the dying humanity."
You don't need a religious conviction or faith to find purpose. You can look through history and find virtuous pagans who have contributed to humanity and history. The easiest ones to point out are the Greek philosophers and those who studied medicine and science before Christ was born. You can live a Christian life without knowing Jesus, but it is far easier to rationalize the "why?" after you convert.
Those virtuous pagans from ancient times never had the opportunity to know Christ. OP knows and doesn't believe. I feel like there's a really important difference here.
Swede Immigrant
Well-known member
Did you grow up in a religious household, or was it something you found yourself?
I wouldn't say I grew up in a religious household. My parents were moderate Muslims who didn't really practice their religion much, although they'd pretend to be very devout if you asked them. I was a deist of sorts before discovering the Orthodox faith, there's a lot of details in there but I doubt anyone wants to hear about that.
There is. I am not saying salvation is guaranteed by other means than Christ. But there are people who either struggle with faith or believe in idols that have lived Christian lives without knowing Jesus. Some even come back around like Saint Augustine and become some of the most important people in history.
