Why procreate?
Why do atheists procreate (keep in mind I am one)? I know that atheists are okay with their kids being worm food, and they want to experience the joy of parenthood and they want their kids to enjoy life with them, but still, why bother? The human race is going nowhere, so why bother continuing this hopeless tragic fucking species?
Our species is as good as dead, the only question is when the doomsday event will occur. And hey, if you have kids, they might be the lucky generation to experience said doomsday event! Yayyy!!!!!
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Seems to me that your extreme nihilism has forged a neural pathway to the pleasure centers of your brain. You get some sort of weird pleasure out of thinking about the uselessness of existence.
Or you are genuinely depressed and need help.
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I said it in the other thread he made, but I think this guy is a theist in disguise trying to stir up shit.
"A proof is a proof. What kind of a proof? It's a proof. A proof is a proof. And when you have a good proof, it's because it's proven." -- former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien
I thought the same thing. The obvious point of his postings were to show how miserable one would be without God... which is absolutely absurd.
*sigh*
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Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
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That's the worst part about being an unhappy atheist- as I noted in the OP, other atheists constantly accuse you of being a theist trying to make atheism look bad. I could try explaining why I'm an atheist, but you would still accuse me of being a theist, so why bother?
It's not 'absurd' to be unhappy w/o a god/afterlife- I'm no different than Arthur Schopenhauer, Zapffe, Nietzsche, Camus, Kirkegaard- all men who for the most part were discontent with the truth of atheism until the day they died. Would you accuse them of secretly being theists? These days, it's passe to be an existentialist atheist, and if you are then you will be rejected by all atheists. Fucking bullshit.
If you are truely a completely fatalistic atheist then I have one word for you.
Meh.
There are some dynamics you need to consider. It is not unheard of around here for militant theists to play the "I'm an atheist" card in an OP. So when red flags start popping up, there will be a reaction. The tone of your posts comes across as either someone utterly fatalistic, from someone that is seriously depressed, or someone that is playing a head game. As this is an internet forum, there is no obvious way to determine which is which. So you are getting a little heat until it is clear what your true intentions are.
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FWIW, I think you're an atheist, but as you say, it doesn't particularly matter.
You're right, atheism is putting on a happy face of late, and I rather think it's a good idea. Too much emphasis is placed on historically unhappy atheists, and very little mention made of the millions who have led perfectly fulfilling and happy lives.
xkcd, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, because in the end, you can live your life any way you choose, but the simple fact is that negativity begets negativity. It's unlikely that you'll have too many happy people around you so long as you spew piss and vinegar at anyone who dares to intrude on your little patch of despair by trying to throw a little sunlight in.
I've shown you a website where you could work with others to do something productive towards stopping people from reproducing so much, so that less people will suffer. Others have given you many things that you could try so that you might be happy. You've pissed on the idea of a therapist because you've tried it, and it didn't work -- therefore all therapists suck and nobody can help you. Brilliant logic, kiddo. How'd you get to be an atheist if you can't see the illogic in that, huh?
We're pretty sympathetic people here. Lots of us have been through leaving theism, and we know how much it can suck. But, most of us also want happiness. We've tried to help, but you don't seem like you want help. You want to be unhappy.
We appreciate constructive input to any topic, but this is not a good place to vent for the sake of being bitter and bitching. I recommend livejournal if you'd like a place to rant and be bitter.
As far as this topic goes, I think we've pretty well established that some atheists, maybe most, are pretty happy people, and that some, perhaps a lot, are bitter, angry, and unhappy to the point that they don't enjoy life, and don't want to be happy. Unless there's something to be added to this conclusion, I'd like to see this topic die out, because it's not really going anywhere at this point.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
You sound like you've been reading Camus, and that it struck a rather deep chord in you. If I'm wrong, go read The Myth of Sisyphus.
I disagree with your judgement about being considered passe. Atheistic existentialism is probably what most of the atheists here agree with: there is no (proof of) god, and we make the meaning in our own lives. That means if you don't like what you think your life will amount to, you can change it because the meaning is entirely up to you.
Besides, who cares about being considered passe? If it works, use it.
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maybe if this sig is witty, someone will love me.
Oh stop whining. You don't have a clue what depression is about. My brother was hospitalised with it back in the early 90's and the last thing he wanted to do was publicly attention whore. In addition, as I'm chronically ill, I was treated for depression for most of last year.
So don't whine on about how empty your life is when you don't have a clue what you're on about, you spoilt little twat. The only way out of depression is medication to make life bearable whilst you get your head sorted out.
In other words do something positive, recognise you have a problem or shut the fuck up.
Freedom of religious belief is an inalienable right. Stuffing that belief down other people's throats is not.
This is not very related to this thread, but I just wanted to ask: does anyone agree that it makes sense to not have kids if you don't want to cause anyone suffering?
Your kid might suffer in life, so it makes sense to not have a kid if you are someone who sees that possiblity and says 'not worth the risk.' Can I get agreement on that? I'm sure I will. I mean I understand why atheists have kids- they value the positive potential of their kids life over the possible bad- but I'm not one of them, I fixate on the bad.
Besides that, this thread is dead, let it die.
Feedback, please.
Get. Some. Help. You need Prozac or something.
Aw, shucks, honey, life is short, no matter how you think or what you believe. Just try to enjoy it while you're here, okay?
Your statement reminds me of a conversation I had earlier today with my daughter's 17-year-old boyfriend, who thinks that not bothering with medical research will help humanity, because this will lead to a lower population, in his ignorant opinion . . . ". . . not so," say the population experts and studies on disease control, etc., but nevermind, the doomsdayers have it all together . . . after all, they are dark and "goth," in fashion and form - how could that go wrong?
ha ha . . .
. . . sometimes individuals turn their entire lives around, be it through some crazy-ass religion or psychotherapy, or LOVE . . . you never know, do you?
If one individual can turn his or her entire life around because of some so-called 'dumb' emotional state, then why not the whole human race?
survival of the lucky, intelligent few, clinging to their love of humanity, despite a distaste for religion . . . conceive it and believe it.
Imagine the far-reaches of space, populated by loving, humane, caring atheists, who learned a few lessons about belief systems and self-fulfilling prophecy . . . going where no species has gone before . . . laugh all you want . . . you just don't know . . . find a Prozac . . . quick.
Amen, yay, Chewbacca.
. . . all sane and well-adjusted people, (and people who register pain), want to avoid suffering. Your kids already will be born with insticts to avoid it, as far as this ignorant drunk-ass-bithch knows; and, as a decent parent, it will be your job to try to teach them to avoid the mistakes - (perhaps those you or your siblings have made) - that are not "inbred," and/or that cause unnecessary suffering (gosh, that started to look like a website, for a minute).
By the way, does anyone ever speak of "necessary suffering?" I guess there's DEATH, but why would anyone think it's a punishment? Only torture is a punishment, and often unnecessary, so (... wtf am i rambling about in an edit anyway? cuz I'm a drnk suffering from a personality disorder, wo who cares, huh?)
Unfortunately, there are, as far as I know, emotional outcomes to experiencing all sorts of miscellaneous suffering, and many degrees of "suffering," and many interpretations of what it means "to suffer." Oh! The slings and arrows!
As a depressive supporter of Amnesty International, sometimes I prefer not to dwell upon it. There is enormous suffering in the world, but I find it illogical and against my own self-interest to give up on humanity.
So what degree of suffering disturbs you most and least?
Maybe you should sort that out before you try to decide the fate of the entire world - and certainly before you, yourself have kids.
After all, statistically speaking, we may be the only sentient beings to have evolved intelligence at our levels, in trillions upon trillions of years, in the multi-verse, and who might potentially live, within light years, of one another. Why would you want to interupt such an incalculable "miracle," whether you're atheist or not?
And why would you want to prevent the learning experience that might eventually be shared? Because you're a brainwashed, depressive moron, or what?
Maybe there is a solution to suffering, and maybe there is not. What makes you the be-all-and-end-all?
If you're suffering, an awful, awful lot, then don't make any more kids. You might have a predisposition for depression, which can be paralyzing, and which can eliminate the natural human tendency towards problem-solving. Until you can get past it and get the help you need, or out-grow it, maybe you should not have kids. But, when you do get healthier, well, watch out Christian Warriors! Heh, heh!
P.S. I had an abortion once and I had a kid once. I don't regret either decision. If I did either more than once, I might have trouble with it, but, you know, every body's different. Best wishes, and try not to be a fool. Seriously, best wishes. You can do it, and we're here for you, drunk or sober!
If you wanted to let this thread to die, why bump it yourself?
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