Why do some atheists say that "life has no meaning"

Who is the "we" that you reference?

 

Everything. What is the purpose of the "basic instinct to survive"? Think about real carefully.

 

Well, if I were an observer, I think it would be rather exciting... which would take away the 'meaningless' aspect. I do enjoy a good horror movie every once in a while.

 

The "we" is atheists. I took the liberty of speaking for other atheists since obviously they wouldn't take the bible literally.

 

This forum is full of atheists who - just like their Christian fundamentalist counterparts - take the Bible literally and then declare every Christian, who doesn't take it literally and who could not care less whether every animal could have fitted on to the ark and such, not to be a 'true Christian'.

 

The challenge was for you to show me a Christian who thinks that they are going to (physically) live forever. So, can you produce an answer to that challenge?

 

No, they couldn't be atheists if they took the bible literally because if a person did it would mean they have to believe it's the word of god and since there is no god you can't take the bible literally....,


they just like to poke fun(challenge) at those who do as in, "If you take the bible literally then why/how/what does that mean"...

 

NO, above is the series of quotes I was responding to , they have nothing to do with christians who think they'll live forever.......... and since I never claimed there's christians who think they'll live forever there's no challenge for me.

 

Well at least you are admitting the true purpose of you, and those that you take the liberty to speak for, being on this forum. Another word that could be used to describe such a purpose would be 'taunting'.

 

Then your entry comment into the discussion I was having was irrelevant and off topic to that discussion.. a matter of changing the goal posts of the discussion you jumped into.

 

I should have made myself clearer: obviously these atheists don’t believe the Bible to be true. But the reason for this is that they read it as if all its accounts were meant to be literal as in factual. To them, if it’s not factual, it can’t contain truth. Same with evangelical fundamentalists. Both groups don’t seem to have much of a sense for literature and poetry.

 

Nope, I replied to YOUR post.......don't like the answers, don't post...

 

Don't by soo nit-picky on words! I'm trying to describe complex (*)(*)(*)(*) here.

Point being, that my reality is an illusion, and in this illusionary reality of mine, my illusionary conscience exerts realy illusionary influence on me.

Where did i suggest that?

 

If you think that "life is meaningless" is an unhealthy philosophy then you better stay away from Christianity.

There is a whole book in the Bible devoted to this claim.

 

Anyone who practices orthodox Christian beliefs does not believe that they are sin free. Therefore, the eternal life that God had intended for them when He created humanity is now unavailable to them.

As for resurrection and afterlives, beliefs have evolved over the years. When the Jews originally adopted the concept of an afterlife, they believed in the physical resurrection of their mortal bodies. When Jesus was crucified, it is said that the Saints rose up from their graves and walked the streets of Jerusalem. It was the later Greek and Hellenistic influences upon Christian doctrine that introduced the concept of a spiritual, rather than physical resurrection.

 

And your response to my post was irrelevant. Now, if you don't like what I am posting then don't respond.

 

Explanations and rationalizations are not meeting the stated challenge.

 

Sounds like a personal problem.

 

Not for me. Perhaps to you and others who attempt to obscure a challenge that is well stated.

 

Your challenge was to "show me a Christian who thinks that they are going to (physically) live forever".

No modern Christian would believe such a thing, in spite of the fact that the Bible clearly states that God created man to have eternal life. Modern Christian doctrine has evolved far from what Christians in the 1st Century believed, not to mention what their Jewish forbears believed when they wrote the Hebrew Bible.

 

God also created man in His own image. The "image" of God is not physical, but rather spiritual. If God were physical, then God would die also, but in spite of the wishes of some people, God is alive and doing well. Big difference. According to Christian doctrine, it is spirit that has the attribute of being eternal. So, it is understood that the eternal life would be eternal spiritual life, NOT physical. So, can that 'understanding' be disproved by science? No! Therefore science is once again restricted to the physical (and science as well as many [possibly all] lay people) clearly understand that physical life will end for each living thing whether it be man or beast or plant or single cell life.

 

Man created God in His own image.

There... Fixed that for ya!

You might find the actual history of the evolution of these beliefs interesting, if you weren't afraid to learn about them.

 

In relevant part, you previously stated: "the Bible clearly states that God created man ". You might want to keep things in context throughout your writings. It is no wonder that some people get confused when reading the 'Bible'... they have a tendency to change things around to meet their personal agenda. Now, see what your fixing does? Fear? It seems to be you that is fearful of keeping things in context.

 

Yes. The Bible says that God created man. I, on the other hand, say that man created God.

Sorry if that confused you.

 

No confusion on my part but I do seriously believe that it is your intent to confuse any discussion related to the 'Bible' and its characters.