Baby Athiest - Now What?

[WARPED]

For my part, I strongly gravitate to a sort of Epicurean hedonism and secular humanistic ethics, with the ultimate goal of Eudaimonia, cultivating a combination of peace, prosperity, and internal growth.  Simply put, I envision a world where people are not subject to violence, have at least their basic needs met, and are free to pursue things that make them happy and to try to become their best selves.  (And yes, I know that's called Star Trek)

Thank you for the Epicurean link. I learned something new today ^_^ And what a world that would be! I'm surrounded by gunfire on a weekly basis and cars getting broken into and yelling matches out in the street where I live so having that ideal is difficult to hang on to. Alot of times I just want to scream for all this violence to stop and just be, at the very least, cordial, but that's their lifestyles. For most, violence and crime is all they know. So instead of focusing on others, I am currently focused on moving to a gentler area. So I have that to look forward too. Yay for goals! 

I enjoyed your Hitchhikers Guide reference btw. Made me chuckle.

Live long and prosper ^_^

[WARPED]

Here's my favorite quote:
"We look back through countless millions of years and see the great will to live struggling out of the intertidal slime, struggling from shape to shape and from power to power, crawling and then walking confidently upon the land, struggling generation after generation to master the air, creeping down into the darkness of the deep; we see it turn upon itself in rage and hunger and reshape itself anew, we watch it draw nearer and more akin to us, expanding, elaborating itself, pursuing its relentless inconceivable purpose, until at last it reaches us and its being beats through our brains and arteries... It is possible to believe that all the past is but the beginning of a beginning, and that all that is and has been is but the twilight of the dawn. It is possible to believe that all that the human mind has accomplished is but the dream before the awakening; out of our lineage, minds will spring that will reach back to us in our littleness to know us better than we know ourselves. A day will come, one day in the unending succession of days, when beings who are now latent in our thoughts and hidden in our loins shall stand upon this Earth as one stands upon a footstool, and shall laugh and reach out their hands amidst the stars."

H. G. Wells

Wow...I have a pea brain so I had to read through that a few times. What I got out of it is we are just a tiny drop in a cosmic bucket and instead of worrying about the meaning of my life, I should just sit back and enjoy the ride as much as I can. Still be myself and kind to people. But not to take life so serious...it keeps moving...and once we're gone...it doesn't really matter then anyways.

[the_antithesis]

Wow. Not everyone can pee brains.

[WARPED]

Wow. Not everyone can pee brains.

I don't know anyone who can pee brains :P Quite a feat

[Hydra009]

Did someone say P-branes?

[WARPED]

Thank you for that, Hydra. P-brane in the membrane. Makes you wonder if the universe has it's own brain with a motive and/or goal or if it's just all random...blast you universe for not writing a bible for us little humans.

[Unbeliever]

Many people use religion as a way to hide their hideous atrocities, and to manipulate others to play along with torture and murder. I've read books about people who convinced others that they were prophets of God, and acted like the Manson Family.

[Unbeliever]

Wow...I have a pea brain so I had to read through that a few times. What I got out of it is we are just a tiny drop in a cosmic bucket and instead of worrying about the meaning of my life, I should just sit back and enjoy the ride as much as I can. Still be myself and kind to people. But not to take life so serious...it keeps moving...and once we're gone...it doesn't really matter then anyways.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I had in mind. And don't feel bad about having to read it several times, I still have to read it often to try to comprehend the immense scale of time and space, and my tiny role in it. But then, I read a lot of stuff over and over, 'cause my memory ain't what it used to be. I've read Louis L'Amour's wonderful book The Walking Drum 15 times! I hope I can stay around long enough to read it 15 more times. 📚

Another great book was The First 15 Lives of Harry August. I've read that one 6 or 8 times, I lost track.

I too was an avid Christian in my teen years. I sang in the choir, got baptized and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.
I was even going to be a preacher until I preached a sermon (on a Wednesday night!) and found out I was no good at it.
And then I read the Bible. I read it 3 times, cover to cover. And that put the kibosh on any faith or belief I had in "God's Holy Word."

So I looked for a religion that I could believe in as rock-solidly True. Couldn't find it. Not that I joined other religions, but I read up on them as much as I could. Wasn't easy in the deep South where I was brought up to find much out about religions other than the God-given one, Southern Baptist. ✝️🛐🤣

But it was pure random chance that I was born and raised by Christians. I could have been born in any other religious community and I'd've been just as
gung-ho. So I'm really glad I wasn't born to people who were fanatics about religion. I was the one who became a fanatic. Too bad I wasn't raised by scientists, or at Morticia and Gomez Addams! 🤠

[Unbeliever]

Did someone say P-branes?

The book by Steinhardt and Turok (I just love that name, it sounds so Vulcan! 🖖)
called Endless Universe: Beyond the Big Bang talked about that model, called the Ekpyrotic ("born in fire", like the proverbial phoenix) Cyclic Model. It appeals to me greatly, so I have to be careful lest I over-indulge my lust for knowledge, since I know I should be most skeptical of those things which I most want to be true. There is another good cyclic model, put forth by Roger Penrose, called Conformal Cyclic Cosmology, that sounds good, but I don't have the qualifications to really understand it. But I do think some form of cyclic cosmology is called for. 🤔

[WARPED]

Another great book was The First 15 Lives of Harry August. I've read that one 6 or 8 times, I lost track.

Ooo, I looked into this one. It's very interesting. I need a new book to listen to. My mind isn't deep but I do enjoy books from time to time. My all time fave for the moment would be Circe by Madeline Miller. I enjoy Greek mythology ^_^ But I very much am curious about The 15 Lives of Harry August.

I too was an avid Christian in my teen years. I sang in the choir, got baptized and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.
I was even going to be a preacher until I preached a sermon (on a Wednesday night!) and found out I was no good at it.

I've seen plenty a teen boys preaching...it was a form of entertainment. And I was coerced into saying the lord called me to be a preachers wife. HA! I'm good. I preach enough for myself.

So I looked for a religion that I could believe in as rock-solidly True. Couldn't find it. Not that I joined other religions, but I read up on them as much as I could. Wasn't easy in the deep South where I was brought up to find much out about religions other than the God-given one, Southern Baptist. ✝️🛐🤣

But it was pure random chance that I was born and raised by Christians. I could have been born in any other religious community and I'd've been just as
gung-ho. So I'm really glad I wasn't born to people who were fanatics about religion. I was the one who became a fanatic. Too bad I wasn't raised by scientists, or at Morticia and Gomez Addams! 🤠

You got lucky with Southern Baptist. LOL. We saw them as heathens back in my young young days. Not enough rules I guess.

And I wonder what it would've been like to be born into a hippie lifestyle, a free-loving family. I probably wouldn't have ended up so uptight!!

[Blackleaf]

Dude, I've been in the exact same rut for years now. My life was centered around my religion, and leaving it behind meant losing most of my social system (which was in tatters at the time anyway due to church leadership changes, but still), as well as my life goals, and leaving me an empty shell. Filling such a gaping hole is easier said than done, especially when you're socially stunted. How is a person supposed to just reprogram themselves?

I've been depressed and increasingly jaded. People tell me to volunteer, and yeah. That would help me feel better...maybe. But I'd know my true intentions would be to help myself, which would probably diminish any good feelings I'd get from it. And I also feel like why should I volunteer to help other people? I hate people. People make me miserable. Every time I drive around any amount of distance, every time I work a shift, I'm reminded of how much they suck. I already work my ass off with no recognition. And I'm supposed to give more? For free? Fuck that.

I'd much rather find a group with similar interests, so I can work with them towards a common goal. I've been looking for a creative writing club for that reason, but I swear to god, nobody meets in person anymore. Everything is online. Even therapy was over the phone for the longest time after Covid started. It's just like, fuck me. I can't have anything go my way.