Atheism and Purpose.

People often ask, “What does Atheism have to offer?” and the response is rather simple really. And that is that the question is stupid. The question presupposes that you or people generally are entitled to gain something from a particular worldview. You’re not. I find such an attitude to be a rather self-centred thing to assume.

This is an important point that I’d like to make regarding 'meaning' and 'purpose'. They are values, which I believe we come to ourselves. It can be a long and sometimes difficult process. But not by some packaged and ready-to-ship product like 'religion' that has already set instructions on what 'meaning' and 'purpose' are.

This is a fundamental pet peeve that I've always had about religion. It's so easy. It's a bit like answering 'yes' or 'no' to an essay question. Purpose and meaning are huge undertakings that we, as humans, search within ourselves. And then most people are perfectly happy for religion to come along by thinking it can solve these big underlining issues as if it's 'cracked the puzzle'. And furthermore, it did it centuries or thousands of years ago, even before you were born.

I genuinely think religious people are weak. It's for weak individuals who refuse to admit that they're weak. And what’s more, it KEEPS them weak. Why else would they need an imagined father figure such as the 'Almighty'? They like to compensate. What they need to do is look beyond that.

It's a bit like buying a supermarket ready-meal instead of cooking a meal from scratch, examining all the ingredients and selecting them carefully. The result is a better dish, and what is more, YOU made it yourself and being proud that you did so rather than grabbing a quick-fix ready-to-serve but tasteless meal from a supermarket shelf.

No. Atheism doesn't give us 'purpose', but it sure does open the gates for bigger challenges and a wider worldview, passed way beyond the narrow scope of scripture, which is neatly parcelled up for minds of faith and blindness.