atheists-- what is your source of hope?
 

In reading the posts in this forum I cannot help but admire the quality of ideas and expressions of beliefs and non beliefs portrayed. So my question to atheists is what is your source of hope? In my adult life I have had two occasions in particular where I had to go to intensive care, on call, day in and day out, and if I would not have had a belief system I would never had made it. So when an atheist has an emergency, and sacrifices have to be made for the good of another, day in and day out, making your own future uncertain, where do you find hope, solace and joy, if you do not believe in a higher power? Thank you for taking the time to read and or answer my post.

respectfully submitted.

Re: atheists-- what is your source of hope?
 

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So when an atheist has an emergency, and sacrifices have to be made for the good of another, day in and day out, making your own future uncertain, where do you find hope, solace and joy, if you do not believe in a higher power?

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I find hope in people -- as hard as it is at times. I generally like people. They make me happy (not always, but moreso than not). I treat people how I think they want to be treated -- as I would like that in return. Mutually cooperating brings happiness. To those that I'm very close to, I would make almost any sacrifice, because they mean so much to me -- if I didn't, I would be unhappy knowing that there was something I could have done to save/help them, but didn't do it. It's not altruism, it's compassion (literally, "suffering with another"; when they hurt, I hurt; when they are happy, I am happy).

Re: atheists-- what is your source of hope?
 

[ QUOTE ]
In reading the posts in this forum I cannot help but admire the quality of ideas and expressions of beliefs and non beliefs portrayed. So my question to atheists is what is your source of hope? In my adult life I have had two occasions in particular where I had to go to intensive care, on call, day in and day out, and if I would not have had a belief system I would never had made it. So when an atheist has an emergency, and sacrifices have to be made for the good of another, day in and day out, making your own future uncertain, where do you find hope, solace and joy, if you do not believe in a higher power? Thank you for taking the time to read and or answer my post.

respectfully submitted.

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I am an atheist and I know I experience all the emotions you mention. As to "hope", I just hope! I just don't hope that some God or other will chose to help me (or others) out!

I've believe the emotions are common to humanity because we are humans. Some may believe the emotions derive from
some personal aquaintance from God, and maybe some specific ones do, but a belief in God is not where hope, happiness etc derive, IMO. We `atheists are feeling beings,too! Honest!

(Interesting post, by the way)

Re: atheists-- what is your source of hope?
 

I find hope in the amazing complexity of the universe. I find hope that energy has been arranged to provide us with such an amazing array of experiences. I find hope in life.

Re: atheists-- what is your source of hope?
 

Hope does not require a belief in god or a source other than your own desires. Hope means you simply wish for something to happen. I was near death and never needed any higher power hope. I just wished for the best. Yours is the classic reason for god - the weak need a crutch that the strong don't.

Re: atheists-- what is your source of hope?
 

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I find hope in the amazing complexity of the universe. I find hope that energy has been arranged to provide us with such an amazing array of experiences. I find hope in life.

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[thread hijack]Yet, despite recognizing the amazing complexity of the universe and existence of life along with the fact that the universe has the ability to support life, atheists refuse to acknowledge that such was created by a supreme being.[/thread hijack]

Re: atheists-- what is your source of hope?
 

Life is an amazing experience and I wish to continue living. I don't see why I'd need a better reason.

Re: atheists-- what is your source of hope?
 

That I make a positive difference through having lived.

Re: atheists-- what is your source of hope?
 

[ QUOTE ]
In my adult life I have had two occasions in particular where I had to go to intensive care, on call, day in and day out, and if I would not have had a belief system I would never had made it. So when an atheist has an emergency, and sacrifices have to be made for the good of another, day in and day out, making your own future uncertain, where do you find hope, solace and joy, if you do not believe in a higher power?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been rereading these comments, trying to put the 2 halves of the reasoning together. It seems the OP believes in a god that can intervene?? Yet, if that was the case, and I find myself in dire straits, I'd be less hopeful than somebody who just figures they had bad luck, because it sure looks like this intervener has some plans for me I'm not too crazy about.

Setting that aspect aside, since it isn't helpful in any case, "hope, solace and joy" would be emotions I would experience in relation to things occuring to people I care about ( which doesn't exclude too many people).

A young guy straightening out his life seems hopeful situation to me ( it could even be me). In a bad situation, I find solace in the caring relationships I have, in various ways. In fortuitous times, I am joyful for the good fortune of loved ones.

There seems no spot where an intervening god whose "ways we can't understand " would be any comfort at all, sounds more like confusion than comfort.

I've been in some hairy situations - a burning small boat on the ocean that had insufficient lifeboats... we loaded the women and children in the only one there and shoved them away ( I knew none of the women or children). A wilderness situation that ended in a desparate flagging down of a small float plane for a rescue. ( those are the 'unusual' ones). Never even had a twitch of "somebody up there help me" and neither did any other atheists ( it was usually a mix of both types) that were involved in any of them.

It's in tough times that the person you are comes out, and somebody who holds people as the center of importance in life still does that in whatever circumstance they end up in.

hope that's helpful :-)
but I really think I missed the point of the OP,

luckyme,
If I thought I was wrong, my mind would have changed.

Re: atheists-- what is your source of hope?
 

Reaching my goals, I have lots of personal goals that I would like to reach.