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How do you find meaning and happiness without having faith in a higher power?

As an atheist, I have a hard time finding meaning and happiness in my life. How do you enjoy your life when you believe nothing you do has any higher purpose?

Public Comments

1. You find it in love and friendship I say.
2. get either a puppy, kitten, or a drinking problem. Either one will make you happy for a while.
3. I share your point of view, although being a bit older than you I found some, not answers, but... 1. The meaning of life is to live. Before our birth we were nothing, and it did not bother us. After death we come back to nothingness, which makes our lives even more precious. 2. Happiness ? I would like to give a recipe, but I have none. Is it not just enjoying life, in the broader sense of the word ?
4. Anything you do can have a higher purpose, such as helping mankind. What are your passions? They certainly give one meaning and happiness...
5. I have faith in a higher power and I have faith in myself.
6. I would say atheists have it hard, due to the fact that are lives are meant for a higher purpose. We were not put on this earth just to twiddle our thumbs. I'm not knocking any ones beliefs, but if you are not happy with your beliefs, then maybe, this is a sign for change in your life.
7. Some talking points: 1. Abraham Maslow's "Theory Z" found that ~ 2-4% of self-actualizers (people who were earning a living, and being creative) were finding meaning and happiness without a faith in a higher power or principle. The other happy and meaningful self-actualizers believed in or recognized a principle or Being. In other words, if you're an agnostic, one in 25 is happy when prosperous, and about 24 in 25 believers are happy when prosperous. 2. It is illogical to claim knowledge that "there is no God," as that asserts you've Omniscience and Omnipresence. It is logical to note you find no compelling evidence, within or without, of Deity. 3. Sam Harris has noted that meditation is a good, efficacious practice, and that "atheists" ought avail themselves of its many benefits, without buying into the religious/spiritual claims. http://www.easwaran.org is probably the most accessible, in these terms, meditation site. "Meditation for Beginners," Dr. Jack Kornfield, is also good. 4. It is illogical, given all data to the contrary, to believe that something comes of absolutely nothing. Hence, there has always been Some Thing. This Thing may be delicately balanced Energy, or it may be Creative Mind Energy, but It per se is "God." In either case, it does present, particularly at the atomic level, exquisite precision, symmetry, hence, for human psyche, "beauty." Seek the aroma of the rose blossom, the beauty of the sunrise and sunset, the joy of spring rain, the humor of Bill Bryson's "In A Sunburned Country" and Brandon Sanderson's "Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians," the wisdom of http://www.lolyoga.com and the joy of a garden, a la Francis Bacon's essay on same. Appreciate the worth of intentionality, e.g. http://www.tiller.org and value lucidity http://www.lucidity.com Recognize that people become happier as they age, contrary to youth's expectations. Recognize that you've won the atomic lottery--among all atoms, you have sufficient Whiteheadian concrescence (awareness) to appreciate the rose, the sunrise and sunset, etc. This, sans God, i.e., only Energy, is the top of the heap. This is a tremendous blessing and experience.
8. i kind of smile at those who have it easy as a congratulations and smirk at those who at the negligible and weak.. just eavesdrop for a second on a group of simpletons and realize how smart you really are... it makes you feel incredible.. or it can make you feel like shit..
9. Why do we need a higher purpose to enjoy a sunset or to fall in love? If you really want a healthy "purpose" I suggest looking into zen philosophy.
10. Good question reflecting sincerity. I think there is one and only one way for happiness (I mean the lasting and stable variety rather than the transient and reactionary excitement from event based enjoyment or success)........ the one and only way is to forget oneself. There are two ways of forgetting oneself. First is to have total faith in the Supreme Being (God) so that you can accept all and every event or situation as perpetrated by the omni-benevolent God with a valid and justified reason. Second is the knowledge and conviction that we are too small and minuscule, so that we can accept all and every event or situation impacting us as immaterial and insignificant.... what faith achieves for the Believer can be achieved by the Atheist through knowledge and conviction as detailed above. However, neither path is easy since our ego wouldn't let us perfect our total conviction through faith or knowledge. Hope you find some sense in the above.
11. be self contended. for that u dont have to depend on the almighty.so you would be happy.
12. Though I might not believe in a higher power (and the boat's still out on that one), I certainly consider my life to have a higher purpose; especially now that I've got a child. My art gives me a purpose; my family gives me a purpose; the sea gives me a porpoise; sun-shiny April days with temps in the mid 60's and nothing but a chapter on Shakespeare to read for school gives me happiness.
13. The answer is in your question. How do you enjoy "your life"? Go no further than that. Its yours. Now its up to you. That's where you find your happiness and meaning. Why does anything have to have a higher purpose? What's holding you back? Just try to behave yourself and get on with it.
14. If you have a hard time finding happiness in your life, I can assure you it's not because you're an atheist. Maybe you're depressed, or need to see a shrink. I'd bet my bottom dollar that your atheism is the least of the matter. -John
15. If you have a hard time finding meaning and happiness in your life. It means you are living a wrong life. Make other people will make you happy 6(^-^)9 It will also make your life meaningful 6(^-^)9