New book explores what gives atheists' lives meaning (awesome quotes)

Recently an “educational” pamphlet designed for Christian children made its way around Facebook. It warned God’s little lambs to avoid sour unhappy people called “atheists.” A private school curriculum called Accelerated Christian Education includes cartoons in which the atheist characters are rude, mean and drunk; and bad things happen to them.

Stereotypes like these get echoed sometimes even in Christian books and lectures that are targeted at adults. I once attended a successful megachurch on the Sunday before Easter. The pastor wanted his audience to be clear that the resurrection of Jesus wasn’t merely some spiritual metaphor. “If the resurrection didn’t literally happen,” he shouted, “there is no reason for us to be here! If the resurrection didn’t literally happen—there are parties to be had! There are women to be had! There are guns to shoot! There are people to shoot!”

You caught the subtext? Atheists (and even liberal Christians) have no basis for morality. Nothing—and I mean nothing!—stands between a godless person and debauchery or lechery or even violence.

Population demographics suggest otherwise, of course. Atheism is far more common among elite scientists and some of the most peaceful and equitable societies on earth are also the least religious. But believers persist in fearing that godless people are amoral, that unfettered by religion the world would descend into the anarchy and bloodbath depicted in the Left Behind movies.

In reality, when asked about their moral values or what motivates them in life, atheists use words that sound downright spiritual, very much like the words religious people use in fact, with a few noteworthy differences. To create his book, A better Life, Photographer Chris Johnson asked 100 atheists about what gives their lives joy and meaning.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Recently an “educational” pamphlet designed for Christian children made its way around Facebook. It warned God’s little lambs to avoid sour unhappy people called “atheists.” A private school curriculum called Accelerated Christian Education includes cartoons in which the atheist characters are rude, mean and drunk; and bad things happen to them.

Stereotypes like these get echoed sometimes even in Christian books and lectures that are targeted at adults. I once attended a successful megachurch on the  Sunday before Easter. The pastor wanted his audience to be clear that the resurrection of Jesus wasn’t merely some spiritual metaphor. “If the resurrection didn’t literally happen,” he shouted, “there is no reason for us to be here! If the resurrection didn’t literally happen—there are parties to be had! There are women to be had! There are guns to shoot! There are people to shoot!”

You caught the subtext?  Atheists (and even liberal Christians) have no basis for morality. Nothing—and I mean nothing!—stands between a godless person and debauchery or lechery or even violence.

Population demographics suggest otherwise, of course. Atheism is far more common among elite scientists and some of the most peaceful and equitable societies on earth are also  the least religious. But believers persist in fearing that godless people are amoral, that unfettered by religion the world would descend into the anarchy and bloodbath depicted in the  Left Behind movies.

In reality, when asked about their moral values or what motivates them in life, atheists use words that sound downright spiritual, very much like the words religious people use in fact, with a few noteworthy differences. To create his book,  A better Life, Photographer Chris Johnson asked 100 atheists about what gives their lives joy and meaning.

Some of the quotes:

“For me the meaning of life, or the meaning  in life, is helping people and loving people . . . The real joy for me is when someone comes up to me and they want to just sit down and share their struggle.”  –Teresa MacBain, former minister

“Raising curious, compassionate, strong, and loving children—teaching them to love others and helping them to see the beauty of humanity—that is the most meaningful and joyful responsibility we have.”  – Joel Legawiec, pediatric nurse

“I find my joy in justice and equality: in all creatures having opportunities for enjoyment and being treated with fairness, as we all wish and deserve to be treated. . . . While I enjoy the positive feelings of self-improvement, this fire pales compared to the feeling of joy that comes from having contributed something to the greater good.”  – Lynnea Glasser, game developer

“You’re like this little blip of light that lasts for a very brief time and you can shine as brightly as you choose.”  – Sean Faircloth, author, lawyer, lobbyist

http://www.salon.com/2014/02/11/20_amazing_quotes_from_atheists_that_prove_religion_isnt_necessary_for_a_meaningful_life_partner/

Eilzel wrote:What higher power do you imagine eds?

Eilzel wrote:Ok well fair enough we are all entitled to our beliefs

Seriously though if you think the moon and planets effect things then do you imagine that IF we could travel to another planet (a livable one) then our moods would change completely being surrounded by different planets and moons?

I naturally don't agree; since all things in the Universe ARE made of energy which came from the Big Bang I do believe the idea all things are one ultimately but that is more scientific than a personal thought

Eilzel wrote:Stupid...

Ben_Reilly wrote:It was this group:

http://objectiveministries.org/kidz/

feelthelove wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:It was this group:

http://objectiveministries.org/kidz/

Seriously? This is designed for kids???

Ben_Reilly wrote:

feelthelove wrote:

Seriously? This is designed for kids???

It's just brainwashing of the worst kind, but some will justify it by saying that they're not the only ones who do it.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

feelthelove wrote:

Seriously? This is designed for kids???

It's just brainwashing of the worst kind, but some will justify it by saying that they're not the only ones who do it.

heavenly father wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

feelthelove wrote:

Seriously? This is designed for kids???

It's just brainwashing of the worst kind, but some will justify it by saying that they're not the only ones who do it.

and the constant barrage of gay is ok at school on the tv, in movies isn't brainwashing... :D 

Ben_Reilly wrote:

heavenly father wrote:

and the constant barrage of gay is ok at school on the tv, in movies isn't brainwashing... :D 

It is, because it's objectively OK to be gay, nothing in the nature of being gay makes someone a bad person. It's not like they're telling kids to go off and kill people, or saying that gay people are going to "lash out at children" or anything.

heavenly father wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

heavenly father wrote:

and the constant barrage of gay is ok at school on the tv, in movies isn't brainwashing... :D 

It is, because it's objectively OK to be gay, nothing in the nature of being gay makes someone a bad person. It's not like they're telling kids to go off and kill people, or saying that gay people are going to "lash out at children" or anything.

and what about being a believer makes you a bad person...

Eilzel wrote:Ok well fair enough we are all entitled to our beliefs

Seriously though if you think the moon and planets effect things then do you imagine that IF we could travel to another planet (a livable one) then our moods would change completely being surrounded by different planets and moons?

I naturally don't agree; since all things in the Universe ARE made of energy which came from the Big Bang I do believe the idea all things are one ultimately but that is more scientific than a personal thought

eddie wrote:Religion is just a label.
I believe in a higher power but don't have to be religious to do this.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Recently an “educational” pamphlet designed for Christian children made its way around Facebook. It warned God’s little lambs to avoid sour unhappy people called “atheists.” A private school curriculum called Accelerated Christian Education includes cartoons in which the atheist characters are rude, mean and drunk; and bad things happen to them.

Stereotypes like these get echoed sometimes even in Christian books and lectures that are targeted at adults. I once attended a successful megachurch on the  Sunday before Easter. The pastor wanted his audience to be clear that the resurrection of Jesus wasn’t merely some spiritual metaphor. “If the resurrection didn’t literally happen,” he shouted, “there is no reason for us to be here! If the resurrection didn’t literally happen—there are parties to be had! There are women to be had! There are guns to shoot! There are people to shoot!”

You caught the subtext?  Atheists (and even liberal Christians) have no basis for morality. Nothing—and I mean nothing!—stands between a godless person and debauchery or lechery or even violence.

Population demographics suggest otherwise, of course. Atheism is far more common among elite scientists and some of the most peaceful and equitable societies on earth are also  the least religious. But believers persist in fearing that godless people are amoral, that unfettered by religion the world would descend into the anarchy and bloodbath depicted in the  Left Behind movies.

In reality, when asked about their moral values or what motivates them in life, atheists use words that sound downright spiritual, very much like the words religious people use in fact, with a few noteworthy differences. To create his book,  A better Life, Photographer Chris Johnson asked 100 atheists about what gives their lives joy and meaning.

Some of the quotes:

“For me the meaning of life, or the meaning  in life, is helping people and loving people . . . The real joy for me is when someone comes up to me and they want to just sit down and share their struggle.”  –Teresa MacBain, former minister

“Raising curious, compassionate, strong, and loving children—teaching them to love others and helping them to see the beauty of humanity—that is the most meaningful and joyful responsibility we have.”  – Joel Legawiec, pediatric nurse

“I find my joy in justice and equality: in all creatures having opportunities for enjoyment and being treated with fairness, as we all wish and deserve to be treated. . . . While I enjoy the positive feelings of self-improvement, this fire pales compared to the feeling of joy that comes from having contributed something to the greater good.”  – Lynnea Glasser, game developer

“You’re like this little blip of light that lasts for a very brief time and you can shine as brightly as you choose.”  – Sean Faircloth, author, lawyer, lobbyist

http://www.salon.com/2014/02/11/20_amazing_quotes_from_atheists_that_prove_religion_isnt_necessary_for_a_meaningful_life_partner/

smelly_bandit wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Some of the quotes:

“For me the meaning of life, or the meaning  in life, is helping people and loving people . . . The real joy for me is when someone comes up to me and they want to just sit down and share their struggle.”  –Teresa MacBain, former minister

“Raising curious, compassionate, strong, and loving children—teaching them to love others and helping them to see the beauty of humanity—that is the most meaningful and joyful responsibility we have.”  – Joel Legawiec, pediatric nurse

“I find my joy in justice and equality: in all creatures having opportunities for enjoyment and being treated with fairness, as we all wish and deserve to be treated. . . . While I enjoy the positive feelings of self-improvement, this fire pales compared to the feeling of joy that comes from having contributed something to the greater good.”  – Lynnea Glasser, game developer

“You’re like this little blip of light that lasts for a very brief time and you can shine as brightly as you choose.”  – Sean Faircloth, author, lawyer, lobbyist

http://www.salon.com/2014/02/11/20_amazing_quotes_from_atheists_that_prove_religion_isnt_necessary_for_a_meaningful_life_partner/

the above quotes sound very much like the teachings of Jesus

showing compassion

loving others

treating others as you would have them treat you

all very biblical

try as you might

you cannot get away from the fact that you atheist have a moral compass based on Christianity after all you do live in christian countries  

Eilzel wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:

the above quotes sound very much like the teachings of Jesus

showing compassion

loving others

treating others as you would have them treat you

all very biblical

try as you might

you cannot get away from the fact that you atheist have a moral compass based on Christianity after all you do live in christian countries  

People have similar moral compasses in the Far-East, without Christianity, funny that isn't it, almost like there is an intrinsic notion to get along and treat people as you want to be treated- in fact Confucius wrote something along those lines before the Bible ever showed up...

smelly_bandit wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

People have similar moral compasses in the Far-East, without Christianity, funny that isn't it, almost like there is an intrinsic notion to get along and treat people as you want to be treated- in fact Confucius wrote something along those lines before the Bible ever showed up...

you mean like china and north Korea???

yeah i hear they love compassion and human rights stuff

Eilzel wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:

you mean like china and north Korea???

yeah i hear they love compassion and human rights stuff

Not really; more like Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, certainly many Chinese people (not so much the government) and many others yes; the people there are as moral as anywhere in the west. Taking two countries with dictatorships is hardly representative of a nations morality.

heavenly father wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Not really; more like Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, certainly many Chinese people (not so much the government) and many others yes; the people there are as moral as anywhere in the west. Taking two countries with dictatorships is hardly representative of a nations morality.

thailand, with child prostitution, great moral compass, hmm japan ask some ex soldiers about their moral compass, vietnam hmm kids working to death, chinese oh yeah very big on freedom of rights...

Eilzel wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:

you mean like china and north Korea???

yeah i hear they love compassion and human rights stuff

Not really; more like Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, certainly many Chinese people (not so much the government) and many others yes; the people there are as moral as anywhere in the west. Taking two countries with dictatorships is hardly representative of a nations morality.

SEXY MAMA wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Not really; more like Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, certainly many Chinese people (not so much the government) and many others yes; the people there are as moral as anywhere in the west. Taking two countries with dictatorships is hardly representative of a nations morality.

The fact is Les you have good and bad people everywhere in every culture and nation! Stating otherwise is just plain ignorance.

Eilzel wrote:

SEXY MAMA wrote:

The fact is Les you have good and bad people everywhere in every culture and nation! Stating otherwise is just plain ignorance.

Exactly right Sexy   

To claim some countries are better purely due to having a particular faith and religious background is nonesense- and flies in the fact of contrary evidence.

Eilzel wrote:

heavenly father wrote:

thailand, with child prostitution, great moral compass, hmm japan ask some ex soldiers about their moral compass, vietnam hmm kids working to death, chinese oh yeah very big on freedom of rights...

Every country has bad things that go on- how about Catholic Venezuela or Christian South Africa- highest genocide and rape crime rates on Earth respectively- only a retard would assume therefore the Christian moral compasses of those countries is the problem.

I lived in Thailand, and have a number of Chinese friends as well as having traveled in China, I know exactly how good the majority of people I met there are. You really need to actually get out in to the real world before passing utterly ignorant comments.

SEXY MAMA wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Exactly right Sexy   

To claim some countries are better purely due to having a particular faith and religious background is nonesense- and flies in the fact of contrary evidence.

Exactly x

When are you off to Thailand again?

Eilzel wrote:

SEXY MAMA wrote:

Exactly x

When are you off to Thailand again?

The end of May- we are counting down the weeks   

Eilzel wrote:

SEXY MAMA wrote:

Exactly x

When are you off to Thailand again?

The end of May- we are counting down the weeks   

heavenly father wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Every country has bad things that go on- how about Catholic Venezuela or Christian South Africa- highest genocide and rape crime rates on Earth respectively- only a retard would assume therefore the Christian moral compasses of those countries is the problem.

I lived in Thailand, and have a number of Chinese friends as well as having traveled in China, I know exactly how good the majority of people I met there are. You really need to actually get out in to the real world before passing utterly ignorant comments.

i've traveled a great deal of the world thank you very much...

so thailand is a haunt for peados thats good moral compass is it...

china keeps its people oppressed interesting moral compass...

Christian south Africa, is that a new country you have invented, and not to mention the sudden sweeping generalisation  after complaining about others doing it..lol

Eilzel wrote:

heavenly father wrote:

i've traveled a great deal of the world thank you very much...

so thailand is a haunt for peados thats good moral compass is it...

china keeps its people oppressed interesting moral compass...

Christian south Africa, is that a new country you have invented, and not to mention the sudden sweeping generalisation  after complaining about others doing it..lol

You clearly haven't been to Thailand if you judge it immoral, the nicest people I ever met in the world; and you cannot judge China based on its government any more than you could judge the Spanish by Franco or the British by Cromwell.

You are just being thick. Venezuela in a 100% Christian country, it has the worse homicide rate in the world; SA is 75% Christian with the worst rape figures in the world. Great moral compasses- oh wait they are Christian! The point is I don't make that dense connection because it doesn't exist.

I doubt you even have the intelligence to understand the stupidness of your generalizations

heavenly father wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

You clearly haven't been to Thailand if you judge it immoral, the nicest people I ever met in the world; and you cannot judge China based on its government any more than you could judge the Spanish by Franco or the British by Cromwell.

You are just being thick. Venezuela in a 100% Christian country, it has the worse homicide rate in the world; SA is 75% Christian with the worst rape figures in the world. Great moral compasses- oh wait they are Christian! The point is I don't make that dense connection because it doesn't exist.

I doubt you even have the intelligence to understand the stupidness of your generalizations

moral thailand are you crazy....

if they are killing and raping they are not Christians at all, you might get British writing CofE, who have never entered a church, being born in a Christian country does not make you a Christian..lol

heavenly father wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

You clearly haven't been to Thailand if you judge it immoral, the nicest people I ever met in the world; and you cannot judge China based on its government any more than you could judge the Spanish by Franco or the British by Cromwell.

You are just being thick. Venezuela in a 100% Christian country, it has the worse homicide rate in the world; SA is 75% Christian with the worst rape figures in the world. Great moral compasses- oh wait they are Christian! The point is I don't make that dense connection because it doesn't exist.

I doubt you even have the intelligence to understand the stupidness of your generalizations

moral thailand are you crazy....

if they are killing and raping they are not Christians at all, you might get British writing CofE, who have never entered a church, being born in a Christian country does not make you a Christian..lol

PhilDidge wrote:

heavenly father wrote:

moral thailand are you crazy....

if they are killing and raping they are not Christians at all, you might get British writing CofE, who have never entered a church, being born in a Christian country does not make you a Christian..lol

Oh so now you are saying there is more to being a Christians, where as you said all you need to do is believe in Jesus before?
How odd, you said even murderers can be forgiven by receiving Jesus and thus be Christians, even if they continue to kill.

How odd indeed and your post "that figures" what does?

I wonder if you have the guts to say what you are implying in regards to Eizlel, or are you that much of a despicable person all the time?    

PhilDidge wrote:

heavenly father wrote:

moral thailand are you crazy....

if they are killing and raping they are not Christians at all, you might get British writing CofE, who have never entered a church, being born in a Christian country does not make you a Christian..lol

Oh so now you are saying there is more to being a Christians, where as you said all you need to do is believe in Jesus before?
How odd, you said even murderers can be forgiven by receiving Jesus and thus be Christians, even if they continue to kill.

How odd indeed and your post "that figures" what does?

I wonder if you have the guts to say what you are implying in regards to Eizlel, or are you that much of a despicable person all the time?    

heavenly father wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


Oh so now you are saying there is more to being a Christians, where as you said all you need to do is believe in Jesus before?
How odd, you said even murderers can be forgiven by receiving Jesus and thus be Christians, even if they continue to kill.

How odd indeed and your post "that figures" what does?

I wonder if you have the guts to say what you are implying in regards to Eizlel, or are you that much of a despicable person all the time?    

again you miss understand, big surprise..not..

you can say you are born in a Christian country, no country is Christian, followers of Christ are, Christians are people who have given their lives to Christ, it is an  individual choice for each person to make, your country cannot make you a Christian. :D 

Eilzel wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


Oh so now you are saying there is more to being a Christians, where as you said all you need to do is believe in Jesus before?
How odd, you said even murderers can be forgiven by receiving Jesus and thus be Christians, even if they continue to kill.

How odd indeed and your post "that figures" what does?

I wonder if you have the guts to say what you are implying in regards to Eizlel, or are you that much of a despicable person all the time?    

I got what he was implying; it is his level of gutter bile to suggest such a thing- then again we know people with strong religious feeling often obsess over such matters   

Eilzel wrote:

heavenly father wrote:

again you miss understand, big surprise..not..

you can say you are born in a Christian country, no country is Christian, followers of Christ are, Christians are people who have given their lives to Christ, it is an  individual choice for each person to make, your country cannot make you a Christian. :D 

Your brain fails you again... this whole debate became about how Christianity underpins peoples moral compass in the UK- if that is true of the UK then it is also true of Venezuela- when clearly morality in Britain and Venezuela lead to drastically different societies.

PhilDidge wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

I got what he was implying; it is his level of gutter bile to suggest such a thing- then again we know people with strong religious feeling often obsess over such matters   

Indeed, I found that post just another example of the old Giggat is the same as he always has been, same absurd stereotypes held against people, and he thinks it is funny also to boot, which is even more disgusting.
What a pin up poster boy he is for Christianity, but yeah maybe that is why many are turning to atheism, one chat with HF is enough to convince anyone no deity exists

heavenly father wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Your brain fails you again... this whole debate became about how Christianity underpins peoples moral compass in the UK- if that is true of the UK then it is also true of Venezuela- when clearly morality in Britain and Venezuela lead to drastically different societies.

if they are living as Christians it will underpin your moral values, if you are CofE but don't believe it will not, now do you understand...

Eilzel wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


Indeed, I found that post just another example of the old Giggat is the same as he always has been, same absurd stereotypes held against people, and he thinks it is funny also to boot, which is even more disgusting.
What a pin up poster boy he is for Christianity, but yeah maybe that is why many are turning to atheism, one chat with HF is enough to convince anyone no deity exists

I agree, the venom he spouts in a cloak of Christianity is exactly the worse kind of fanatical crap that puts many people off religion in this country- all the better for one-offs like him then I say!

I do find it ironic however we have Sexy and Zack here, so nice, so reasonable and intelligent and Muslims; must drive the friendly neighbourhood Christians smelly and HF insane   

Eilzel wrote:

heavenly father wrote:

if they are living as Christians it will underpin your moral values, if you are CofE but don't believe it will not, now do you understand...

So you don't think Christianity has anything to do with the moral compass of the UK in general then?