On the way; Trying to get where I’d like to say; I’m always feeling steered away; By someone trying to tell me; What to say and do

No, this isn’t a post examining the validity and wonderfulness that is the song “The Meaning of Life” by the Offspring. It is a post explaining where I find meaning in my life, with out a god. At least 3 of the messages that I got during my tiff with the muslims asked me “how would you understand, you have no meaning in your life as an atheist” or something along these lines. Each time I tried to explain that you didn’t have to have god in order to live, laugh and love. Each time I was told that I was wrong. *shrugs* fair enough.

I will admit they did peg me on a couple things. I do think life was a freak accident - just like I think the possibility of life on other planets - if true - is a freak accident. So no, I don’t think we are here for any larger purpose, and I often wonder what right we have to consider ourselves special? But that doesn’t mean I’m going to go off myself now because my life doesn’t have any larger religious meaning.

We are here once. Nothing before, nothing after, no continuous circle of being or reincarnation. Just this one time. With these thoughts about life, what is wrong with my meaning of life to be - just live it. Embrace the possibilities that have developed in my brain and use them. Enjoy summer days. Jump into clay pits and get a little dirty. Hug my best friend with all my energy. Try and help others have a better life - not with prayer or helping them find god… but with time, energy and love.

In this brief span of awareness there is so much that I want to see, and grasp, and understand. And sure, it probably won’t matter after I die, but it matters right now. It’s like saying “why put up a real christmas tree?” or “why build a snowman?” or “why make a snow angel?” or “why watch the sunset?” They are all temporary, they all melt or die. But it is the fun and joy of the moment that makes it worth the time.

Now, the thing I often get back from this is “so what is stopping you from taking your fun to the level of killing people, stealing or breaking the law because there is clearly no after life to worry about being moral for…” Atheist /= immoral. I can’t stress that enough. I don’t want to hurt people. I don’t want to kill even the most horrible of people. Even if I was guaranteed that no one would find out about, and someone gave me a gun and said “kill the person you think is the most deserving”… I wouldn’t do it. It doesn’t take religion to be moral. It takes good parenting and a conscious not to want to hurt people, take from people or whatever.

So my meaning in life? Live to be happy, help others along the way and fill that brain with as much information as possible. Make meaning through my actions and relationships with other people.

Why is this such a bad thing?