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As an atheist, what is your relationship with guilt and past misdeeds?

F

.Frame.

Title pending.
This is a subject that interests me, because religions all have ways of responding to misdeeds (sin, karma, forgiveness, etc). It seems to be quite universal among religions. Atheists, on the other hand, are unlikely to find much comfort in the majority of these ideas, so I'm curious as to how you (yes, you, as an individual) deal with guilt and how (if at all) you use past misdeeds to overcome the less desirable aspects of your nature.

Do you take a formal approach to it, or a philosophical one, for example, or simply a practical one?
 
bobhikes

bobhikes

Nondetermined
Premium Member
.Frame. said:
This is a subject that interests me, because religions all have ways of responding to misdeeds (sin, karma, forgiveness, etc). It seems to be quite universal among religions. Atheists, on the other hand, are unlikely to find much comfort in the majority of these ideas, so I'm curious as to how you (yes, you, as an individual) deal with guilt and how (if at all) you use past misdeeds to overcome the less desirable aspects of your nature.

Do you take a formal approach to it, or a philosophical one, for example, or simply a practical one?
Click to expand...

Actually it was after I left religion that I shed my guilt and found my peace.

Like Revoltingest said most eloquently

I learn from my mistakes and try not to make them again. I forgive myself. I focus on Today.
 
jarofthoughts

jarofthoughts

Empirical Curmudgeon
.Frame. said:
This is a subject that interests me, because religions all have ways of responding to misdeeds (sin, karma, forgiveness, etc). It seems to be quite universal among religions. Atheists, on the other hand, are unlikely to find much comfort in the majority of these ideas, so I'm curious as to how you (yes, you, as an individual) deal with guilt and how (if at all) you use past misdeeds to overcome the less desirable aspects of your nature.

Do you take a formal approach to it, or a philosophical one, for example, or simply a practical one?
Click to expand...

I'm very practical about it.
If I make a mistake, I try to learn from it and avoid doing that mistake again.
If I hurt someone, I apologize and try to make up for it.
 
Gjallarhorn

Gjallarhorn

N'yog-Sothep
.Frame. said:
This is a subject that interests me, because religions all have ways of responding to misdeeds (sin, karma, forgiveness, etc). It seems to be quite universal among religions. Atheists, on the other hand, are unlikely to find much comfort in the majority of these ideas, so I'm curious as to how you (yes, you, as an individual) deal with guilt and how (if at all) you use past misdeeds to overcome the less desirable aspects of your nature.

Do you take a formal approach to it, or a philosophical one, for example, or simply a practical one?
Click to expand...
As an atheist, I can give no opinion on these matters, as atheism has nothing to do with morality.

As myself, however, I deal with it practically: I screw up, I make amends.
 
Herr Heinrich

Herr Heinrich

Student of Mythology
I know I am not an atheist, but my morality does not stem from religion. I am not actually religious, just spiritual. Anyways, when I make a mistake I try to learn from it. I see mistakes as being potential learning experiences I did not learn from. I am also driven by compassion and empathy when it comes to my fellow human-animals. I try to not hurt people's feelings, and if I do I fix it. Basically, it is very practical.
 
F

.Frame.

Title pending.
Time Bandit said:
Exactly.....does the OP think that guilt is only for Athiests?
Click to expand...

Oh, no. Really not. I think everyone (with a conscience) has felt guilt or regret at one point or another. I was just interested in people's responses to it, and suspected that I'd get more diverse (and therefore interesting) results if I asked the question of atheists rather than religious people (who, I assumed, are more likely to follow the teachings of their given religion on such matters, rather than respond to guilt in a uniquely personal way, although perhaps I've been a little unfair in that assumption).
 
T

Time Bandit

New Member
.Frame. said:
Oh, no. Really not. I think everyone (with a conscience) has felt guilt or regret at one point or another. I was just interested in people's responses to it, and suspected that I'd get more diverse (and therefore interesting) results if I asked the question of atheists rather than religious people (who, I assumed, are more likely to follow the teachings of their given religion on such matters, rather than respond to guilt in a uniquely personal way, although perhaps I've been a little unfair in that assumption).
Click to expand...

OK, was just curious your explanation makes sense.
 
HonestJoe

HonestJoe

Well-Known Member
.Frame. said:
... suspected that I'd get more diverse (and therefore interesting) results if I asked the question of atheists rather than religious people (who, I assumed, are more likely to follow the teachings of their given religion on such matters, rather than respond to guilt in a uniquely personal way, although perhaps I've been a little unfair in that assumption).
Click to expand...
Probably unfair. I suspect this is one of the many things where religous individuals actually respond in pretty much the same way as non-religous individuals. The only difference is how we explain and justify our instincts.
 
lunakilo

lunakilo

Well-Known Member
.Frame. said:
This is a subject that interests me, because religions all have ways of responding to misdeeds (sin, karma, forgiveness, etc). It seems to be quite universal among religions. Atheists, on the other hand, are unlikely to find much comfort in the majority of these ideas, so I'm curious as to how you (yes, you, as an individual) deal with guilt and how (if at all) you use past misdeeds to overcome the less desirable aspects of your nature.

Do you take a formal approach to it, or a philosophical one, for example, or simply a practical one?
Click to expand...


I will just parrot what everybody els is saying.
I try to learn from my mistakes so that I make fewer mistakes in the future.
If possible I try to repair damage I have done.

But I think there was another question in the OP that I didn't see an answer to.
Sometimes when you make a mistake and for example hurt somebody you can try to make up for it and maybe that person will forgive you.
Somtimes though you just mess up and there is no way to fix it. Then what?
You try not to do the same thing again, but how do you handle the guilt?

A religious person might go pray to his or her god(s) for forgiveness og feel that the mistake was ment to happen for some obscure reason that only the gods know; and then feel better for not being such a horrible person after all.

Do you find comfort somehow?
If so what do you tell yourself?
 
lunakilo

lunakilo

Well-Known Member
lunakilo said:
A religious person might go pray to his or her god(s) for forgiveness og feel that the mistake was ment to happen for some obscure reason that only the gods know; and then feel better for not being such a horrible person after all.

Do you find comfort somehow?
If so what do you tell yourself?
Click to expand...
To answer my own question...

Personally I take comfort in the fact that I didn't mean any harm, but sometimes **** happens.
I am no worse than most other people on the planet Earth, and probably better than some.
So even if I don't win any medals for being the nicest person alive, I am probably not all that evil :)
 
Dirty Penguin

Dirty Penguin

Master Of Ceremony
As an atheist, what is your relationship with guilt and past misdeeds?
Click to expand...

I have no guilt. As far as misdeeds there are things would like to do over but all in all I'm satisfied with my life...
 
dust1n

dust1n

Zindīq
Guilt is an internal thing. When it arises, I try to examine as thoroughly as possible its nature, and then address it in my head. I guess I haven't done anything personally hurtful enough in my life to have had to address such a strong guilt head on. Mental anguish seems a little bit healthy sometimes, if its just preparing you for the road anyways.
 
F

.Frame.

Title pending.
I know I raised the topic, but I might just chip in a brief thought on the matter myself:

I guess the thing with guilt is that it shows you care, that it shows that as stupid as you've gotten and unkind as you've been, it still matters to you on some level that you might be doing harm, it's living evidence that you have a conscience, that you are fundamentally a good person, and so even the worst guilt is a kind of blessing in that respect.
 
Dirty Penguin

Dirty Penguin

Master Of Ceremony
.Frame. said:
I know I raised the topic, but I might just chip in a brief thought on the matter myself:

I guess the thing with guilt is that it shows you care, that it shows that as stupid as you've gotten and unkind as you've been, it still matters to you on some level that you might be doing harm, it's living evidence that you have a conscience, that you are fundamentally a good person, and so even the worst guilt is a kind of blessing in that respect.
Click to expand...

And as an Atheist I have no idea what you're going on about.
 
ImmortalFlame

ImmortalFlame

Woke gremlin
As an atheist, I feel a lot of shame on a daily basis. But then I usually just bin the tissues, close my laptop, wash my hands and go and play my Playstation; and by that time I feel a lot better.

Yeah, that's right. I went there.
 
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