Is a meaningless universe enough of a reason to adopt a religion?

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

If you believed that the truth of the universe was that it was meaningless and that human life was a mere accident is this a good enough reason to try and adopt a different set of beliefs? Is It enough of a reason that someone who thinks all this is depressing and that existing would at least be a little bit better with belief in god even if that god doesn't exist to try and believe in a god?

You could argue that belief in a god or anything supernatural won't help if it's forced. I would have to argue that I've seen people who at the very least live a better life on the outside when they pretend. And I do know a few pretenders. What exactly would be the point in affirming nihilism and a meaningless universe? If these things are truly meaningless then why not adopt something that might make you feel better?

Just a question that's popped into my head Is all.

 

[1137]

I think if we are in a nihilistic universe, pragmatism is the most reasonable choice.

 

[psychoslice]

Who cares if the world and us are meaningless, we ourselves should have meaning in our own lives, we are here, don't wast your life, that simple. Sadly many cannot except this and want to make life complicated, and because of this we have all sorts of belief systems all catering for the miserable.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Is It enough of a reason that someone who thinks all this is depressing and that existing would at least be a little bit better with belief in god even if that god doesn't exist to try and believe in a god?

Why should a person think that this is depressing? Life has fun, life has challenges, so play on. Get involved, one does not need a false belief.

 

[Pudding]

If you believed that the truth of the universe was that it was meaningless and that human life was a mere accident is this a good enough reason to try and adopt a different set of beliefs? Is It enough of a reason that someone who thinks all this is depressing and that existing would at least be a little bit better with belief in god even if that god doesn't exist to try and believe in a god?

Which god?

You could argue that belief in a god or anything supernatural won't help if it's forced. I would have to argue that I've seen people who at the very least live a better life on the outside when they pretend. And I do know a few pretenders. What exactly would be the point in affirming nihilism and a meaningless universe? If these things are truly meaningless then why not adopt something that might make you feel better?

Just a question that's popped into my head Is all.

Religion is not the only way for people to find meanings in their life, people can also find their life's meanings thru relationships with friends/family, hobbies, career or charity.

How many people believed that the truth of the universe was that it was meaningless and that human life was a mere accident?

How many people adopt the ideas of nihilism and a meaningless universe?

How many of them can find meanings and makes themselves feel better thru religion? And how many of them can't?

How many of them can find meanings and makes themselves feel better thru relationships with friends/family, hobbies/career/charity? And how many of them can't?

Which one is the suitable method for them to find meanings and makes themselves feel better?
The one which can help them find meanings and makes themselves feel better is the suitable method for them. Each to their own as long as that can help them and maybe in addition that doesn't cause harm to other life.

 

[danieldemol]

If religion makes you at peace with your self you don't need further reasons

 

[Aupmanyav]

Yeah, but then people do not need to go on preaching. It is an individual decision.

 

[fi11222]

If you believed that the truth of the universe was that it was meaningless and that human life was a mere accident is this a good enough reason to try and adopt a different set of beliefs? Is It enough of a reason that someone who thinks all this is depressing and that existing would at least be a little bit better with belief in god even if that god doesn't exist to try and believe in a god?

You could argue that belief in a god or anything supernatural won't help if it's forced. I would have to argue that I've seen people who at the very least live a better life on the outside when they pretend. And I do know a few pretenders. What exactly would be the point in affirming nihilism and a meaningless universe? If these things are truly meaningless then why not adopt something that might make you feel better?

My take on this is that religion is a form of masturbation (understood in a very general sense) and that, yes, in order to cope with the apparent meaninglessness of human life, some form of masturbation is probably necessary. Some people do drugs (chemical masturbation) others have pets or do gardening (animal husbandry/farming masturbation) and yet others go to restaurants (gustative masturbation) or do sports (exertion masturbation). Religion is a special kind of masturbation in which it is the human trust-processing brain circuitry which are masturbated in order to achieve pleasure (some manage to achieve real ecstasy that way). Depending on the specifics of the religious practice in question, the side effects range from the very positive (higher trust, better organization) to the very bad (jihad).

 

[shunyadragon]

If you believed that the truth of the universe was that it was meaningless and that human life was a mere accident is this a good enough reason to try and adopt a different set of beliefs? Is It enough of a reason that someone who thinks all this is depressing and that existing would at least be a little bit better with belief in god even if that god doesn't exist to try and believe in a god?

You could argue that belief in a god or anything supernatural won't help if it's forced. I would have to argue that I've seen people who at the very least live a better life on the outside when they pretend. And I do know a few pretenders. What exactly would be the point in affirming nihilism and a meaningless universe? If these things are truly meaningless then why not adopt something that might make you feel better?

Just a question that's popped into my head Is all.

The concept of whether our physical existence has meaning(?) or meaningless is a human question from our perspective. The highlighted above illustrates the problem. Our physical existence need not have meaning for us to give it meaning.

There is not a problem of humans finding meaning, but with the claim of that a Divine motivation is necessary for there to be meaning, and an argument for the existence of God.

I have different sides to my view and belief, which is Baha'i, which does give me meaning from a spiritual perspective, but I also have a Buddhist side, which the nature of our physical existence is as it is, and nothing is necessary. The other side of my philosophy as Socratic skepticism where I question everything including my own beliefs.

 

[Jeremiahcp]

If you believed that the truth of the universe was that it was meaningless and that human life was a mere accident is this a good enough reason to try and adopt a different set of beliefs? Is It enough of a reason that someone who thinks all this is depressing and that existing would at least be a little bit better with belief in god even if that god doesn't exist to try and believe in a god?

You could argue that belief in a god or anything supernatural won't help if it's forced. I would have to argue that I've seen people who at the very least live a better life on the outside when they pretend. And I do know a few pretenders. What exactly would be the point in affirming nihilism and a meaningless universe? If these things are truly meaningless then why not adopt something that might make you feel better?

Just a question that's popped into my head Is all.

"If these things are truly meaningless then why not adopt something that might make you feel better?"

Why would that something have to be religion?

If you have the chance to shape the purpose of your life in any direction you want, why should you waste that opportunity on religion?

 

[Thief]

If you believed that the truth of the universe was that it was meaningless and that human life was a mere accident is this a good enough reason to try and adopt a different set of beliefs? Is It enough of a reason that someone who thinks all this is depressing and that existing would at least be a little bit better with belief in god even if that god doesn't exist to try and believe in a god?

You could argue that belief in a god or anything supernatural won't help if it's forced. I would have to argue that I've seen people who at the very least live a better life on the outside when they pretend. And I do know a few pretenders. What exactly would be the point in affirming nihilism and a meaningless universe? If these things are truly meaningless then why not adopt something that might make you feel better?

Just a question that's popped into my head Is all.

how about reverse engineering?

you find a complex machine
it can do sooooooo many things
but basically, it wonders about investigating how things work
built in curiosity

the machine is terminal
it will wear out and fail altogether
shortly after.....it turns to dust

so...why generate 7billion copies only to have all of them crumble to dust

Something Greater is behind all of this?

I think so

 

[fantome profane]

If you believed that the truth of the universe was that it was meaningless and that human life was a mere accident is this a good enough reason to try and adopt a different set of beliefs?

Or maybe just have a beer.

 

[Satans_Serrated_Edge]

If you believed that the truth of the universe was that it was meaningless and that human life was a mere accident is this a good enough reason to try and adopt a different set of beliefs? Is It enough of a reason that someone who thinks all this is depressing and that existing would at least be a little bit better with belief in god even if that god doesn't exist to try and believe in a god?

You could argue that belief in a god or anything supernatural won't help if it's forced. I would have to argue that I've seen people who at the very least live a better life on the outside when they pretend. And I do know a few pretenders. What exactly would be the point in affirming nihilism and a meaningless universe? If these things are truly meaningless then why not adopt something that might make you feel better?

Just a question that's popped into my head Is all.

I would say a good deal of people that claim a belief in the supernatural are engaging in willful self deception for precisely that reason.

 

[Thief]

My take on this is that religion is a form of masturbation (understood in a very general sense) and that, yes, in order to cope with the apparent meaninglessness of human life, some form of masturbation is probably necessary. Some people do drugs (chemical masturbation) others have pets or do gardening (animal husbandry/farming masturbation) and yet others go to restaurants (gustative masturbation) or do sports (exertion masturbation). Religion is a special kind of masturbation in which it is the human trust-processing brain circuitry which are masturbated in order to achieve pleasure (some manage to achieve real ecstasy that way). Depending on the specifics of the religious practice in question, the side effects range from the very positive (higher trust, better organization) to the very bad (jihad).

I see confusion

picture yourself before God and heaven
and they are asking....What do you believe?

and you're going to say.....
You guys are just jacking off!

and that would be the explanation ?....for your existence

 

[fi11222]

I see confusion

picture yourself before God and heaven
and they are asking....What do you believe?

and you're going to say.....
You guys are just jacking off!

and that would be the explanation ?....for your existence

For the time being, you are jerking off by writing the above.

I do also fap, of course, but in other ways.

The fact is that I consider the scenario you describe to be extremely unlikely. And I am not alone.

 

[Jeremiahcp]

I see confusion

picture yourself before God and heaven
and they are asking....What do you believe?

and you're going to say.....
You guys are just jacking off!

and that would be the explanation ?....for your existence

How would you know you are before God and in Heaven?

 

[Jeremiahcp]

I see confusion

Of that I have little doubt.

 

[Thief]

How would you know you are before God and in Heaven?

and where else would i be?

 

[Thief]

For the time being, you are jerking off by writing the above.

I do also fap, of course, but in other ways.

The fact is that I consider the scenario you describe to be extremely unlikely. And I am not alone.

but you could end up that way

God and heaven might leave you....wherever you fell

 

[fi11222]

but you could end up that way

God and heaven might leave you....wherever you fell

Of course. Anything can happen.

Humans never have access to 100% knowledge. So we assess likelyhoods as best we can and live by that.

As I said earlier, the scenario you describe is possible but, to me it looks very, very, very, ......., very unlikely.