The boasts of atheists (Atheist self-deception)

These boasts--I have run across a lot of them and can provide quotes if you like--just will not do.However, it is necessary that we make a distinction. The reason the atheists boast is to show that they can be happy and can be moral without God. Very understandable.But we have to realize what is being said here. Yes, one can be happy and one can be moral, but one will also go to one's long home.It will be, in a hundred years, as if you never existed. You are of no more significance than a roach crawling across the floor.So one must understand that fact thoroughly before one speaks of "happiness" and "exemplary moral character" and the "wonder of life."Except in a practical sense, it will not do to speak of such things as happiness and morality. If one is an atheist one should never speak this way. One should say, "We are products of a mindless universe, accidentally produced. We will live out our lives, and have some pleasures, and grow old, and die."

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"Your friends, if they can, may bury you with some distinction, and set up a monument, to let posterity see that your dust lies under such a stone; and when that is done, all is done. Your place is filled up by another, the world is just in the same state it was, you are blotted out of its sight, and as much forgotten by the world as if you had never belonged to it."--William Law

Doesn't it make you want to puke?Edited by robinrohan, : No reason given.

No. There is a difference between one's practical life and one's philosophical life. I would never speak of my nihilistic views to my peers. I could be fired for that. One must be very positive on one's job, of course.But here I feel I can be honest.

I mean, really. This is supposed to show how wonderful this person is and how this person doesn't need religion.This will not do. One does not make statements like that if one is just a little bit honest.

Well, yes, though admittedly I object to boasting in and of itself. I WOULD THINK ANYONE WOULD!I was raised not to boast. Has that gone out of style?

How about being honest for a change? How about that?

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"Your friends, if they can, may bury you with some distinction, and set up a monument, to let posterity see that your dust lies under such a stone; and when that is done, all is done. Your place is filled up by another, the world is just in the same state it was, you are blotted out of its sight, and as much forgotten by the world as if you had never belonged to it."--William Law

We have this nonsense: And then there's this bravado:

Exactly.

It's not about being unhappy or unhappy. Happiness is no problem. If I want to be happy, I can just buy myself some beer, and I'm perfectly happy.But one ought to have a realistic philosophical position. I have been noticing for some time what we can call the creeping sentimentality of my culture. Thinking about it, I've come to the conclusion that the cause of this malady is the dictates of the business world--the world of work. Now in business, one must be pleasant. One must smile. One must pretend to like one's customer.Another characteristic of the world of work is the constant congratulations, the giving out of awards and such. One is reminded of Hollywood, where they give out an award daily it appears.This is all a practical necessity, and I have no quarrel with it as long as one realizes what one is doing. It is a necessary pretence.But we must not let our pretensions get confused with an honest view of life.

Excellent!

Uphold your honor.

Of course one would not boast about such a thing as personal integrity or "honor." For one thing, it's rather hard to maintain.Admittedly, this idea about honor is just my own subjective system.

I'm sure I don't avoid it; in fact I know I don't. But one can have good principles without having good practice.

I don't think so. "Boasting" means making self-praising comments (whether true or not) about ONESELF, not about an idea.If you argue that your IDEA is right, this is not boasting, the way I am defining it. Of course one argues that one's idea is right.But that's not the same sort of comment as saying, "I have exemplary moral character."Edited by robinrohan, : No reason given.

Well, the boasting irritated me.However, I think I would sum up my argument as follows: There is a tendency among non-believers, in their eagerness to prove to believers that one can be very happy, fulfilled, and of high moral character without any religious belief, to exaggerate their qualities and the qualities of their experiences--thus the boasting. This exaggerated view of oneself and of life in general might be advantageous in a practical sense--say in the business world--but it's no good philosophically. One has a skewed vision of oneself and of life.Ned in another thread spoke approvingly of a "healthy ego," but I do not find a sentimental view of oneself and of life to be healthy. I think it very unhealthy. Now it is true that from the standpoint of nihilism it doesn't in the long matter what one's view of life is. But I'm not speaking of the long run. Also, it is true that there is in a sense a sort of subtle boasting in many statements we make. If I make an argument, I am insinuating that I am right. But that sort of "boast" can't be helped, if one is going to say anything at all. When I speak of "boasting," I mean overt, blatant, self-praise.

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"Your friends, if they can, may bury you with some distinction, and set up a monument, to let posterity see that your dust lies under such a stone; and when that is done, all is done. Your place is filled up by another, the world is just in the same state it was, you are blotted out of its sight, and as much forgotten by the world as if you had never belonged to it."--William Law