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Question: If there is no after life what is the motivation to keep living!?
I have never understood this kind of thinking maybe someone here could shed some light!.

If I believed that my whole existence here has no purpose what is the point of emotion, experiencing pleasure having families and friends !?
And what would be the point of sticking around when times got really hard!?

What would be the consequence of taking my own life other than escaping who knows how many years I might have had left!?

No wonder there are so many suicides honestly why care if you believe you're worthless!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Well, I suppose all of those people want physical training because they feel this life is all that they have, so they want to look good!. This will stimulate their mind when they look in the mirror and maybe make them able to have more sex!. Of course most of them are athiest, hell, they are their own god in my opinion!.

"If I believed that my whole existence here has no purpose what is the point of emotion, experiencing pleasure having families and friends !?
And what would be the point of sticking around when times got really hard!?

The point of emotion is something that separates us from creatures in a natural state, along with reason and fire!. Our emotions gives us individuality, this individuality is invested in our partner and our children in hopes that in a piece of us will carry on!. The hard times are what also contributes to our individuality, it builds character, makes you feel better about your self in this world when you stick it out!.

"If there IS an afterlife, that is wonderful and happy and perfect, why don't you pray for death every minute of every single day!?"

This depends on what belief/religion you follow!. If you follow Christianity, the whole point of this life is the live for the Lord, what you sow here you will reap up there (heaven)!. If you are a Buddah you are suppose to live this life to seek and enlightened moment!.

In my opinion you have good questions!. I believe in God, I believe He has everything planned out just the way it is suppose to be, but we are allowed to choose our own paths (of course they have been predetermined by him, he he)
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"If I believed that my whole existence here has no purpose what is the point of emotion, experiencing pleasure having families and friends !?"

I have no idea, my life has the purpose I gave it!. Maybe you should see someone about your depression!.

Oh, and is this the "challenging question!?" Because it has been said a billion times and the answer is still that the religious have no purpose and they make one up in order to go on living where the atheists realize this is their only chance!.

And you should open a biology book, we are animals that isn't up for debate!.
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We put as much into living as we can precisely because this life is all there is!. Meaning cannot possibly come from some unknown reward that is supposed to come afterward!. Why would that be meaningful!? Meaning comes from how you live your real life, how you interact with other people, what impact you make on the world!. If you think that meaning can only be attributed to an afterlife, then you have no reason at all to care about the life you have here!.

As to why we want to look and feel good, why wouldn't we!? We are animals, true, but we are advanced animals!. We have feelings and emotions!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Apparently you don't get the irony of your own question!.

If there IS an afterlife, that is wonderful and happy and perfect, why don't you pray for death every minute of every single day!?

(The honest answer is!.!.!. you don't believe in an afterlife any more than I do!.)

By the way, this is my favorite question to ask of Christians!. You nutters often ask it, not knowing the hole you're digging for yourself!. You zany Christians are always good for a laugh as you talk yourselves in circles!. :)Www@QuestionHome@Com

Wow Jonny I actually had to read all that!.!.!. just to give my honest opinion!.

You are really into some deep thinking this afternoon (afternoon in Cali anwyays)!.!.!. I have had this same sort of discussion with some of my non-believing friends and they all say that their motivation for waking up each morning is looking forward to family and friends!.
But you're right we are here for eachother but only believers understand that!.
It should go beyond our families!.!.!. my dad right now is battling cancer and I can't tell you how many people I don't even know that well have just put their arms around me and comforted me the best they could!. They can't really!.!. but the fact that they try is evidence that they care!.

Whenever a disaster strikes people forget about themselves and rush to help eachother!.!.!. this is God in action through people!. They don't even have to believe in Him for Him to use them!.

It's a wonderful thing about life!.!.!. I have a purpose too!Www@QuestionHome@Com

I don't believe I'm worthless!. Life is awesome, in my opinion!. Sure, it may all end, but I'm going to enjoy it while I'm here!. What an opportunity!

And yes, I'm fully aware that I'm an animal who most likely evolved to feel this way in order to give myself a reason to get up in the morning!. But I still do feel it!

As the late physicist Richard Feynman once said: "Physics is like sex!. Sure, it may produce practical results, but that's not why we do it!."Www@QuestionHome@Com

A common answer is this bit of wisdom:

If there is nothing before life and nothing after life, then there is nothing BUT life!. There is no purpose to this life!. Many people make the wrong assumption that therefore, nothing matters!. But, in fact, because there is no purpose or reason, EVERYTHING matters because that is all there is!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Does a Shakespearean play have a soul!? Does it die and go to heaven!? Well if the last copy of Hamlet were lost does that make the play any less great!?

What does a silly myth like an afterlife have to do with having a life worth something!? Frankly, if this is only the dress rehearsal, nobody would put in their best effort!. I think the idea of an afterlife is for lazy minds, who don't want to make their life count NOW!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I don't know about you, but I live in the present!. I enjoy my family, try to do good, meaningful work, and hope to die with a smile on my face!.

I have this thing about worrying about nonsense I can't control, like what may or may not happen after I die!. I don't worry about it!.!.!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Because being here is known, and most likely more fun, even in hard times than rotting 10 feet under!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I don't get your point!. You have too many examples and no core question!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

You sound like you have many questions! Many people believe and hope that there is life after death--and if there isnt, what's the point of living at all!?

To different people, "Life" has different meanings, and in many ways are the same meaning! To some people, Life is about money and success, its what drives him/her to do what they do everyday! To others, Life is about family and friends, to make and pass on memories and connections!. And to some, Life is superficial, they are materialistic and believe life is about boob jobs, tight abs, pedicures, hairstyles, hot men, hot women!

But all this doesnt matter---because in the end!.!.!.its about you--as an individual! What drives you to live everyday besides your body having the ability to breathe!? Regardless whether there is life after death or not, one should live their life fully, because there might not be life after death!. This lifetime would be your only breath, breathed within the body you have right now---and that in itself should be motivation enough!. If existence had no other purpose than to exist, then exist in your own way and live it DAMMIT, lol!

but yes, we exist because of each other---but who we exist for---is our own choosing!

Hmmmm---did that answer anything!? lol

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My motivation to keep living is I like being here!.

How sad a person you must be to think that what comes after your death is more important than your life!.

I can't imagine wasting my entire life looking forward to my death!. I don't understand why people who think THAT way don't all commit suicide!. I mean, what's the use of emotion if *this* life is worthless and the only think that counts is what comes after this life is over!? What would be the point in sticking around when times get really hard!?

It sounds to me like theists are the ones with no "purpose", because they are the ones who think that life has no purpose except to get as quickly as possible to whatever comes after you die!. YOU are the ones who don't appreciate your life, and what you have now!. Not atheists!.
While atheists might not think that there is some sort of "magical" purpose to life, that doesn't mean that we don't think that we can't make our lives purposeful!. And looking forward to our deaths is not what we consider purposeful!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You provide some of the answers in your question details!.

Experiencing pleasure, family, friends, love, fun - these are all worth living this life for - whether there is to be an afterlife or not!.

"part of why this baffles me so much is being a personal trainer I am constantly faced with people who want to make thier outside appearance as beautiful as possible!. Yet a lot of these people are very open about being atheists!."

Are you trying to say that one can only be beautiful on the inside if they believe in your god!? Tsk tsk

"What is the point in living healthy, eating healthy exercising and looking good!?"

~ Because I like to look good, and when I'm happy and looking good, my boyfriend wants to ravish me - and he's really awesome in the sack! This all goes back to experiencing pleasure!. Exercise is said to have the effects of a general boost in mood and happiness!. It sure seems to work for me - I feel great after a good hike!.

Sometimes we gotta work to make the good stuff in life outweigh the bad - but again, it is well worth it!.

"Why should pleasure of these things even exist if we are just glorified animals!? animals don't seem to care they just do things off of their instinct!."

Are you sure about that!? When I give my dog a bath and put a new collar on her, she struts in front of everyone she knows - it seems she's showing off how good she looks!.

Animals show emotion and like to be loved too!. You don't give them enough credit!.

Why not live and make the most of this short life instead of wasting it dwelling on what may or may not happend after you die!?
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You seem pretty down!. Well we've all been there!. I get depressed too!. I think it's harder for me and others because it takes a long time to be yourself again!. Well anyways, I truly believe life is worth living!. You and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important!. I am not religious, and I do think the Bible was written by writers of the Medival period!.

I draw this conclusion because parts of the Bible had the condemnation of Blacks!. I remember reading about early literature that was originally in the book, referring blacks as satanic demons!. I remember in my Philosophy class reading many and many pages of stuff that was taken out because it was antisemitic, racist and homophobic!.

But anyways, life is based on experiences - bad one and good ones!. You have to take it with a grain a salt!. I do believe there is a God!. I am not an atheist!. We are not here based on a mistake, there is a purpose for all of us!. We have to find our place in the world!. I think you need to do some soul searching!. Figure out what you want to be in life!. How you can make a difference!? It can be a big or small thing!. You decide what's best!. I do community service!. Maybe you can do that in your area!. Seek out the Boys & Girls Club, mentoring high school students or animal shelter!.

Take care!
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The fact I'm a Heathen and don't believe in an "after life" is one of the things that keeps me going!. It motivates me to enjoy to the fullest each day here, for upon my demise, there shall be no others!.
Free of the fears of judgment by a genocidal, vengeful and jealous god, I can excel in living in the here and now!.
Your line on feeling worthless bothers me, as you apparently think without an after life one’s worth is diminished!. Pretty narrow (or closed) minded, or just unreceptive to any alternate life styles!.
I do not feel worthless!. In fact my worth has been proven to me many times!. I don't need to believe in some omnipotent being who wants me not to do all the fun hedonistic stuff to make me feel worth!. All I need is folks who say, "The party was better for you being there" or my girl's word she needs me!. That's worth!. I ride in charity poker runs, mostly for diabetes, but I’ve participated in others!.
I don’t understand the pride and prudery of the pious person who think avoiding all that is tempting and considered immoral will lead them to a better life!. If you have to do that here, how great can your envisioned but illusive paradise be!? More of the same abstinence!? How can one live for that mundane “eternal life!?”Www@QuestionHome@Com

You seem to be suggesting that, unless we're immortal, nothing matters!. You don't really provide support for this!.

On my last birthday, I had a delicious meal!. I can't taste the food any longer, but that doesn't mean that I think my wife did something stupid by not buying the cheapest or healthiest food possible!. She took me to a restaurant for the pure, albeit temporary, enjoyment of the thing!.

Next, the fact that a person can care about something is all the justification that is really necessary to care in the first place!. What difference does it truly make that I'll eventually not feel anything!? The fact that I feel things now is still true!.

I love my wife!. She brings me happiness!. At the same time, I'm not always happy!. Does the fact that I'm sometimes sad or frustrated mean I'm wrong in saying that my wife doesn't make me happy!? If having good things in life is no cure for having moods, then would it make sense to argue that good things don't really exist!? I certainly don't think so!.

The point is that eternity is not all that matters!. What happens in the here-and-now does matter!. A happy life is more enjoyable than a sad life, even though there won't be a "me" to care someday!.

EDIT:
"jt, random evolved beings have no reason for having emotions or relationships that has been my point all along!.
thanks for helping it along!."

You're evading your own subject!. I didn't say anything about evolution, nor does your question actually mention it!. My points addressed your original argument, and they stand on their own merits!.

If you wish to discuss whether or not evolution could promote emotions and relationships, feel free to post a new question!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Okay!.!. here's my two cents!.

Making the assumption that there is nothing after life!. One could look at emotion as a highly cognitive instinct, an evolved instinctual reaction to positive and negative stimuli!. When looked at in this way, and mind you this is a very cold view due to the exclusion of any spiritual context; emotion, motivation, drive, aspirations and hope are a evolutionary step up from what most (if not all) other species are capable of!. Humans have had insurmountable success as one of the only animals that can shape it's environment to ensure survivability!. We love, hope, care and share because that's what makes us "Human" animals it's what has allowed us to build cities, irrigate fields, and enhance are own abilities with imagination and ingenuity!. Stronger emotions like love and hate, are evolved pack behaviors!. You love people because they're part of your pack, you hate those that are not!.

Using a hypothetical answer!.
Let's say your walking to school, you get mugged!. Animal responses would be limited to flight or fight instinct (however, we do revert to are base instincts when stressed)!. Now add in the human element and things more than likely change!. Your reaction on a cognitive / emotional level could drive you to "train" or enhance your abilities so that this "weakness" is no longer an issue!. I've never seen a dog lose a fight, walk away, and practice biting to one day avenge itself!.

What better mechanism to push forth evolutionary change than passion!?

What better mechanism to keep a pack of animals together than love!?

What better mechanism to shape a world than imagination!?

In short, My answer can be summed up as,

"The point of being Human, is being human and embracing it!. Push yourself and the species to a higher level of existence!."

Who knows maybe we'll obtain immortality through emotional evolution!?Www@QuestionHome@Com