To the atheists: why is life sacred?

[jay gw]

Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Christians think human life is sacred because their religion tells them there are connections between it's creation and divine purpose(s).

In your own words (no copy and paste), why does an atheist think an individual human life and life in general is sacred?




sacred
highly valued and important

 

[Cosmo]

Because you, and everyone else, only get one life. As PF said...

All that you touch
All that you see
All that you taste
All you feel.
All that you love
All that you hate
All you distrust
All you save.

You only have one shot to do it all. Any injustices you cause, whether to yourself or to others, will not be remedied in any fantasy afterlife, so it's vital that you treat yourself and others with the utmost respect and act to remedy, if not prevent outright those injustices.

Some would say that because Christians and other afterlife-believing theists are merely passing through this world on their way to the afterlife, they have no need to act morally or ethically. Who cares whose life you ruin if it'll just be remedied in the afterlife?

 

[jay gw]

Any injustices you cause, whether to yourself or to others, will not be remedied in any fantasy afterlife,

So if I avoid the people I've stepped on to get what I want, they'll hopefully die before me and I'll be off the hook.

 

[Cosmo]

So if I avoid the people I've stepped on to get what I want, they'll hopefully die before me and I'll be off the hook.

I'm not so sure I follow. For the atheist, it doesn't matter who dies when - the injustice has still been caused. The death of a person does not simply cause injustices committed against them to vanish.

Plus, consider that almost all people have at least some family and friends whom you will also be impacting.

 

[Katana]

So if I avoid the people I've stepped on to get what I want, they'll hopefully die before me and I'll be off the hook.

No. That's what someone who believes in redemption in the afterlife would think.

 

[Moochie]

Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Christians think human life is sacred because their religion tells them there are connections between it's creation and divine purpose(s).

In your own words (no copy and paste), why does an atheist think an individual human life and life in general is sacred?

sacred
highly valued and important

Define "sacred."

I, for one, don't hold any such belief.

M.

 

[jay gw]

Define "sacred."

Already did.

No. That's what someone who believes in redemption in the afterlife would think.

That's not why you think life is sacred.

 

[Flo]

Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Christians think human life is sacred because their religion tells them there are connections between it's creation and divine purpose(s).

Some do, but given their behavior, I would go as far as to say that most of them only pretend they hold human life sacred, and that often for a rather restricted definition of "human" (i.e. those of the same faith, skin color, ethnicity, culture, social status, wealth, etc.)

In your own words (no copy and paste), why does an atheist think an individual human life and life in general is sacred?

Some do, some don't, most that I know would like a clear definition of "sacred" before answering.

sacred
highly valued and important

Realisation that here and now is all you get, you're in no hurry to give it up, and that there's a good chance others feel the same deep down, even those believing there's something else afterwards.


ETA: Your definition doesn't fit, if only because "highly valued and important" doesn't convey the idea of divine or surnatural transcendance that goes along with "sacred".

 

[Katana]

That's not why you think life is sacred.

You're right.

 

[Taffer]

All that you touch
All that you see
All that you taste
All you feel.
All that you love
All that you hate
All you distrust
All you save.

What he said.

I respect my own life. There is no reason not to do the same for others.

Tell me, why do you believe in the sacredness of life?

 

[Moochie]

From Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary:

1 a : dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity a tree sacred to the gods b : devoted exclusively to one service or use (as of a person or purpose) a fund sacred to charity 2 a : worthy of religious veneration : HOLY b : entitled to reverence and respect3 : of or relating to religion : not secular or profane sacred music 4 archaic : ACCURSED5 a : UNASSAILABLE, INVIOLABLE b : highly valued and important a sacred responsibility – sacredly adverb– sacredness noun

Which of the above are you referring to?

M.

 

[Beerina]

So if I avoid the people I've stepped on to get what I want, they'll hopefully die before me and I'll be off the hook.

If that's the savage way you want to put it, that's fine. The same practical reasons people live peacefully together are still in play, "God" or no. There are laws against stealing in reality because it's counterproductive to an advancing, civilized society, not because some nebulous God wants it.

 

[Beerina]

Already did.



That's not why you think life is sacred.

If there is no god, how much more dangerous is the religious position where people do things as if they'll be rewarded in heaven -- a reward which never comes. Anthropologists have long observed religion is a tool used by those in power to maintain and gain power and wealth -- tell the people not to worry about this life, it sucks, focus on the next one where those with the money and power will be thrown into Hell and you, yes you right there! will be rewared with life in a heavenly kingdom.

 

[Flo]

If that's the savage way you want to put it, that's fine. The same practical reasons people live peacefully together are still in play, "God" or no. There are laws against stealing in reality because it's counterproductive to an advancing, civilized society, not because some nebulous God wants it.

There are laws (or rules, or traditions) against al kinds of "antisocial" behaviors because they are antisocial, whether a society is advanced or not, religious or not.

 

[Darth Rotor]

Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Christians think human life is sacred because their religion tells them there are connections between it's creation and divine purpose(s).

In your own words (no copy and paste), why does an atheist think an individual human life and life in general is sacred?




sacred
highly valued and important

George Carlin's remarks on the sanctity of life are rather funny. (From "the you are all diseased" tour, IIRC) He's an atheist. No, wait, he said he prays to Joe Pesci, and worships the Sun, so maybe he isn't really an atheist.

DR

 

[ponderingturtle]

So if I avoid the people I've stepped on to get what I want, they'll hopefully die before me and I'll be off the hook.

This is a classic religious approach, that all morals must stem from a higher being enforcing them. It shows a fundamentally selfish approach, that what is best for you personally is best. But if you stop being so self centered and determine what rules work best for a society, and understand that you never know which side of the rules you will be on, you get out of this self centered perspective that requires divine punishment for indiscretion

 

[Orangutan]

My life is sacred to me. The life of my loved ones also. I am capable of empathy so realize that everyone else feels the same way about their life and their loved ones. So it is through mutual understanding and empathy that I see life as sacred.

Edit:
That's why I try to avoid people who seem not to feel the same way.

 

[ponderingturtle]

There are laws (or rules, or traditions) against al kinds of "antisocial" behaviors because they are antisocial, whether a society is advanced or not, religious or not.

I enterpreted this discussion to be about ethics and not laws. There are things that are illegal that I don't think are unethical and things that are unethical that are not illegal.

 

[Upchurch]

Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Christians think human life is sacred because their religion tells them there are connections between it's creation and divine purpose(s).

I hope you are wrong about that. I would like to think that theists would value life whether or not their religion tells them to value life.

Life is valuable for its own sake. Once it is gone, it cannot be returned. That is why I value my life.

I value other people's lives because I consider myself no better or worse than the next guy and I respect the value they have for their own lives. I do this because I want them to respect the value I have for my life.

 

[Taffer]

Well, at least for Buddhists, it can be considered both a religion and a philosophy. Both value life equally, so it doesn't seem to be simply because they are told to.