In part 1 of this series, we asked how to explain human origins in the absence of God. Since there were no satisfying answers, let’s ask another question: how should we live, if God doesn’t exist?
“Good” Without God?
What characteristics make someone a good role-model? When I was growing up, I wanted to be just like the legendary Apple CEO, Steve Jobs. After seeing the enthusiastic fans and cultural influence of product announcements like the iPod and iPhone, I wanted my life to look like his…until I started learning more about him.
Though Jobs was brilliant and inspiring in public, his personal life was not so aspirational. Despite his career successes, Steve’s biography, written by the author of his own choosing, described him as a cruel ruthless bully who would stop at nothing to get his own way. That didn’t sound very good to me. Even if it meant giving up my dreams of greatness, I didn’t want to treat people that way. Deep inside, I knew it wasn’t right to disrespect other people who were made in the image of God.
But, how did I know unkindness was wrong? Who says we should treat people nicely? Phrased a little differently: if there is no God, what is the moral difference between the actions of a mass-murderer, like Adolf Hitler, and a selfless humanitarian, like Mother Teresa? Without an objective moral standard, it’s all just a matter of opinion.
If we’re truly just random particles floating in an uncaring universe, we have no basis for any claims of “right” or “wrong,” “good” or “bad,” “lies” or “truth.” What right does one rock have to tell another rock what to do? Without God, we have no basis for deciding how to live. If our lives ultimately have no meaning, everything from loving sacrifice to violent assault is just a matter of opinion. But, that’s not all.
Meaningless Minds
If there is no God, what does an opinion even mean? If our thoughts are just the result of predictable natural processes, there’s no such thing as freewill at all. Without God, every thought you’ve ever had was predetermined by the chemistry and physics of colliding particles which were set in motion at the beginning of the Universe.
That’s probably why even Charles Darwin, himself, doubted whether the mind of creatures descended from apes could really be trusted to identify truth. A monkey doesn’t need to be able to think scientifically in order to survive. It just needs to be able to eat, react to threats, and pass on its genetic material. If we’re not made in the image of God, why should we even trust our own minds?
So, in summary, if there is no God:
- We have no basis for morals.
- Humanity has no evidence of freewill.
- There is no rational reason to even trust our own thoughts.
What sort of meaningful worldview can you build on a foundation like that?
The Meaning(lessness) of Life
When I was 16, I spent about 30 hours reading the biography of Steve Jobs. But, if I could write a letter to a younger version of myself, I’d recommend reading a different biography, instead.
The book of Ecclesiastes (which takes less than 30 minutes to read/listen) was written about another great man: the rich and wise King Solomon. Solomon was blessed by God with almost limitless wealth and a brilliant mind. So, what does someone like that do with their life?
Solomon decided to devote his exceptional mind and extensive resources to finding purpose in life without God. He looked for purpose in career advancements by expanding his empire. He tried money, alcohol, luxury goods, and a harem of about 1,000 beautiful women. But, everything just left him empty.
That emptiness is probably why Ecclesiastes is one of the most brutally honest books ever written. Just look how it begins:
Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 “Everything is meaningless, […] completely meaningless! What do people get for all their hard work under the sun?”
In our lives “under the sun” (in a world without God), nothing really matters. Why should someone work hard or be diligent if it doesn’t accomplish anything? When they die, they’ll just pass on their money to people who will probably waste it. So, why should we care about anything? Atheism does not provide a logical reason for humans to value their lives. Without God, it’s all meaningless.
True Meaning
If we’re just the result of random processes, success is no more meaningful than suicide. So, it’s surprising that, after almost 12 chapters filled mostly with hopeless attempts to find meaning, Solomon came to an uplifting conclusion. He found that man can only find purpose by acknowledging his Creator. Here’s the summary of Solomon’s search for meaning:
Ecclesiastes 12:13 ‘Let’s hear the conclusion: Fear God and keep His commandments. This is man’s everything.’
So, how should we live while we’re here? If there is no God, nothing matters, our lives are meaningless, and even our own minds can’t be trusted. But, if there is a God, serving Him is our one and only priority. Nothing matters more than Him.
Part 3 of this series asks what happens after we die, if there is no God.