Is religion nihilist?

@avatar6v7,

avatar6v7 wrote:

The ultimate purpose is simply the Good, happiness being part of this

Then please explain "the good".

@jknilinux,

jknilinux wrote:

But my point is that God's plan is bleak/nihilist because it uses happiness -an animal feeling telling me to keep eating and such- as an ultimate goal. Perhaps that's technically a purpose, but it's too bleak and meaningless for me. Kind of like saying our purpose is to learn how to build a car.

BTW, you're nihilist anyway, aren't you? Your last sentence seems to imply this.

I do tend to believe that it's best to have no beliefs - so I suppose I am.

I do kind of acknowledge a 'god' as a handy metaphore for fate and the unknown.

But at heart I'm a pessimistic nihilist.

And I'm happy with that.

Smile

As to your other point - I suppose religious believers would feel that if happiness is a tool of god's it is not 'something for telling you to keep eating'.

1 Reply

@jknilinux,

jknilinux wrote:

Then please explain "the good".

It explains itself. See above.

1 Reply

@avatar6v7,

It is good or right to be One with Nature.
But if you say it is good to be One with God,
for surely Nature or God are One or All are equally the Same;
From the historical and present wrongs of religion, many would not agree.
Religion for many has turned God to nihil.
Imagine that!

=
MJA

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@Dave Allen,

DA:

So you don't feel happiness when you eat, etc... ? Or, is there another form of happiness we feel that God uses as a tool?

1 Reply

@jknilinux,

jknilinux wrote:

DA:

So you don't feel happiness when you eat, etc... ?

I certainly do! To the continuing detriment of my waistline.

I also feel it whilst appreciating good art, or learning something new, or meeting someone I find good company, etc.

I don't see a nihilist outlook as being incompatible with a joyful outlook - "even if it is all just chaos there is still love, there is still humour" as BS Johnson said shortly before he committed suicide.

Or, more seriously, as Watson said to Dawkins: "I don't think we're 'for' anything, we are just products of evolution. You can say life must be pretty bleak if you don't think there's a purpose, but I'm anticipating having a good lunch."

Quote:

Or, is there another form of happiness we feel that God uses as a tool?

I don't know - I wouldn't wish to speak for someone who believes in a God with this sort of interventionist slant.

Some might point out that happiness is often a temptation to evil or sinning. Perhaps they might even theorise certain types of happiness as a sort of hangover from some point in mankind's spiritual past, like the Fall or something.

I would personally suppose happiness to be a tool of our genes - finely gauged by evolution into prompting us into behaviour most likely to help us survive and reproduce - but that would be a digression...

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@jknilinux,

Religions can often define happiness in uncommon ways.

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@jknilinux,

DA-

I agree. Happiness is a tool used by evolution, telling us to eat and sleep and do other stuff, which is why it's so disturbing for me to think that to experience it forever is our purpose.

So, one possibility we seem to be aiming toward is that "good" happiness is the carrot God gives us to pursue in this life, and by pursuing it and ignoring "bad" happiness we are learning the things we need to in order to actually achieve our true goal.

jgweed-

Very true. Most religions seem to have a "right" happiness and a "wrong" happiness at the core of their beliefs.

btw, edited the first post here with your disclaimer. TY!

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@avatar6v7,

Most religions are nihilistic to me.

They are meaningless. Do this, do that..you will get eternal happiness..for no point other than you obeyed a set of rules..and there is no point to eternal happiness.

There is no point to this life, that leads to eternal happiness.

It seems to be more about avoiding that other place..that reaching a point of happiness.

It's hell..that gives religion is "purpose".

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@jknilinux,

I do wish people would stop blackening the good name of nihilism by associating it with religion.

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@Dave Allen,

Dave Allen wrote:

I do wish people would stop blackening the good name of nihilism by associating it with religion.

Nobody outside of the most insane corners of academia thinks nihilism is a good thing.

1 Reply

@avatar6v7,

Words of nothing are worth nothing and words of One are worth All.

=
MJA

1 Reply

@jknilinux,

Avatar-

Could you explain your definition of good once again? I don't think I understood your point in your post on what good is defined as. Thanks.

MJA-

What do you mean?

DA-

I must agree with avatar, Nihilism hardly has a good name

1 Reply

@jknilinux,

Nihilism is nothing and One is everything or simply is.
Truth is. Don't you know?

=
MJA

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@Dave Allen,

Dave Allen wrote:

I do wish people would stop blackening the good name of nihilism by associating it with religion.

"The term nihilism is sometimes used synonymously with "anomie"to denote a general mood of despair at the pointlessness of existence".

Dave, the above quote is from Wiki. Considering all that we could do to improve our existence, do you think nothing can be done? I am assuming of course the above quote is a standard as it relates to what "nihilism" means. I will admit I have a hard time understanding some of the terminology associated with philosophy. What I would like to ask you is how you relate this with the "good name of Nihilism"? What "good" can be achieved from any construct that is deemed "pointless".
Thanks,
William

1 Reply

@jknilinux,

MJA- how does that relate to the topic?

So, out of curiosity, does anyone here think happiness is our ultimate goal?

1 Reply

@William,

William wrote:

"The term nihilism is sometimes used synonymously with "anomie"to denote a general mood of despair at the pointlessness of existence".

Dave, the above quote is from Wiki. Considering all that we could do to improve our existence, do you think nothing can be done? I am assuming of course the above quote is a standard as it relates to what "nihilism" means. I will admit I have a hard time understanding some of the terminology associated with philosophy. What I would like to ask you is how you relate this with the "good name of Nihilism"? What "good" can be achieved from any construct that is deemed "pointless".
Thanks,
William

Well, I was attempting to be ironic when i claimed nihilism had a good name.

But my overall point would be as mentioned earlier - all the things we enjoy in life would be just as enjoyable if there is no eventual point to existence.

So there's no reason to see why a nihilistic world view need be joyless - quite the opposite really, to my eyes...

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@MJA,

MJA wrote:

Words of nothing are worth nothing and words of One are worth All.

=
MJA

trite but meingless.

1 Reply

@Dave Allen,

Dave Allen wrote:

But my overall point would be as mentioned earlier - all the things we enjoy in life would be just as enjoyable if there is no eventual point to existence.

no they wouldn't. If I feel my life has direction and purpose I feel happy, when I feel it lacks it I feel unhappy regardless of how many pleasurable experiances I have, and that is sufficent alone to disprove such a point.

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@Dave Allen,

Dave Allen wrote:

Well, I was attempting to be ironic when i claimed nihilism had a good name.

But my overall point would be as mentioned earlier - all the things we enjoy in life would be just as enjoyable if there is no eventual point to existence.

So there's no reason to see why a nihilistic world view need be joyless - quite the opposite really, to my eyes...

Thank you Dave. Forgive me in not perusing the entire thread for I missed your earlier statement. IMO, the point of our existence is to create a reality in which all will enjoy life as they eagerly anticipate a better tomorrow. In my eyes, there could be no better life.

William

0 Replies

Is religion nihilist?

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