MovieChat Forums > The Theory of Everything (2014) Discussion > What is love to an atheist?

What is love to an atheist?

posted 10 years ago by lca-blog
226 replies | jump to latest

I watched the movie today and it got me thinking a lot. The idea of having nothing after dead and no God gets me to think of something.

I googled my question to google and I came up with this. http://www.strangenotions.com/atheists-love/

I'd like to hear your opinions on this. My intentions are not to offend atheists. I just want to understand how it works.

By the way, Stephen Hawking is a perfect example of the 'problem of evil' - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil - a common hypothesis to why there is no God, I believe.

[–] Elliot1976 10 years ago

Humans exist for about 1/4 million years. Judaism and Christianity only exists for about 5000 years, plus billions of people don't believe in these religions, not only atheists.

Does that mean all these humans in hundreds of thousands of years didn't know what love is?

Quadruple facepalm.

[–] melora72 10 years ago

You didn't love anyone until you were old enough to understand God? That guy thinks that when you were three your hormones made you love your parents and siblings. Your being a sociopath and having no moral compass or love without God or Jesus telling you how to feel is your problem, not that of Atheists. Sorry.

[–] sweiland75 9 years ago

Godbotherers do not have a monopoly on love. If you think there is any correlation then you do not understand what Atheism means.

[–] Eva_Marrie 9 years ago

The sooner we're rid of religion the more love and peace we'll have in this world.

[–] Elemental_Mind 9 years ago

The sooner we're rid of religion the more love and peace we'll have in this world.

What compels you to love, and love the world? We know natural selection does not make you love someone. Natural selection and the effects of evolution allow people to bond with each other in order to preserve social grouping and cohesion of the Human population on the surface of the Earth. So again, love is something that goes beyond natural selection. So why love? Is it some social contract to love? Is it buying into Pride and love for others in the social media? Is it some innate feeling to love for no reason, when everything has reason? No, it goes deeper. Love is actually spiritual. It is God that speaks within the genome, to which he created. God did not create religions, humans did. By eliminating religion, people will act in a way that is in accordance to God, and that means the atheist, if he/she was wrong about God, would still be seen as God to be accepted into Heaven. After all, Jesus said he prepared a place for sinners in Heaven - "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.". Jesus definitely had no interest in the religion; he looked beyond that. He is the only person ever on Earth to claim he came for all people, regardless of who they were. That makes him unique, and his teachings universally transcendent.

[–] rrb_1 9 years ago

Is the OP actually suggesting that one must believe in an eternal God in order to love? If so, what a brainwashed moron.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] hadok 9 years ago

I don't think it's possible to offend any atheist with your question but I do feel a bit offended that someone that seemingly can write and communicate could ask such a stupid question. I don't mean to offend, it's just that your question is extremely stupid.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] malus-5 9 years ago

From an objective viewpoint I believe love is simply some chemical reactions in the brain. From I subjective viewpoint: a feeling. Simply. Just as strong as when Christians feel love. It's hard to explain from a subjective viewpoint. It's very powerful and irrational.

"Dort, wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man auch am Ende Menschen." - H.H.

[–] vagibonds 9 years ago

Listen if you don't have anything to add, please stay away. I said everything there was to say.

[–] Dark_Star09 9 years ago

God has nothing to do with Love.

http://www.imdb.com/list/ls079023906/

[–] elzosmid 9 years ago

"What is love to an atheist"
Excuse me? What is love to a religious person? It's not like religion has a simple description or explanation, nore does it have a monopoly on it. Suggesting that anything of faith has to do with love, or that it explains it, is false.

Or are you one of those that think that an atheist "doesn't believe in anything"?

It's a ridiculous question.

Of course love is more than "instinct and hormones", just like a movie is more than photones hitting your retina and music more than vibrations of your ear drum.
Love is what you experience as a result of it.

+++ Hey, I know what a restraining order is. I had girlfriends before, you know... +++

[–] katiefanatic-791-306918 9 years ago

i'm not really understanding the relevance of the question in this thread. atheists don't have a problem with love, they have a problem with tangible things they cannot see or feel. i as a disabled person used to think i was an atheist because i pitied myself and said 'why would god do this to me?'. as i got older and my condition worsened, i handed myself over to god as i said 'clearly i am not in control of my own life so do with me what you will lord'. that doesn't affect my ability to love anyone else though.