Although it's rarely stated outright, a common objection people have to atheism seems to be the fact that atheism doesn’t allow them to think of themselves as being special in the universe. Religious theism often includes doctrines about gods singling humans out for special treatment; atheistic philosophies don't.

Douglas Rushkoff wrote:

It’s ... hard for people to contend with the great probability that we are simply over-advanced fungi and bacteria, hurling through a galaxy in cold and meaningless space. Our existence may be unintentional, meaningless and purposeless; but that doesn’t preclude meaning or purpose from emerging as a result of our interaction and collaboration.

If we could stop relating to meaning and purpose as artifacts of some divine creative act, and see them instead as the yield of our own creative future, they become goals, intentions, and processes very much in reach--rather than the shadows of childlike, superstitious mythology.

With religious theism, you don’t have to do any work to think of yourself as special or to experiencing meaning in your life — you just have to accept that a supernatural god which created the universe already thinks that you are special and has already imbued your life with meaning. Atheists don’t have this luxury; instead, they have to actually work in order to accomplish things and then they can feel good about themselves or thereby find meaning in their lives.

The reality is that meaning or purpose in our lives can only come from us, even if gods of some sort exist. Meaning and purpose are based upon what we value and values must come from within; they cannot be impose from the outside. Pretending that meaning and purpose require gods is merely a way to shift responsibility away from oneself, thus avoiding dealing with the difficult task of creating what we need ourselves.

 

Read More:

• Atheism 101
• What is Atheism?
• Who Are Atheists?