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Originally Posted by Infinite_Loser
You, as an atheist, have no predetermined standard upon which you live. Like I've said in other threads, it's much easier to be a moral atheist than a moral theist, because you aren't REQUIRED to abide by any set of rules and regulations.
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The predetermined standard upon which atheists live is the one built by theists. Whether they were pagans, monotheists or atheists, there have been many who contributed to what we understand today as morality and ethics. Atheists evaluate this and make their own judgements based on experience and other forms of learning. There are few, if any, born and raised in North America who completely escape the influence of the foundational Judeo-Christian values upon which this society was built. These are the rules and regulations that act as a baseline.
Atheists merely say something along the lines of: "You were right about this, but wrong about that. Thank you, and no thank you."
And Charlatan has an excellent point. It reminds us that this isn't easy for anyone. Besides, trying to determine who has it harder isn't only beside the point, it is something that is unmeasurable. We could spend our time more constructively, I think.