“This is a victim mentality.” No, it’s realistic. There are many diseases and disorders for which there are no cures. Some of them have manageable symptoms to varying degrees. There are inoperable cancers, there’s Parkinson’s, there’s Ebola. Luckily I have nothing so serious. And sometimes there are symptoms for which no cause is apparent.

Regarding career: It just isn’t that important to me. I work so I can pay rent, eat, and do things that I enjoy. Moving up a corporate ladder or making piles of cash don’t matter that much, as long as I have enough.

“What is the purpose of life if you don’t have faith that God is out there and that all this is part of a bigger plan?”
To live. To enjoy your life and make of it what you will. There is no inherent purpose, only purpose that you give yourself. You live on your own terms, not the terms of a mythical being.

“Is humanity just a random occurrence?”
Not random, though chance plays a part in evolution. We, like every other species, are the result of a long and arduous process of mutation, heredity, and survival.

“You say that you don’t need faith to find purpose, meaning or morality, but it seems to me from your comments here that you lack faith and purpose.”
I have many purposes, just none that correspond to those you listed here. The main one, for me, is creating music.

“I’ve chosen to build my life on a strong foundation of faith. I’ve got meaning and purpose. What is your life built upon?”
My life is built on creating, on learning, and on enjoying the time I have. As I said, we define our own purpose.

“If there is no God, then why live a moral life? What’s the point?”
Morals hold society in check. They create a sense of safety and security, which has helped us, historically, to survive and thrive. There is a reason there are so few species that prey on their own members. Such a species would likely wipe itself out.
Without gods to give us a helping hand, it is up to us to help ourselves and each other.

What utter nonsense. Faith in the supernatural is irrational and unnecessary at best. It might be comforting to believe in an invisible god and the fanciful stories and promises that accompany him(?), but it does not make him real. Suspending all logic in order to believe in the supernatural is not necessary to make one happy, successful, or fulfilled. I am kind and generous to others not out of fear of retribution from a vengeful god; instead I act decently to others because I possess empathy and compassion. God does not enter in to the equation.

Also, when you speak of “God,” which god are you referring to? Zeus? Apollo? Vishnu? Why are you an atheist towards these gods but not the invisible god you worship? Your article was compelling at first, but you just couldn’t resist proselytizing and digressing in to irrationality.

Second, I acknowledge that not all of what is in this article applies to everyone. You’ve noted that. Please disregard whatever isn’t helpful to you.

Third, what sticks out to me about your response is that you don’t seem to have any purpose or direction in your life. You ask, “What am I supposed to be moving forward towards?” regarding your career. I think this is an important question that you need to answer for yourself. What are you moving towards? Don’t you want your life to count for something? What are you passionate about? Go make a difference somewhere! You have value, skills and insight that will advance the cause of your choice. Apply yourself consciously and you will see a clearer future.

In regards to automating your personal finances, I don’t have a problem with automation. However, you should NOT set and forget forever. You have to monitor and adjust.

We agree on retirement and health so I’ll skip those except to address your comment of “…sometimes there isn’t much you can do.” I’d disagree. This is a victim mentality. It sounds like you’ve accepted defeat. Don’t stop fighting! You are worth more than that. In every situation, there is always more that can be done.

Finally, I respectfully disagree with your opinion of spirituality. Faith is very important. What is the purpose of life if you don’t have faith that God is out there and that all this is part of a bigger plan? Is humanity just a random occurrence? You say that you don’t need faith to find purpose, meaning or morality, but it seems to me from your comments here that you lack faith and purpose. It seems you are wandering aimlessly. I’ve chosen to build my life on a strong foundation of faith. I’ve got meaning and purpose. What is your life built upon? If there is no God, then why live a moral life? What’s the point? I’d really recommend that you read Mere Christianity to help answer some of these questions.

I hope this gives you a few things to ponder. Thanks for commenting and for giving me the chance to respond directly!

Have a great day!

Spouse – I have none; not applicable.

Career – What am I supposed to be moving forward towards?

Personal Finances – Some people would say that automating your finances is a good thing, not a bad. Not the same thing as ignoring them, of course. I’d argue that accumulating debt like you describe is WORSE than autopilot; it’s like crashing intentionally. I’m working on this one, paying off debt.

Retirement – I need work on this one. I have no retirement savings. I’m 28, and more worried about paying off debt first.

Health – Very true. I have health issues which have been examined and no concrete diagnosis came out of it. Alas, sometimes there isn’t much you can do.

Spirituality – I would say “last, and certainly least.” You don’t need faith to find purpose, meaning, or morality. It might help some people, but this idea that it’s something we all need is nonsense.

@Dustin – It is true that you can’t give every area of your life your full attention all the time, but there are certain areas where neglect can have an especially ill effect. I’ve tried to point those out here. However, even in these areas you don’t have to devote 100% of your attention to them constantly. You just need to be consciously managing them on a regular basis to stay on course.

Thanks for your great comments!

And thanks for the link to Engaged Marriage!
Dustin | Engaged Marriage´s last blog ..7 Ways Children Teach Us About God