You already know the answer. The path is living by the Golden Rule. It addresses both your well-being and that of others. It’s not easy to follow in a sick society; but it is the only way beyond that.
So, turtle, in response to Ierrellus’ Are not wonder and awe at Nature some sort of answer? It just may not be answer enough.
You wrote:
So, not to assume, the point you’re trying to make is that you do experience awe and wonder - in other words, you do respond at your core. Is that true?
It just occurred to me and I may be wrong but maybe the sign of a real atheist would be one who doesn’t attack God. How can we attack what doesn’t exist for us? lol
No, god is the exact opposite of nature.
Nature does not change.
Yet god can and does change everything.
God manipulates the universe, bending everything to his divine willpower.
it seems like nature is changing all the time…nature follows certain rules that seem to stay the same…
what I am saying is that nature is god…we don’t know for sure but in order to survive we better understand nature much better…
Nature works fine without inserting God into the equation.
Nature = Nature
God = God
God
noun
1.
the one Supreme Being, the creator and ruler of the universe.
2.
the Supreme Being considered with reference to a particular attribute:
the God of Islam.
3.
(lowercase) one of several deities, especially a male deity, presiding over some portion of worldly affairs.
4.
(often lowercase) a supreme being according to some particular conception:
the god of mercy.
5.
Christian Science. the Supreme Being, understood as Life, Truth, Love, Mind, Soul, Spirit, Principle.
6.
(lowercase) an image of a deity; an idol.
7.
(lowercase) any deified person or object.
(in Christianity and other monotheistic religions) the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being.
2.
(in certain other religions) a superhuman being or spirit worshipped as having power over nature or human fortunes; a deity.
God
a. A being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient originator and ruler of the universe, the principal object of faith and worship in monotheistic religions.
b. The force, effect, or a manifestation or aspect of this being.
A being of supernatural powers or attributes, believed in and worshiped by a people, especially a male deity thought to control some part of nature or reality.
An image of a supernatural being; an idol.
One that is worshiped, idealized, or followed: Money was their god.
A very handsome man.
A powerful ruler or despot.
==
You seem to be defining God against the norm there, friend.
Are you unsatisfied with the above definitions?
You’re speaking like a Pantheist.
Are you one?
As a determinist, I’ve been inclined towards it myself, but the terminology is misleading. So I don’t describe myself so.
God is unchangeable and immutable. God changes nothing. If he is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, then he is not limited by wants need or desires, thus has no need to make any changes. If he were to change something, that would imply that he got it wrong in the first place.
So what you say is a complete contradiction.