Atheists have to live with the knowledge that there is no

Julian Baggini, philosopher of our age, spoke with stark clarity when he declared: “Atheists have to live with the knowledge that there is no salvation, no redemption, no second chances. Lives can go terribly wrong in ways that can never be put right.” These words are heavy, yet they are not without nobility. They speak of the burden carried by those who walk without faith in eternal life or divine forgiveness. For them, existence is finite, choices are irreversible, and consequences cannot be washed away by sacred absolution. To such a soul, life is not rehearsal—it is the single stage upon which all must be performed, and there will be no encore.

The origin of this thought lies in the heart of secular philosophy. Baggini, writing as a humanist, seeks to reveal the depth of courage it takes to live without leaning upon unseen promises. For believers, there is often hope that wrongs may be redeemed, that failures may be forgiven, that after death there lies another chance. But for the atheist, there is only the weight of this world, and every mistake echoes finality. This is not said to despair, but to awaken: that one must live fully awake to the gravity of time, for none can call it back once it is spent.

History offers us witnesses to this truth. Consider Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who, though not an atheist, embraced a philosophy that denied eternal paradise. As a Stoic, he believed in duty, reason, and the fleeting nature of life. His Meditations remind us that we must live each day as though it is our last, for when it is gone, it is gone forever. There is no promise of another world to repair the mistakes of this one. In him we see the echo of Baggini’s words: the wise must live as though redemption is not guaranteed, but must be crafted here and now, in the choices of today.

Yet this vision, though severe, is also liberating. For when there is no second chance, every first chance becomes infinitely precious. When there is no cosmic redemption, then every act of kindness, every word of truth, every choice of courage becomes sacred in itself. The atheist may say: “There is no salvation to save me if I fall.” But he may also say: “Therefore I must live with greater care, greater passion, greater integrity.” For if this is the only life, then it is holy by its singularity.

The meaning of Baggini’s words is thus twofold: they are both warning and summons. They warn that lives can go terribly wrong, and that some wrongs may never be undone. They summon us, however, to live with eyes open, not wasting hours in vanity, not excusing cruelty with hopes of later absolution. They call us to responsibility, to vigilance, to the heroic acceptance that our fate is in our hands, and our deeds cannot be erased by divine decree.

The lesson for us is this: whether believer or unbeliever, do not squander life imagining that there will always be tomorrow. If you have wronged, seek to mend it now, while breath remains. If you have dreams, pursue them now, for the years are short. If you love, speak it now, for silence may last forever. Whether or not one believes in eternal redemption, every soul knows the truth that some moments never return, and some chances, once lost, are gone.

Practical steps flow from this truth: live with urgency, but not haste; with care, but not fear. Do not delay apologies, for time is merciless. Do not hoard kindness, for tomorrow may not arrive. Do not leave undone the good you can do today. Let your life be a record that needs no rewriting, for it will not be rewritten. This is the courage of those who live as though there is no second chance: to write each day boldly, knowing it will stand forever.

So let Baggini’s words echo in your heart: “There is no salvation, no redemption, no second chances.” Do not hear despair in them, but awakening. For if this life is the only one, then every breath is precious, every act is eternal in its weight. Live, then, as though this moment is sacred—for indeed, it is.