Religion doesn’t have a monopoly on providing a sense of purpose in life. Instead, we can give purpose to our own lives. Taking care of our loved ones, helping needy humans or non-human animals, fighting for good causes (e.g., freedom and justice), striving for moral excellence, contributing to science, music, literature, art, or other areas of enduring human culture — such things can provide the non-religious with a sense of purpose in life.

It’s worth noting, too, that life without religion can be meaningful and have purpose even though it’s not lived for the sake of getting into Heaven or some other desirable afterlife. Trying to get into such an afterlife may indeed provide some people with meaning and a sense of purpose in life. However, trying to secure one’s own place in a desirable afterlife isn’t necessary for having a sense of purpose in life, or for having a meaningful life, because life without religion can be rich in the non-religious sources of purpose and meaning in