Orthodox teaching asserts that the fullness of human existence is impossible without the recognition of the Creator and the understanding of the highest spiritual reality.

The Divine Source of Fulfillment

Orthodox teaching asserts that the fullness of human existence is impossible without the recognition of the Creator and the understanding of the highest spiritual reality. From this perspective, the denial of divinity—the foundation of an atheistic worldview—results in an atheist's life appearing limited, incomplete, and devoid of the primary source of true Reason and spiritual wholeness.

For example, one source provides the following definition of atheism: "The essence of the teaching of atheists lies in the negation of the Deity, in denying the possibility of the existence of a perfect Reason, and consequently, its influence on the life of nature and man. The entire universe, according to this teaching, is nothing but matter, movement, and form." (source: link txt). This emphasizes that refusing to acknowledge the divine principle limits the understanding of the world to physical-matter categories, while Orthodox teaching views God as the source of perfect Reason, which grants life its completeness.

Furthermore, another excerpt from the same text highlights the moral and spiritual consequences of such a worldview: "Preaching unbelief, atheists advocate for the thoughtless exploitation of earthly goods, mad selfishness, and desperate merriment." (source: link txt). Orthodox teaching not only rejects this approach but also considers it a deviation from the higher moral guidelines and ideals linked to the divine Principle. Consequently, atheists are perceived as "incomplete," as their worldview overlooks the eternal and spiritual aspects of existence that form the foundation of life's fullness according to Orthodox tradition.