Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Austin Dimmig on June 2, 2011 at 6:46am

I don't believe in an afterlife because there is zero evidence for one. But at the same time I hope that there is something after death because an afterlife hasn't been disproved. Same way a religious person could say "I hope there is a god, but I can't be sure". (I personally hope there isn't a god, although anything is possible until disproved.) I don't let this change the way I live my life though. I just live my life to the fullest, and contribute to mankind the best I can. I don't look forward to death, but I know I am going to die and I'm okay with that. If I just end that sucks, but at least I lived. Think of the millions of minds that never got to reach there teens? I am happy that I did. If I get hit by a bus tomorrow then I'll get to find out what's after death. All logical conclusions lead me to believe that there is nothing. Again, nothing is impossible until it is proven impossible.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kristian David Gore on June 2, 2011 at 9:59am

I can think of nothing more horrific than to be aware forever. I often wonder about religion and weather it is fear of death that drive people to it or fear of life. When we have limited time then we really have to do something with it. We have to experience everything we can and learn as much as we can in order to pass that knowledge on. We have to leave things better than we found it and make our mark. That is the responsibility of life that comes with our intellect. It isn't about death or being afraid of death and ultimately we fear not that we will die but that we will die before we are ready. How long is enough because the more time we have the more we waste and if you feel you have an eternity of consciousness then you have no need to get things done. We can die at anytime and to me I have to live so that when that death comes I can say I have lived. When you have lived then death is less scary.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wade C on June 2, 2011 at 10:59am

Doesn't our insignificance and meaningless existence also tell us how we got here? More than likely, we originated from a single celled organism that was carried to a big spinning rock by another rock with Hydrogen and Oxygen aboard. Before that, our atoms and elements were created by nuclear fusion in a dying star. We quite literally came from a supernova. Now we are multi-cellular intelligent beings that consume gaseous compounds to survive. But what's also great, is that we have a mind. We are self-aware. We have a conscious will to survive and understand. We have love and kindness. We have created synthetic life. We are gods. 

 

It might all be meaningless. In the sense that nothing is meaningful. But, how will we find meaning unless we use this intelligence for progress? Unless we understand love and desire meaning? Unless we realize that religion is digressive and shameful. What good can come from living according to the standards of such ignorant and violence ideals? 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Loop Johnny on June 2, 2011 at 11:41am

Ignorance is bliss.

 

I create meaning in my life with the marks I leave. My body and mind will die eventually but I can leave my marks on the world by either making scientific research, volunteering, interacting with other people, donating, making a kid and so on. Apart from my achievements and the consequences my actions have, I do not get to live by. This way my actions can reverb in the future, thus making my life meaningful.

 

We are what we do, basically. We just stop doing it when we die. What we have done during our life remains.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Akshay Bist on June 2, 2011 at 6:02pm

Most people want to leave a mark, an impression. Most people want to be noticed. Isn't that why people are fascinated by famous people?

As long as it doesn't become an obsession, don't see anything wrong with it.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by choSenfroZen on June 2, 2011 at 11:56am

 "once I kick the bucket, I'm gone. All I'll be is wormfood and happy memories to a mournful group of friends and family."

 

 4 years ago as my Mother was dying of cancer, these were my  fears for her and myself.

It was during these last few months that I discovered my "hidden atheist" heritage. She convinced me that life is about those memories and those family and friends. The life you live is the reward, after that we just cease to exist. She said she made the most of her life, a lot of it she was secretive about, (Germany during the war), but all she knew was that she had a full life , she helped create 4 people, as a nurse she saved people. SHe said her life was full and now blind and cancer ridden she was worn out, tired and done.  

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Reed Byers on June 2, 2011 at 1:44pm

For what it's worth, I've always had a phobia about death.

 

Actually, phobia is too mild a word.  Anytime I allow myself to actually THINK about the subject, I fall into a massive panic attack that spirals downward, worse and worse -- and the only way to stop it is to FORCE myself to think about something else.

 

It is Very, Very Bad.  (Over the years, I've built up a bit of a defense mechanism, such that I can usually manage to avoid thinking about it, even when skirting the topic as I am now doing.)

 

The crux of the problem is, I can't stand the thought of ENDING -- but I also can't stand the thought of FOREVER.  Both thoughts are horrid to me -- so I just avoid the whole thing.  No sense ruining our lives NOW, over a problem we can't do anything about.  The problem's insoluble; therefore it doesn't exist.  QED.  :)

 

And yes, I agree with you that ignorance IS bliss.  Going along with the crowd and mindlessly being a Christian would be much more "comfortable" and "peaceful".  It's just that some of us place a higher value on TRUTH.  Denying reality doesn't CHANGE reality.

 

(I don't DENY that death is really The End.  I know full well it is.  I just don't think about it, because it makes living the life I DO have much more unpleasant.)

 

As to the question of a higher "purpose" or "meaning" to life, THAT is one that doesn't faze me in the least.  My life is what I make of it; I feel no need to be important on a cosmic scale.

 

I make a difference to those around me.  I fight on the side of reason and rationality, in a culture that prizes the exact opposite.  I help run a local humanist group.  I edit a monthly newsletter, read by HANDFULS and HANDFULS of people, that is mainly singing to the choir on the topic of atheism and humanism.  The code I write make people's lives easier, at the university where I work.  And my wife prefers a world WITH me, to one WITHOUT me.

 

So, you know, it's all good.  :)

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Greg Meboe on June 2, 2011 at 2:35pm

Ronbun, please consider what is the worth (or life purpose) of a spider.

Next, please consider the same as it applies to a dog - someone's beloved pet.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cecilia on June 2, 2011 at 3:24pm

There is a lyric from an "English Beat" song that, for me, sums it up nicely:

"being dead don't hurt, no, only dying"

 

For me I can say I have zero fear of death, of being dead, and what happens to my body, well, whatever.... the worms or the flames can have at it - I care not because "I" will no longer exist to know anything about it or to experience it....but yes, the process of dying scares me no end...the possible physical pain, the emotional pain of knowing that "I" will never see the people and things I love....but it is only the existing "I" that will experience these things, the non-existing"I" (if that concept even makes any sense) could care less

 

another thing...one (perhaps more, haven't read all comments yet) mentioned technological advances that may allow us to live "forever" and I ask, why, why ever would anyone want to live forever??

 

and, I do ultimately think that life is meaningless...but so what? 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Nathan Sanders on June 2, 2011 at 4:34pm

Hi Ronbun, I'm new here so I'll keep it short!

I too think about death sometimes and indeed it scares me, it scares me to imagine no concious thought going through my mind, to not have experience any more and to lose a lifetime of knowledge, the most precious thing, apart from my friends and family, I can think that I have.

But recently I realised that what scares me the most about it is the unknown. I can't imagine what it must be like to be dead, I've never experienced it! But I consider myself lucky to be alive at at all. Richard Dawkins puts it better than I could here.

 

My advice would be, focus on what you enjoy in life, make that your priority, whether that's making the most of being with your friends and family or learning about the world around you. And I don't mean the things which just make you content, like watching TV or eating pizza, do the things you actively love! After all if there is no meaning, make your own, and what better to make it than things you love!

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Akshay Bist on June 2, 2011 at 5:59pm

Better that atheists drop it than fall into a theistic trap of thinking about life and death like a religious person.

Its the intent & the context in which the word is used that counts & not the actual expression itself. I don't see anything wrong with using these expressions & terms. They have the advantage of 

Many scientists use the term god sometimes. Einstein did. But they don't mean god god, but a metaphorical god. Here god is used as an expression to mean something great, extraordinary, maybe something that they can't explain. Legendary mathematician Paul Erdos spoke of "The Book", an imaginary book in which god had written down the best and most elegant proofs for mathematical theorems. Lecturing in 1985 he said, "You don't have to believe in God, but you should believe in The Book." He would refer to god as the Supreme Fascist or SF. He accused the SF of hiding his socks and Hungarian passports, and of keeping the most elegant mathematical proofs to himself. But he himself doubted the existence of god.

I've mentioned in a few other threads, the meaning of words can change over time. Inventing & using new terms can be cumbersome. Its better to change the meaning of words. After all, not too long ago gay didn't mean homosexual. And what better way to beat theists by taking their vocabulary & changing the meaning of those words?

Also, death is a reality. We all know about it & have experienced it in our lives, though not our own death(except a few people who have been brought back from being clinically dead), but the death of a relative or friend or neighbor or colleague or a pet. And that is where most of the regrets & fear about death come from. Wish I had spent more time with..., wish we could have patched things before...., etc etc. And when someone dies unexpectedly, like in an accident, its a chilling reminder of how easily life can end. Its these experiences which color our views about death.

What you are talking about is what happens after death. That is something we can never be certain of, but pretty much like Russel's Tea Pot, there is very little possibility of any kind of life after physical death.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Akshay Bist on June 2, 2011 at 7:13pm

Death is not actually a thing.  It's a concept.  It's an idea in our heads.

Are you saying you believe in some kind of afterlife? Mind body duality?

Unless you believe in those concepts, then you have to agree that the mind or brain stops functioning when the body ceases to function. And then, living being to whom that body belonged to, is said to have died. Thats death. Is there anything after that? Unless you believe in an afterlife or mind-body duality, then thats the end isn't it?

Death is defined as the permanent cessation of vital bodily functions. Unless you are using your own definition of death, then you're wrong. Death exists. It is a reality. Even if you are using your own personal definition of death, you're wrong, because others here aren't.

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• Next ›
• Page