Why are Christians scared to die?

[scoobysnack]

I think fear of death is pretty instinctive. [...]

Yeah - disgust with faeces is "pretty instinctive" - and for good reasons, because we know, that eating sh*t - just like dying - is not likely to make our existence any better.

You can fool people into thinking, that sh*t is chocolate,  and you can force them to eat it, just as you can convince them, that after they die they will go to a "better place", but deep down - you all know it's bullsh*t (except the few crazies)... Which is why you're so hysterical about people, who refuse to call sh*t - chocolate, or death - everlasting life. Because you know they're right, but you're already scoffed down too much of it, so continuing with this hypocritical, pathetic charade is your only option to "save face" and people without excrement all over their faces make you look bad - so f*ck those kill-joys...

There are people who actually believe, that what the holy books say is true - we call them "crazy". They're the ones who diddle snakes, blow themselves up and otherwise happily risk their lives, convinced, that they'll live forever. The rest of religious people - you're just faking it, hoping that maybe one day your faith will become sincere, as long as nobody undermines it, by openly refusing to part-take in the consumption of the "chocolate log" and calling it what it is...

If you REALLY believed that sh*t was chocolate - you'd be happy, that some "dumb atheists" don't want to eat it - more delicious "chocolate" for you... If you REALLY believed that god and the afterlife are real - you wouldn't look around, before crossing the road. And you would laugh at people who reject religion just like smart people laugh at creationist idiots, or conspiracy nuts. But you don't "believe". You just "hope" - and that's a huge difference...

I know some soldiers that were in Iraq and in special forces. They don't say much because the government doesn't allow them to, or they feel they shouldn't, but they do talk. There's a saying that "there are no atheists in foxholes". Not completely accurate, but they have told me of grown men and soldiers breaking down and crying when they realize there is no way out, and they have to face death. They have been around people that they knew as atheists or at least claimed to be, but when confronted by sudden death freak the hell out and start praying.

Not saying that is evidence of anything in the afterlife, but when you are confronted by death it's a serious situation. What's the closest you have come to death? And don't give me some BS like your mom stopped delivering poptarts to you and your friends in the basement haha.

[ignoramus]

On the conscious surface, no. I believe you are a genuine person.

He's talking more about what is really going on in the replitialian part of our brain.
We have no control over this. 100% instinct. It bypasses any/all indoctrination.

Don't believe me, intentionally walk towards a wall at a constant speed with your arms at your side until you hit it.
The lizard brain will keep you safe and alive.
The lizard brain knows that this is the only life you have.
4 billion years of evolution programmed in your DNA days so.

How can you claim that deep down in my subconscience I "know my beliefs are all BS?" 

Having a natural fear of the unknown and a will to survive doesn't conflict with religious beliefs at all.

You don't know your beliefs are bs. Indoctrination teaches you to ignore the lizard to an extent.
If you did know, you'd be atheist.

We tend to follow our instincts. If it smells like bs, etc

[robvalue]

Instinctive reactions show that our conscious beliefs are not the sum total of our beliefs.

My instinctive part tends to overreact to things that could be a threat, because it doesn't have time to decide whether it is or not before potential damage. So it errs on the side of caution for my benefit, and for that moment at least, the part of me in control believes I'm in danger. My conscious mind is just a passenger during this. However, my instincts aren't acting based on nothing. They have an idea about the kind of thing that can hurt me, so they are still using a set of beliefs, but they are much more willing to jump to conclusions.

My instincts believe that getting hurt, and especially getting killed, is bad. If they believed that actually getting killed would be beneficial as I'd move on to a better life, then they'd let me get run over. But we can't so easily convince our instincts.

Someone who hangs themselves so they can go to heaven to be with their dead parents has managed to convince their instincts as well as their conscious mind. They have overcome all the safety protocols and survival instincts. This is a body truly under such a religious belief, and the results can be devastating.

So my conclusion is that most religious people have a part of them that has significant doubts about the truth of their professed conscious beliefs. Doubt much bigger than the person would generally admit to, if they were making only conscious decisions. Simply put, the atheist part of them keeps them alive even if the conscious part believes in heaven.

[Ivan Denisovich]

I agree. Instinctive is the key word. We all want to avoid pain, and with death there will be pain no matter what. No one really knows exactly what will happen, no matter what anyone says or thinks. Some think nothing will happen and it will just be the end of thinking and consciousness.

No one may really know but nothing points to conclusion that there is something at all after death. Apart religious fairy tales that is.

We are all humans, even Christians, Jews, Muslims, Atheists all have an idea or faith in what they think will happen, but who really knows, that's what makes it scary.

Scary? Not for everyone I suppose.

The closer you are to death, the more real it becomes. Why would an atheist who believes nothing will happen be afraid to die? Even they would fear the unknown, or not being able to be in this existence.

Death is real everyday, though indeed it's something rather abstract. But one could die everyday, as for example car accidents aren't exactly uncommon.

As for atheist being afraid - I'm an atheist and I see no reason for fear. I didn't exist for million of years and after this brief interlude I will not exist for millions of year to come, nothing to be afraid of, just reason to make good use of life.

[robvalue]

This is a question I ask every time this sort of thing comes up and I never seem to get an answer.

A sceptical atheist concludes that this life is fairly likely to be 100% of our existence.

A theist with traditional heaven beliefs thinks that this life is 0% of our existence.

Why on earth would you conclude that this life means more to the theist? The sceptic thinks this is their one and only shot to do anything, ever.

[Wyrd of Gawd]

HN, diplomacy isn't one of your specialties I'm guessing.   He he.
But I'm still struggling to find a reason to disagree with you.

So you agree with him that "deep down I know my beliefs are bull sh*t?"

How are you coming on levitating a tree?  Don't you have any faith?

[robvalue]

If someone is in a foxhole, they don't believe God is protecting them. So it's more accurate to say there are only atheists in foxholes, for all practical purposes.

[Homeless Nutter]

I know some soldiers that were in Iraq and in special forces. They don't say much because the government doesn't allow them to, or they feel they shouldn't, but they do talk. There's a saying that "there are no atheists in foxholes". [...]

Bullsh*t. There are no believers in foxholes. If anyone actually believed, that there is a loving god, who has a plan for them and controls everything - they wouldn't be hiding in the holes. Soldiers know, that god would let them die if they just walked out of the trenches. They also know, that if they stay hidden - the bullets most likely won't find them - even if god sh*ts himself trying to end their lives - for whatever reasons.

Religious people live like atheists 99% of the time. You just bring out the dumb Jesus sh*t when it's safe and nothing really depends on it. It's laughable.

[Homeless Nutter]

HN, diplomacy isn't one of your specialties I'm guessing.   He he.[...]

Diplomacy is for weak-minded people, who need to hedge their bets.

[ignoramus]

Here's something I thought about last night.

OK, God is real. He's omniwhatever!

He has caused more suffering and hardship through natural disasters alone, simply as a product of the butterfly effect.
You see, doing nothing, not lifting a finger, which he seems to be very proficient at, is an action in itself of his chosing.

It's exactly how he wanted things to play out...obviously.
Remind me again why I need to worship him?
That's right... He's a thug who like to threaten us with fear... Poor little weak man...