Where do we go when we die and are you afraid?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

She won't be back.

[downbeatplumb]

Do atheists believe in a heaven or hell? A good place or bad place? If not, then what's the purpose of the distinction between good and evil?. I'd like to have a respectful conversation about this.

When we die everything ends for us. 
I'm good because I'm a nice person.

---

Thank you for taking the time to write that even though I am thoroughly confused now    : )

And in regard to not fearing death, how I wish I had your confidence. It would be great for my mind to be at ease but I'm always wondering "what if?"

By the way, I've always wondered, Why don't atheists TRY to believe? The way I see it is, you've got nothing to lose. (Although false faith is not a good thing).

You cant make yourself believe in something that I find quite frankly to be ridiculous. And anyway which of the 3000 religions should I force myself to believe in?

[Nay_Sayer]

Because in this life pain/suffering is bad/undesirable and pleasure/contentment is good/desirable. I can scarcely believe that people such as yourself need this pointing out to them in this day and age. Wow.

I do know this. I'm asking for the sake of procuring answers from someone other than myself. I promise I'm not THAT stupid. or maybe I am and i just don't know it yet : )

---

Shazza - next to "religious views" you wrote "he exists" - which god are you referring to? Thor? Zeus? Perseus? Ganesh? Vishnu?

Xhe with a capital 'X'


And I only know Xim by FSM/Cheesus. The rest are fictional.

FIFY
RAmen

[polymath257]

Oh shit. Did you just say evidence....   out come the pitchforks

It's hard evidence to me, even if its all theoretical to you.

---

Jealous, not selfish.

I feel like you're new to this. It's never a good idea to witness on an atheist forum, but if you have to do it, please study your material properly first and then come witness.

Sure thing. I really hope you're all wrong about this. because it's scary to think that we're doing all this living for nothing

Then do something with your life.

The fact that life has an end doesn't make it pointless. It makes it precious. It becomes that effervescent piece of beauty that cannot be recaptured.

And that means *you* get to *choose* how to live your life. YOU get to determine what you consider to be worthwhile and do things to promote it. You become a link between the past and the future. How are *you* going to add beauty to the world?

My standard analogy is that of a candle. It gives light and warmth, but eventually it goes out. Does that mean the light and warmth were for nothing? Of course not!

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Sure thing. I really hope you're all wrong about this. because it's scary to think that we're doing all this living for nothing

Guess what. The universe doesn't give a flying fuck at a rolling donut about what you hope.

[possibletarian]

I'm always amused by the 'what if you are wrong'

https://youtu.be/l2i7JH8ocio

---

Sure thing. I really hope you're all wrong about this. because it's scary to think that we're doing all this living for nothing

If you are going to place all value in this life in a life which is to come, you have already given up on value in this life, which is why you so desperately long for the next. I on the other hand refuse to waste my life in a hope of the next, but instead seek to make this one the best I can.

[Alan V]

Do atheists believe in a heaven or hell? A good place or bad place? If not, then what's the purpose of the distinction between good and evil?. I'd like to have a respectful conversation about this.

I have an atheist friend who believes consciousness continues after death, but I do not.  I think consciousness is an emergent property of a complex brain, and when that brain stops functioning, consciousness disappears.  Dementia cases, anesthesia, and sleep studies show consciousness can deteriorate and disappear even in life. So the evidence shows consciousness is brain-dependent.

I therefore do not believe in heaven or hell.  Good and evil are relative to human concerns.  When we die, we are beyond such considerations because we have no further needs. Consciousness was evolved to serve the needs of a physical body.

I'm afraid of dying, like most everyone. I'm not afraid of the state of nothingness called death.

---

I will never understand atheism. It just seems like a sad life.

Atheism is simple. Atheists don't believe in gods or God.

Life is sad for theists too, since life is unfair. But really, atheism has little to do with what we might prefer. We don't think theism makes any real sense.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I give up. I will never understand atheism.

You have to try before you succeed.

It just seems like a sad life.

Seriously? I never needed a god or gods and I've rocked this planet like you never will.

[sdelsolray]

I don't wonder at all.  If I am naughty to other people, I will be treated poorly by them.  If I am good towards people, I will usually be treated well.

Have you not experienced these phenomena before?


Yes you could, particularly if "eternal damnation' is merely a fictional human invention.  However, you in real life your experiences would likely also be horrid.

Or you could be the nicest you could possibly be, and in return you get used and lied to for the sake of somebody else's gain. Not everybody follows your "nice" philosophy.

Learning to avoid/ignore those who use others, or lie to them, is an acquired skill. To start, you may wish to explore the concepts of "codependency" and "enabling".

[Brian37]

Do atheists believe in a heaven or hell? A good place or bad place? If not, then what's the purpose of the distinction between good and evil?. I'd like to have a respectful conversation about this.

Where does a cockroach go when it dies? Where does a poisonous Cobra go where when it dies? Where does a black widow go when it dies? Where does a bacteria go when it dies?

NOWHERE!

ALL life is finite, including humans. We are not special. We are not an apex. We are simply ONE species among countless that have existed in earth's 4 billion year history and a Johnny come lately species at that. 

Stating that ALL life is equal in that it is all finite, isn't claiming that humans cant have morality or empathy or compassion, WE CAN. And in evolutionary reality humans wouldn't have survived without such attributes. 

Saying life is finite, and all life is, is not fatalistic or pessimistic. Humans matter for sure, but part of that is accepting that we are not special. What matters isn't old mythology, but a value of knowing our environment, our planet is the only home we have and to value it, is to know we cannot abuse it or presume we are invincible as a species, WE ARE NOT.