Dealing with Death as an Atheist

[Simon Moon]

TBH, death scares the shit out of me :/

Why?

You won't know when it happens, and you will then be in the same state you were in for the previous 13.7 billion years when you did not exist.

[Hatshepsut]

It appears to me that atheists feel the anxiety of death a little more than the average theist.

I'm not sure that's true. When the real crisis hits, theism and atheism themselves don't even matter anymore. Everything reduces to a struggle to draw the next breath, continue for the next minute...not much time for philosophical reflection at that point.

I think as most people get older, deep down, look forward to their death, because their health begins to decline and life isn't as enjoyable as it was when they were young...

In spite of the life ride's losing its pleasures, I'm not looking any more forward to it now than I was 30 years ago. I do take some consolation in the fact that you only have to do this once.

[Marsellus Wallace]

TBH, death scares the shit out of me :/

Why?

You won't know when it happens, and you will then be in the same state you were in for the previous 13.7 billion years when you did not exist.

I won't know when it happens, but i know that it will certainly happen at some point. Something that never existed and then not existing is not like something that existed for a while and then never existing again.

[Jericho]

I'm over this whole fear of death thing. At least when it hits me, I won't have to deal with all the petty shit that happens in life.

[dahrling]

I think if you ever had the desire to suicide you learn how to deal with death differently.
In a way, Christianity saved me. The fear of hell kept me from killing myself.
Now I see the irony of it all

[Jericho]

I think if you ever had the desire to suicide you learn how to deal with death differently.

Well, if I am being honest, I did think about suicide…twice in my life. Perhaps sometime I will actually discuss why with you guys.

Anyways, I never did it (obviously) because I was scared. Not of hell, not of death, but of pain…and I couldn't think of a feasible way for me to do it. I have no shame in saying I was too cowardly to take my own life.

Either way, I am mostly over my depression now and am no longer suicidal. Glad to be alive.

[dahrling]

I think if you ever had the desire to suicide you learn how to deal with death differently.

Well, if I am being honest, I did think about suicide…twice in my life.  Perhaps sometime I will actually discuss why with you guys.

Anyways, I never did it (obviously) because I was scared.  Not of hell, not of death, but of pain…and I couldn't think of a feasible way for me to do it.  I have no shame in saying I was too cowardly to take my own life.

Either way, I am mostly over my depression now and am no longer suicidal.  Glad to be alive.

I planned my own suicide many times. But something was always missing. A bottle of pills, a bottle of alcohol, a bathtub   And I didn't want to just jump in front of a train - I also feared the pain
I'm glad you are over your depression and happy to be alive   We only get one shot to live after all 

[Jericho]

want to just jump in front of a train - I also feared the pain
I'm glad you are over your depression and happy to be alive   We only get one shot to live after all 

True words. I definitely appreciate life a whole lot more now that I don't believe in an afterlife.

[Thumpalumpacus]

It appears to me that atheists feel the anxiety of death a little more than the average theist. I collaborated with many other artists to create something that illuminated this issue:>snip<. As atheists, I am interested to know how you are affected by and deal with the prospect of a definitive end to your existence. Any thoughts?

Moderator Notes: Please review our rules, specifically our 30/30 rule.

Death doesn't bother me. I've dealt with cleaning it up in others, and I've faced it myself.

How am I affected by the definitive end of my existence? I stop existing. I don't remember disliking that time before I was born. I don't think, on that basis, that the time after I die will be remarkable.

How do I deal with the prospect? I live my life and don't worry about shit I cannot control. 

As for your perceptions of atheist anxieties, who cares? It's a pretty trollish way to open your post. If that wasn't your intention, perhaps you should rethink how you communicate with your target audience. Imputing feelings to complete strangers on the basis of one's own limited experience is pretty arrogant, and unlikely to garner friendly replies.

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Alla fine del gioco, il re e il pedone tornano nella stessa scatola.

Italian proverb

That's badass.

[vorlon13]

In the early days of GRID, HTLV III, ARC, HIV and AIDS, I went to (IIRC) at least 2 Shanti weekends. It was part of the AIDS Buddy training and I don't regret doing it. (Met a BF at the first one)

We discussed Kubler-Ross, did death visualizations, some weird New Agey stuff and had some counseling pointers for talking to HIV patients if they wanted to bring up that topic.

At one of the weekends, the presenter revealed his + status and the disturbing circumstances surrounding his sero-conversion. That was tough.

The attendees were gays, Lesbians, care givers, and family members of some of the clients in the buddy program.

As for subsequent (and prior and concurrent) events regarding losing 40 of my friends and acquaintances to HIV, it was truly a miserable experience. Even somehow taking Brian off the list, it was still awful. The Grim Reaper and I go way back, almost wish he were real, he's got some 'splainin' to do.


Regarding my demise, being shot by an extremely jealous Sam Elliot for fucking his boyfriend Robert Redford, and then Elliot fucking me as I bleed out, would be about as good as I could hope for. Failing that, dying in my sleep would be a distant second place.