A Question From Atheists

[nosferatu323]

It seems to me like if you're Buddhist you'd have to believe in some kind of afterlife, otherwise you'd have really wasted the only life you have not developing attachments.

I think there is the concept of life after death in Buddhism, it is believed in Buddhism that you will enter a new realm according to your Karma after your death. Either a step lower (more suffering) or a step higher(more peacefulness). In Buddhism, Samsara (death and rebirth) is an endless and infinite cycle. Some attain Nirvana and escape from the cycle by attaining absolute peacefulness, some remain in Samsara and alternatively enjoy/suffer the ups and downs eternally.

I think it doesn't implied by Buddhism that "you shouldn't develop attachments to attain something better after death" in fact it is believed in Buddhism that if you want to remain in Samsara you need attachments otherwise you cannot remain, the more is the attachments the more you will progress in your next birth. Lots of good attachments (good Karma) pushes you very high in peacefulness, lots of bad attachments (bad Karma) pushes you very high in Suffering. But if one chooses to end the endless cycle he can do so by releasing from all attachments, good or bad, to attain Nirvana.