When you consider the afterlife in all situations is not preferable to oblivion, even that seems to give no comfort (upon critical examination, not when you're one of those la-di-dah heads) but at least as an atheist there should be no reason to be fearful of consequences to follow.
That said, the freedom to choose what purpose in life you fulfill is a wonderful thing, and even if it's as minor as simply having a child and raising them to continue your genetic line, well, there's a part of you that will live on and you'll have started (or continued yourself) a chain reaction that will ripple through time long after your own death. If you spend the time you have doing things you love and enjoy, to the point where you've done everything you've ever wanted, I think there will come a time when you'll feel better about the idea of death. "I did it...I finished the race before time ran out." Because you get to decide where the finish line is, well, you may find it easier to get across it before the countdown ends than others with loftier or more unrealistic aspirations.
If it still bothers you, try constantly distracting yourself with stimuli. It's what I do to combat general depression and lingering angry resentments as best I can. I usually have at least two monitors blaring at me at all times when I'm home or some kind of audio stimulus while I'm out biking. You could also try exercising more, that's supposed to reduce stress. Or talk to a psychotherapist, there's no shame in seeking help for this kind of thing or anything else, really.
That said, the freedom to choose what purpose in life you fulfill is a wonderful thing, and even if it's as minor as simply having a child and raising them to continue your genetic line, well, there's a part of you that will live on and you'll have started (or continued yourself) a chain reaction that will ripple through time long after your own death. If you spend the time you have doing things you love and enjoy, to the point where you've done everything you've ever wanted, I think there will come a time when you'll feel better about the idea of death. "I did it...I finished the race before time ran out." Because you get to decide where the finish line is, well, you may find it easier to get across it before the countdown ends than others with loftier or more unrealistic aspirations.
If it still bothers you, try constantly distracting yourself with stimuli. It's what I do to combat general depression and lingering angry resentments as best I can. I usually have at least two monitors blaring at me at all times when I'm home or some kind of audio stimulus while I'm out biking. You could also try exercising more, that's supposed to reduce stress. Or talk to a psychotherapist, there's no shame in seeking help for this kind of thing or anything else, really.
Religions were invented to impress and dupe illiterate, superstitious stone-age peasants. So in this modern, enlightened age of information, what's your excuse? Or are you saying with all your advantages, you were still tricked as easily as those early humans?
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There is no better way to convey the least amount of information in the greatest amount of words than to try explaining your religious views.
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There is no better way to convey the least amount of information in the greatest amount of words than to try explaining your religious views.
