Atheists: Facing the unfaceable
January 23, 2015 at 10:55 am
(This post was last modified: January 23, 2015 at 10:56 am by Strider.)
I'm about to leave to visit a friend today, but this thought struck me this morning so I wanted to share it.
I think atheists are an admirable, courageous lot. Where all religions have a concept of an afterlife in one way or another (reincarnation, heaven, nirvana, etc.), atheists are about the only ones who face up to the oblivion that death promises without having to resort to fairy tales for false comfort. Many of us were indoctrinated into Christianity or some other religion, deluded with the thoughts of pearly gates and taking a stroll with our dead grandparents in heaven, which makes it all the more awesome that we have transcended this shared delusion and accepted, or at least acknowledged, the ultimate fate that awaits us all.
The prospect of non-existence is, frankly, a horrifying thought when first conceived. It has taken me a long time, but I've come to view death as natural and as necessary a thing as birth. We were born, and we will die. Such is the fate of all organisms. Where others embrace lies and magical thinking, we accept reality. Acceptance of what is natural and true doesn't seem so valiant or courageous a thing, but we're leaps and bounds ahead of the theists who refuse to acknowledge that existence comes to an end.
I think you guys are awesome, and I'm happy to be a member of this community.
I think atheists are an admirable, courageous lot. Where all religions have a concept of an afterlife in one way or another (reincarnation, heaven, nirvana, etc.), atheists are about the only ones who face up to the oblivion that death promises without having to resort to fairy tales for false comfort. Many of us were indoctrinated into Christianity or some other religion, deluded with the thoughts of pearly gates and taking a stroll with our dead grandparents in heaven, which makes it all the more awesome that we have transcended this shared delusion and accepted, or at least acknowledged, the ultimate fate that awaits us all.
The prospect of non-existence is, frankly, a horrifying thought when first conceived. It has taken me a long time, but I've come to view death as natural and as necessary a thing as birth. We were born, and we will die. Such is the fate of all organisms. Where others embrace lies and magical thinking, we accept reality. Acceptance of what is natural and true doesn't seem so valiant or courageous a thing, but we're leaps and bounds ahead of the theists who refuse to acknowledge that existence comes to an end.
I think you guys are awesome, and I'm happy to be a member of this community.
"We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~ Benjamin Franklin
