How I deal with no afterlife

[Primordial Bisque]

I said it demeans the value of me as a human being since it is treating me like nothing more than a biological recyclable material.  I am here for a while, then forever rot and decay since it is a part of the cycle of nature.  I am nothing more than some biological material just here to live and be recycled in the end and that, to me, is utterly insulting and demeaning of me as a human being.

Some would say that it is not since I came about through billions of years and that should somehow be the opposite of demeaning.  They would also say that I am a once in a lifetime and that should be the greatest thing.  But it still doesn't matter.  The fact still remains that I will just forever rot and decay when I die and that, to me, is still the most insulting and demeaning thing.

Therefore, it doesn't matter how much I choose to focus on the good about this, the fact will always remain that I will just forever rot and decay and that will always get to me.  But thankfully, I remain undecided on the issue as to whether the eternal blissful afterlife (heaven) exists or not.

If I knew that there was no afterlife, then I would be absolutely enraged right now since I would feel utterly insulted and demeaned by the very fact that I would forever rot and decay when I die.  Therefore, there is actually no reason for me to feel insulted and demeaned because why feel so over something that is unknown to me?

Why be upset over something that may or may not even be true according to my undecided agnostic worldview?

You don't rot and decay forever. It's just for a little while, and you'll stink to holy hell when it's happening. Feel better?

[Silver]

The very fact that there is no afterlife is the very reason one should make the most of what one has to offer in life.

Theists screw with their brains too much with the idea of god; that is the problem.

One should always live as though there is no tomorrow, because tomorrow is never a guarantee.

[LadyForCamus]

Wrong thread.

[SuperMarioGamer]

I said it demeans the value of me as a human being since it is treating me like nothing more than a biological recyclable material.  I am here for a while, then forever rot and decay since it is a part of the cycle of nature.  I am nothing more than some biological material just here to live and be recycled in the end and that, to me, is utterly insulting and demeaning of me as a human being.

Some would say that it is not since I came about through billions of years and that should somehow be the opposite of demeaning.  They would also say that I am a once in a lifetime and that should be the greatest thing.  But it still doesn't matter.  The fact still remains that I will just forever rot and decay when I die and that, to me, is still the most insulting and demeaning thing.

Therefore, it doesn't matter how much I choose to focus on the good about this, the fact will always remain that I will just forever rot and decay and that will always get to me.

What is treating you that way? Reality is demeaning and insulting you? What world do you live in?

To me it is insulting and demeaning to have me just die and that be the end of me.  Some people don't find that demeaning and insulting, but I do.

I said it demeans the value of me as a human being since it is treating me like nothing more than a biological recyclable material.  I am here for a while, then forever rot and decay since it is a part of the cycle of nature.  I am nothing more than some biological material just here to live and be recycled in the end and that, to me, is utterly insulting and demeaning of me as a human being.

Some would say that it is not since I came about through billions of years and that should somehow be the opposite of demeaning.  They would also say that I am a once in a lifetime and that should be the greatest thing.  But it still doesn't matter.  The fact still remains that I will just forever rot and decay when I die and that, to me, is still the most insulting and demeaning thing.

Therefore, it doesn't matter how much I choose to focus on the good about this, the fact will always remain that I will just forever rot and decay and that will always get to me.  But thankfully, I remain undecided on the issue as to whether the eternal blissful afterlife (heaven) exists or not.

If I knew that there was no afterlife, then I would be absolutely enraged right now since I would feel utterly insulted and demeaned by the very fact that I would forever rot and decay when I die.  Therefore, there is actually no reason for me to feel insulted and demeaned because why feel so over something that is unknown to me?

Why be upset over something that may or may not even be true according to my undecided agnostic worldview?

You are defining yourself as a piece of biological compund.

Humans are more than that. Remember that we think. We are not a mindless sponge in the sea.

Thoughts, feelings and ideas are abstract. And our value is there, within our thoughts. 

Look around you. Almost everything in the universe is inert, an only us can think (as far as we know). That is where why we are so awesome. Do not dimish what you are. If there are gods in this universe, it us. The only difference is we evntually die.

It doesn't matter, I am still a biological product to be disposed and recycled of and that is what is insulting and demeaning of me as a human being.

I said it demeans the value of me as a human being since it is treating me like nothing more than a biological recyclable material.  I am here for a while, then forever rot and decay since it is a part of the cycle of nature.  I am nothing more than some biological material just here to live and be recycled in the end and that, to me, is utterly insulting and demeaning of me as a human being.

Some would say that it is not since I came about through billions of years and that should somehow be the opposite of demeaning.  They would also say that I am a once in a lifetime and that should be the greatest thing.  But it still doesn't matter.  The fact still remains that I will just forever rot and decay when I die and that, to me, is still the most insulting and demeaning thing.

Therefore, it doesn't matter how much I choose to focus on the good about this, the fact will always remain that I will just forever rot and decay and that will always get to me.  But thankfully, I remain undecided on the issue as to whether the eternal blissful afterlife (heaven) exists or not.

If I knew that there was no afterlife, then I would be absolutely enraged right now since I would feel utterly insulted and demeaned by the very fact that I would forever rot and decay when I die.  Therefore, there is actually no reason for me to feel insulted and demeaned because why feel so over something that is unknown to me?

Why be upset over something that may or may not even be true according to my undecided agnostic worldview?

You don't rot and decay forever. It's just for a little while, and you'll stink to holy hell when it's happening. Feel better?

If there is a heaven and a hell, then I would go to heaven since I am nice and kind towards other people, I keep to myself, and don't harm anyone else and don't make their lives miserable.

[purplepurpose]

SuperMarioGamer, you must earn eternity, if its exists. Bible and other religious scriptures demand from people to give so much, that its extremely rare that people actually seriously try to give up their earthly pleasures to persue ideal lifestyle according to religion, which leads to "heaven".

I personally don't see a reason to persue spiritual rewards, when I need simple money.

[Monalisa Dey]

If I am special and have value as a human being, that creates a major conflict for me.  This conflict would be that for such a special and valuable person as myself to just forever rot and decay away would be the greatest insult to my value and specialness as a human being.

It would be utterly demeaning of my value and specialness.  It would be just tossing me away like trash.  So in order to resolve this conflict, I would have to deem myself as nothing special at all and of no value.  However, if I am immortal and do get to live forever in heaven, then there would be no conflict.

So, in short, if there is a heaven for me to live forever in, then I would deem myself as valuable and special since that conflict would not exist.  But if there is no afterlife, then I would just view myself as a piece of shit who might as well just die anyway.

This would also apply to the relationship I have with my own family and how I view other human beings.

hey Gamer,  wats your point? If there is no afterlife, then that actually makes living this life more easier!!

It does not mean that you cant live this life to the fullest..

[Casca]

Living in the here and now means you don't have to think about the end. Thinking about others in this world helps ease the worries about what happens to you when you die. Thoughts of an afterlife can be comforting, but so are thoughts of Superman when you're a child. They are equally fantasy, because there is no proof that they exist, but hey, who's to say there's no planet named Krypton that just exploded, and a baby savior is on his way?

[Jehanne]

As an atheist, I am thrilled at the prospect of an afterlife, frolicking around an endless Heaven with beautiful angels full of unconditional love in an eternal, endless and everlasting bliss; however, at the same time, it's kind of like hoping to win the lottery without ever having played it.

[Qwraith]

What exactly do you think will happen when the time comes? What do you envision the afterlife to be like? There's nothing necessarily about an afterlife ensuring happiness/pleasure/tranquility/what-have-you. Unless you're referring to the Christian afterlife?

I can tell you right now that nothing of what you are in this life survives into heaven, at least when taking the idea to its logical conclusion.

We must ask ourselves what is it that moves on to the afterlife if not our physical bodies? What is a soul?

I'm going to paraphrase one of my favorite public atheist speakers, Mr. Matt Dillahunty. If you've heard this before, please forgive me:

Everything we attribute to a soul can reasonably, based on what limited knowledge we have of the brain, be attributed to one's personality. When one is giving, we call them a kind soul. When one takes advantage of others, we say they have an evil soul. So, we know that a soul and a personality are mutually inclusive. The soul, in terms of science and philosophy, is a long dead concept. So, what is a soul?

Everything we know about one's personality can be altered by damage to the physical brain. Cut off the left hemisphere and suddenly you're not so rational. Cut off the right, and you'll have difficulty with creativity. So, if the brain dies, so dies the personality. What we know of ourselves; our memories, our experiences; don't survive into the afterlife, at least from a logical perspective.

Then, what can this magnificent place be like? If we no longer have our personalities, are we not shadows of our former selves? What can this be like? Mindless spirits roaming around billowy clouds? Fun...

Nevermind the notion of everlasting happiness and only happiness, this place sounds fairly monotonous.

To me, the idea that everything we are in this life can continue on in some kind of glowing husk devoid of thought, is the insulting and demeaning take away. It quite literally strips us of everything we are in this life.

[Sal]

I don't care too much about trying to find meaning in life.

Besides, I'm of the opinion if we existed forever in some sort of conscious state in an afterlife, existence then would be entirely meaningless. Endless repetitions, no moment different from another, and eventually perpetual boredom.

Life is precious exactly because it is limited and fragile, IMO. Depends on how you look at it, I guess. Someone might think because they don't live forever actions won't matter because they won't be around to see their effects for long, even if our actions in life will echo for eternity in their impact on the Universe.

I live for the moment, although life is ultimately meaningless, that doesn't stop me from creating meaning in my own life.