How I deal with no afterlife

[Lek]

I'm not "special" because I'm going to have an afterlife, but rather because unlike all other creatures on earth, I'm made in the image of God.  Having an afterlife is one result of being in God's image, but even if it wasn't I would still be special because God made me to be special.

You've been watching too many "Veggie Tales."  

Love those Veggie Tales. You haven't been watching enough of them.

[LadyForCamus]

You've been watching too many "Veggie Tales."  

Love those Veggie Tales. You haven't been watching enough of them.

Oh, my two-year-old LOVES them; I see plenty. Go figure...the atheist's son loves the Jesus vegetables show, lol. [emoji14]

[jebus]

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.

I personally just accepted it, but it was a boring time and it had no relevance in my everyday life. now I see prolonging life as a need that should be satisfied and that is more plausible then an afterlife.

[Mudhammam]

But if there is no afterlife, then I would just view myself as a piece of shit who might as well just die anyway.

Technically, you're correct. After your meat decomposes your being will become part of the fertilization process for new combinations of raw material, just like shit.

In the meantime though, you can at least remind yourself that you're capable of more noble thoughts and endeavors.

[Angrboda]

I wonder how the Dinosaurs felt about single celled organisms being the dominant species at one point. Those Dinos must've thought they were so special.

Neither dinosaurs, nor any other non-human creatures, have the capacity to think they are more special than other creatures.

If you're chased by a lion to the edge of a cliff, the crow's ability to fly can look pretty special. It's all relative.

In what way is our capacity to think more impressive than the cheetah's speed, a dog's sense of smell, or a hawk's vision?

[Lek]

Neither dinosaurs, nor any other non-human creatures, have the capacity to think they are more special than other creatures.

If you're chased by a lion to the edge of a cliff, the crow's ability to fly can look pretty special.  It's all relative.

In what way is our capacity to think more impressive than the cheetah's speed, a dog's sense of smell, or a hawk's vision?

It enables us to build cities, find cures for diseases, write books, etc. We can move around in vehicles twice as fast as a cheetah, we can build machines to detect odors that dogs cannot, and we can see clearly from a satellite in outer space what a hawk can see from 100 ft. These animals cannot advance their lifestyles. Even though they do have remarkable abilities, they still do everything exactly as they did 1,000 years ago. Of all the multi-million species that have evolved since life began, only humans have intelligence. We're not just a more advanced species, but rather a special species, set apart from all the other creatures on earth.

[Fake Messiah]

When it comes to death in the family, especially if it's a younger member (meaning not in "usual" dying age period of his/her life) it is not uncommon to see members of that family turn to religion, but that is actually the worst thing you can do. Because turning to mysticism, at that time of weakened morality, empowers those religious organizations that then stand against science and stuff like stem cell research that could have helped that departed person be alive today.

Just imagine if all those people before you that also lost loved one to, let's say, cancer didn't turn to mysticism but remained rational, your member of the family could have been alive today. And I'm not talking about collecting money, but just staying with rationality and science. Turning your back to religion, to drinking some sacred water from places of so called Marian visitation and actually backing scientific research instead of seeking some pathetic illusion that you will meet that person when you yourself die.

[TheMonster]

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.

How do you deal with the fact that there is no after life? The same way you deal with the eternity before you were born. You were irrelevant and non-existent then, you will become irrelevant and nonexistent after you death (upon decomposition).