Where do we go when we die and are you afraid?

[The Grand Nudger]

Something that matters is a special thing by definition. One of the things that makes us special, as you noted, has allowed us to be a wildly successful species.

[Brian37]

Something that matters is a special thing by definition.  One of the things that makes us special, as you noted, has allowed us to be a wildly successful species.

Yes we have been, but at what cost?

Humans also exploit our environments and pollute beyond the planet's ability to absorb our consumption. 

Humans have put humans on the moon. We have found cures for all sorts of diseases. We went from the pony express to text messaging. But we also continue to dream up ways to kill each other. 

Humans are successful, but at the same time, we also fail to accept we are also an invasive species.

No other species could cause global warming. No other species could dream up nuclear weapons. 

I love my fellow human's ability to do good and be compassionate. But until we face we are not an apex, and we are not special to the planet or universe, we will be stuck in our own narcissism. 

It does no good for humans to brag about what we can do, if we don't accept the fragility of the only home we have.

---

I was watching a nature documentary several months ago, and the host made a great point about all life.

"Humans are good at being humans, but we are not good at being penguins".

[The Architect Of Fate]

Do atheists believe in a heaven or hell? A good place or bad place? If not, then what's the purpose of the distinction between good and evil?. I'd like to have a respectful conversation about this.

1.Depends on the atheist 

2.I fail to see how the existence of a heaven or hell would determine good or bad

[Anomalocaris]

Do atheists believe in a heaven or hell? A good place or bad place? If not, then what's the purpose of the distinction between good and evil?. I'd like to have a respectful conversation about this.

No heaven or hell in the afterlife, no after life.  The purpose of good and evil is to create a set of heuristics that, it is hoped, provides a more reliable and universal path to safety and gradual improvement than could be obtained In the the end Purely through cut throat rat like Competition to gain these. 

If this is not obvious to you, you are not equipped for a respectful and useful conversation on the topic.

[Porcupine]

Asking where we go after death is like asking where the music goes when the band stops playing.

Onto a live DVD and/or live Spotify playlist some time later.

[zebo-the-fat]

Asking where we go after death is like asking where the music goes when the band stops playing.

Onto a live DVD and/or live Spotify playlist some time later.

Do I get the royalties??

[Porcupine]

Onto a live DVD and/or live Spotify playlist some time later.

Do I get the  royalties??

Well, the former is kind of getting outdated and the latter? Hah! Spotify may give you scraps if you're lucky.

[LadyForCamus]

I don't believe in heaven or hell. But I do believe in service to other people.

I just don't do it because I am afraid of hell or because i want some reward. I do it because I *care*.

The essence of 'good' is being able to care about others and think through the consequences of your actions. have some compassion.
And those are *human* emotions and motivations.

No afterlife or deities required.

That makes sense. But what makes you care? Why is it considered abnormal not to care about others?

Because I have empathy, just like I assume you do.

[LadyForCamus]

Or you could be the nicest you could possibly be, and in return you get used and lied to for the sake of somebody else's gain. Not everybody follows your "nice" philosophy.

Learning to avoid/ignore those who use others, or lie to them, is an acquired skill.  To start, you may wish to explore the concepts of "codependency" and "enabling".

Happy to see you finally participating in the discussions here! We thought you were a bot for a long while! 😛

[TaraJo]

When I die, my body just dies, rots, decays.  

My mind?  Soul?  Consciousness?  I mean, yeah, you want to get metaphysical enough I'm sure you could make up an argument that something has to happen to those.  I'd kinda like it if I could go to a heaven.... but I don't see any kind of afterlife actually existing.  IMO, my mind is just a result of chemical reactions in my nervous system.  If that nervous system is destroyed to the point that it cannot create those chemical reactions anymore, my mind no longer exists.