To atheists, deists and agnostics: Do you ever worry about hell?

Question

Or are you sure that theists are wrong..?
Or don't you worry because even if the religions are true, you won't be punished given the fact that there is no definite proof of God's existence and because you already live a decent life and you think that's the only important thing..?

Answer 1

Never worry about it. If fear of it is your reason for believing, I pity you.

Answer 2

First off you are falsely claiming that all theists have or give credence to hell. The truth is that very few religions have a concept of hell. It has only been in modern times, and with the spread of the three abrahamic religions that hell has become a widely known concept.

Second, the concept of hell is inconsistent with a omnibenevolent and just god. A finite crime never deserves an infinite punishment. Also, we never chose to play this game of salvation, and we were never given a real reason why we should believe. We only have the word of other theists, and man is quite fallible, so faith is NOT a just or rational basis to decide the worth and merit of an individual.

Finaly, no I never worry about hell, because like all of the other religions that you have dismissed without a seconds thought or research, I dismiss yours. The only difference is I have studied those other religions and have come to a conclusion based on interpreting the facts, not feelings.

Answer 3

I don't worry about it at all. I'm agnostic but I was raised Christian and had lots of Bible study. I developed my own doubts about Christianity before I left and since leaving and reading Biblical criticism I am only more convinced that it is at best an imperfect, man developed picture of God. Most of my disbelief is based on logical, specific, factual disputes, inconsistencies, and contradictions but on a much more gut fundamental level I don't believe. I just don't believe an all powerful, supposedly loving deity would be so petty as to burn his children in a hell, especially if they were good people who just followed the wrong religion or questioned. Think about it from the viewpoint of a parent, would you ever sentence your child to eternal suffering and torture no matter how badly they behaved? I think you would find most parents with a child on death row would like to see them spared regardless. I am skeptical but trying to keep an open mind about God, I continue to read religious materials and if anything convincing comes along I'd like to think I'm open minded enough to change my views. If there is a God though I think that living a decent life is more important than faith. I mean really, God would prefer some hateful person who did nothing with their life but believe in God and spew to others how they were going to burn in hell all the time over a really wonderful person who spent their life helping others regardless of belief but had doubts about religion because of the lack of evidence ? Or even some heartless, multiple murderer who in the last days accepted Christ? I'm not saying I don't think God would forgive that persons sin but that God would punish the good person who didn't come to faith? Hmm---if there is a God I don't buy this.

Answer 4

That'd be like worrying about Thor hitting me with his mighty Mjolnir or that the Lernaean Hydra will bite my @ss. Really, it's all myth to me. I worried about hell (and the devil) when I was a child and still was a believer, I was scared of the wolf that lived in my bathroom at night as well (this after mom read Little Red Riding Hood to me). That's all gone now.

Living a good life has nothing to do with an afterlife reward, since I don't think such thing is possible. Living a good life is about being rewarded here, by making a better place to live for me, friends and family. I think we have to take care of our society and environment right here, right now, since that's what we will inherit to our future generations and their living standards will depend, in part, in what we do now. A better society is of my interest.

Answer 5

I never worry about hell.. I don't believe it exists. I respect that you have the right to believe as you will so I would never tell you that you are wrong to believe as such. However, I will believe in the manner correct for me.

I'm a good person and I lead a good life - not perfect but good. I love my family and friends, I volunteer for charity and I work hard at my job. I am very satisfied with my life.

Answer 6

How would you worry about something you don't believe in? I do joke about going to Hell and ruling there (cuz I'm such a sinner). But for the most part I live a decent and moral life. And Heaven and Hell is just a human's reaction to fear of death.

Answer 7

There is no definite proof "God" exists. You can't be preoccupied by something that doesn't exist. I am not worried about aliens attacking the Earth, I do not worry about druids in the forest. Agnostics and the rest do not spend one second of any day worrying about hell.

Answer 8

one has to belive in heaven and/or hell in order to have to worry about it. thats the beauty of being an atheist, deist or agnostic. you can belive in a idea, any idea and you can change that idea. you can have an open mind about anything and everything. your not closed to any options or have to belive one way or another because the person who came up with youre specific religion says so. im sure some are afraid of the hell they belive in and othere arent afraid of what they belive dosent exist.

Answer 9

personally i hate atheist and theist so if their truly is a hell im going to it because of such stupid answers like "religion is insane, if that is the case then sanity itself is insane, life is not guided by reason, because humans and their minds will always contain irrational and unreasonable thoughts, thus the purpose of sanity is defeated. It is a thought brought into this world hoping for an advancement of a people that will ultimately destroy themselves."

or that " god guides everyone to wherever they go in life, he is always their and loving everyone hip hip hory joy joy jolie joe" way to unbelievable " born athiest anyways.

Spitting in your face as you read this,
Agnostic Evan.

Answer 10

As I've said before, the First Circle of Hell is where I want to go! That's where all the righteous unbelievers will be according to Dante -- Socrates, Plato and people like that. And, anyway, I'm Jewish and we don't believe in Hell.

Answer 11

The only hell I fear is the one we are turning this world into through intollerance and greed. If there is a god and he bases our fate on belief in him rather than the good we try to accomplish for those alive today and those yet to be born, then he's not as compassionate or wise as people believe him to be.