Do atheists have their self-esteem so low to think that after they die their bodies discompose and thats it?

Question

Atheists don't believe in God, so their purpose in life is different from mine. I read answers from people that seem absurd to me about their purpose in life, since is practically the same thing I want in life and the rest Christians want.

Christians believe that after their death they will be with God. That's their purpose of their lives, believe in Him to then be with him. Live live normally but by making God happy. When they die, their families make them a funeral and then bury them, and their families believe that their souls are in a place better than this complex world with God.

Atheists & Company on the other hand, don't believe in God, so their purpose in life is " Live and Let Live" "Be a good Person" "World Peace", anything they consider positive but with the absence of God in their lives. Then Finally when they die, if they believe in Funerals ceremonies they make one, and then bury the cadaver in the ground, until it decomposes for years and years and turns in jus

just dusts and bones.

Where the soul goes? Is that it? Is that the end of everything?

Don't you think that humang beings are important? Don't you think its weird we are here, forgeting about theories and verses. Don't you believe that our lives and the whole world worths A LOT , to just Live and Die? Turn into dust and thats it?

Is your soul going to be trapped in your coffin if you have one? Is it going to remaind in the ground?


As a person I appreaciate myself and the ruman race, I value it. I think there is somethig better than this world. Our prize is not just live and that's it. There's something better out there. I am too important and I have gone through a lot to just live to then die and convert into bones. I feel my soul is going to a place better than this. We werent put into this world to just follow and endeless cycle.

nhbaritone I am not talking about dolphins here not that I am better or superior than you. I am talking about your existence in this planet. Have you ever tough why are you here? Who put you here? What is your true purpose in life? Why you are the way that you are? Why there is a balance between good and evil in the world? Why we live, and we die? Why life began? Why we are something instead of nothing? Why we exist? Why Who What Where? Not How, Why? This questions go beyond science. Science is never going to give me a philosophy answer that lets me understand my existence and why am I here.

Correction: philosophic*

Becca, I am not saying that we shouldn't appreciate live. Didn't I said that we should live life normally, to the fullest, but by making God happy? But is it absurd to think that after ending this life with triumphs and struggles I am going to just convert into dust?

People with this mentally are conformed with little. Don't they deserve a prize for what have they done in life and who they are as people?

Answer 1

It is unfortunate that your religious training is mainly oriented to trying to make you feel superior to others. That is not what religion should be doing. And by attempting to show your beliefs are superior to an apostate's position, you end up showing some of the weaknesses of belief.

True. Atheists don't believe in a God. They see no evidence of a God and they trust their knowledge and ability to think over what others tell them is true.

They don't think there is a "purpose" to life in the sense of one given to them by some higher being. But that doesn't mean they don't have a "purpose". Their purpose is simply what they create themselves. They are humans just like you so if you strip away your beliefs you would find that they use their purposes pretty much the same way that the best Christians or Muslims do, they care about others, the highest ideal of any human.

The reason why caring is important to them is the same reason it is important to you. We are social animals and that is the way we are, we care about others. You think your beliefs justify your caring but your caring came first. And your beliefs actually diminish your ability to care because you spend too much energy on dividing humanity into believers and non-believers or believers of one faith versus another faith.

The problem with belief is that it cannot be verified or substantiated by any reliable means. No proof of the existence of God has ever been considered valid by reasonable people. The same is true about heaven, hell, demons, etc. This means that one belief is no more authentic or meaningful than any other belief. To an atheist all beliefs are nonsense.

It seems very strange to put the most trust in the very thing you know the least about. To an atheist that is contrary to reasonable behavior.

Honesty is more important to atheist than belief, no matter how comfortable that belief may be or what promises it makes. That tends to show that atheist are brave and caring people and that believers have some fairly obvious flaws in their behavior that they need to work on.

I hope this helps you understand the position of atheists better.

Answer 2

It's not low self-esteem...its understanding.

Yes, when I die, that's it. The corpse rots, and feeds the insects. The insects feed larger creatures and so on, and so on. Funeral services and wakes are for the living, to help them deal with their loss. Religion doesn't need to enter into it. Ceremony doesn't need a godhead to be valid.

The things you list as an atheist's purpose in life are kind of general, but I don't think many would argue with you. We, as a whole, strive to be better for ourselves...not what you consider god.

Your comments after the question raise a few issues though. First of all, atheists don't believe in souls. That's a human conceit to explain what happens after death, caused by a fear of the unknown.

You ask if human beings are important. The fact of the matter is, no, not really in the grand scheme of things. For the moment, there is no proof of life anywhere else in the universe. When you take into account the sheer size of the universe, humanity is pretty insignificant, and the fact of the matter is, if it was wiped off the face of the planet tonight, the planet would still circle the sun. To believe that humans are the most important part of anything except human concerns is pretty arrogant. Humans are just one part of nature, no more and no less. Our only true purpose in the grand scheme of things is to make more humans.

Answer 3

The main thing you have to remember is that we ALL have different interpretations on what happens after death. If you're really secure in your own faith why do you feel the need to say others with a different view as having "low self esteem"? People are different and it amazes me to no end how you Christians are so quick to condemn those who don't believe like you do. What's wrong with being a "good person" and wanting "world peace"? I choose to live the life I have now the best way I know how. Whatever happens after death happens. The sooner people quit bad mouthing those with different beliefs, the better place this world will be.

Answer 4

I believe that what I die, my consciousness will go out like a candle does when it is blown out. There is no soul, etc. But why does that mean that I have low self-esteem (many of my friends would say differently)? I am the one that decides my purpose in life: to love, to learn, to teach, to experience. This is not dictated by some mythical super-father, it is something that I have given thought to and decided for myself. That is what makes it meaningful to me. The simple fact that my life is ephemeral does not rob it of meaning. If anything, it makes it all the more rich and full.

Many people seem to think that if humans aren't the most important thing in the universe, then all is meaningless. That if we don't last forever, then it is irrelevant. I beg to differ. We get to decide for ourselves what matter to us, as humans trying to make our lives better. We have to take responsibility for our actions and realize that those we care about are affected by how we live our lives. We have to care about others, not because God says to do so, but because we are human and share our natures with the other humans on this planet with us.

Answer 5

1. humans are important
2. how do you know there is a soul?
Athiests live for the life of the Now, some for good, some for ill. They do what they feel is right, but not because of an after punishment.

3. how big is your ego?
many religions (including most sects of Christianity) believe that animals do not have souls, they have spirits. As such, they do not go to heaven. Some people cannot reconcile that.........

4. live for death?
"Christians believe that after their death they will be with God. That's their purpose of their lives, believe in Him to then be with him."
right there is a powerful arguement for atheism! I'm to be rewarded in another life that there is no garuantee I'll see.......... If I sent you an email promising you money on my death bed if you sent all your worldly possessions to me today......... would you reply? or am I a nutjob?

5. Many atheists don't have funerals or burials
I have a few friends that were cremated, two were turned into gems........ their way of contributing to beauty after they died

6. Yes, the wants and needs of Christians and Atheist alike are very similar.......... this is because there are fundamental truths that do not need to prescribe to one religion. they are basic for survival......... and survival is the most basic need of all.

Answer 6

I don't need the promise of a fictional afterlife to make the life I'm living more important. Reading a lot of posts you see how a lot of christians claim they can't wait to get to heaven.. they put more emphasis on what will happen after they die than before. We live on the earth and that is where the focus should be.

I do not believe there is anything after death so I will make the most of my life and my time here on earth. And, actually, my self-esteem is just fine.. I am a very happy person.

Answer 7

I think it's a bit of a misnomer to assume that believing that your identity ceases to exist after your death is a result of "low self esteem." Rather, it's the other way around; if you believe your soul won't transcend your mortal existence, you'll feel less important in the grand scheme of things.

Anyway, there's nothing contradictory to Athiests beliefs. Perhaps it is depressing, but if someone is willing to accept that belief then by all means. Personally I think it's a lot less depressing than believing the majority of the world's population will go to hell and suffer for all eternity.

But I'm agnostic, so I'm not convinced that either is the case, or that either ISN'T the case. So what do I Know?

Answer 8

It's nothing to do with self esteem. U really need to talk to more atheists. We believe there is no god for many different reasons, it seem illogical to me, too many gaps in the bible, science making a lot more sense, i just don't get how ppl can believe in god, the same way i am sure u dont get how atheists can't. We do believe we just decompose in the earth, after death there is no more. I'm glad to see u trying to understand, that is a very good thing, more ppl on this site should follow ur example.

Answer 9

I think your argument is one of the fundamental reasons we have religion at all. But yes that seems like the most likely thing unless you choose to make leaps of faith just to make you feel better. And personally I believe in living for what is rational no matter how it makes me feel. And as a buddhist I don't think we have souls at all, it is the very bases of Buddhism. I'm undecided about the whole death thing but most intelligent people should be right? I.m not sure if we reincarnate until we become enlightened then just disappear or if we live once and then just disappear. If you read into it they both seem like rational theories.

Answer 10

Does a world with no war sound better? Yes, so the world does not have war. No, it does. Just because something sounds better, does not make it true. I have great self esteem. Atheists live life to the fullest, and live for this life. We do not waste our time and limit ourselves for superstition. Does being able to shoot fire from you hands not sound great? Well it is still fantasy. The point to religion is to make it sound good so people join. If there is an afterlife, I will be with the FSM by the beer volcano.