Why atheists should kill themselves?

Question

Three times this has happened to me, I have said to someone that I do not believe in god and the person I told (who did believe in god) said "really? Why don't you just kill yourself now then? What do you have to live for?"

This, to me, was the most perplexing and unexpected response I could have ever gotten. Then I got the same response again, and later yet again.

Why do people who believe in god feel that way (and feel that it would not be wrong for someone to kill themself)?

I honestly do not understand how these people reached this conclusion and this has baffled me for years.

Answer 1

What you have witnessed is a failure of imagination, pure and simple. Because they are so engrossed in their religion, they cannot fathom that someone could take on a different world view.

This means that they have stopped choosing to believe. Their faith is so ingrained in them that they can perceive no other options. Perhaps it makes sense to consider faith that is not chosen the result of brain washing, but I may be stepping over the line in suggesting this.

Answer 2

They aren't being literal. They don't really intend for you to kill yourself but are just trying to make a point. (I don't agree with this snotty approach that some Christians take by the way.) They are challenging you to "put your money where your mouth is" and act on your beliefs, and they know that most people when they really face death, suddenly have more questions about what happens next and few are willing to stick to the view that God absolutely does not exist.

Answer 3

Well think about it. If you are not created in the image of God. And you are nothing more than a cosmic accident, destined to oblivion, with nothing to look forward to as you age except the gradual decay of your body and the eternal separation from all that you have cared for in this life, then what rational basis for hope can you have? What kind of dignity can possibly result from a truly irrelevant existence? One consisting of no lasting meaning of significance? That is what the Nihilist concluded when taking their philosophy to its logical conclusion. That suicide was far more preferable than prolonging the agony.

Answer 4

I've had that response, too, and been called every vile thing under the sun multiple times. No matter that I am a married mother of three who does her best to live a morally good life and take the very best care of my children that I can - I'm a scumbag.

The responses I get from many believers only reinforces my belief that any religion is a cult, and a highly hypocritical one at that.

NH Baritone: Very, very interesting!

Answer 5

Another question, why do they feel they can talk to someone like that? Those that do, are they the type of people who are missing some part of their social skills? One of those disorders that causes them to not recognize and judge words and situations properly?

Really, ignorance like that is why the majority of non believers don't often talk about our own beliefs (or lack of). No one wants the bad luck of coming across a crazy person who would kill you because of who you are.

Answer 6

well hmmmm. maybe it's the same kind of mindset as when Christians say "if you don't believe in God why not just go out raping and murdering?" apparenly without an omnipresent overseer watching their every move Christians are apt to do horrrible things so maybe it's that Christians can't imagine life being worth living without having the constant attentions of a super being and a promise of eventual glory in heaven.
maybe their egos are just as a fragile as their morals.

Answer 7

I don't think that at all. You are entitled to your own beliefs as we all are. People can live for other things than god.
I'm sorry that someone has said that to you, it would piss me off too.

Answer 8

Religious would not be religious if they were capable of rational thought in this matter.
I don't understand why the religious are not offering us weapons and begging us to speed them on their way to heaven. It could be done in a nice way. their relgious leader could hear their confession and as soon as they had forgiveness, bang! gone to heaven! no time to backslide or commit a sin by mistake.

Answer 9

Well, first off, you shouldn't kill yourself, because tomorrow you could ask for and receive the gift of faith in God.

And it is when you receive the gift of faith in God that you come to understand how what you had faith in before--be it other people, yourself, the (illusory) ability of money, romance, prestige, glory, etc., to make you happy...whatever--pales and dims and recedes from view like it was nothing.

In other words, when God gave me the gift of faith in him, I came to realize that all I loved before was all but dead, since I was nearly dead. The only thing alive in me was that I was vaguely seeking. But where I put my hopes, love, energies, faith--well, I put all that stuff in the entirely wrong places.

So anyway, people shouldn't be telling you that you should kill yourself. That's crazy talk. But they might be referring to how the world you're looking at is dust--since everyone you know will die, everything you see will turn to ashes. All that is visible in this temporal world is slated to perish and/or vanish, is perhaps what they mean, and you might wish to seek the eternal instead of what is merely of this world.

Answer 10

PLEASE don't think that all believers are like that, we really aren't. I would like to apologize as a Christian on their behalf for their behavior & comments. It's people like that who give us bad names. I really am sorry your were traeted like that.