Atheists, any ideas as to what happens to people after they die?

Question

Not to your body per se but to your "soul" or your "being"...

I'm looking for serious answers, I'm really curious how Atheists deal with the concept of death.

Really didn't expect the hostility I'm getting from some of these answers. Seems to be a touchy subject...

Answer 1

They are either buried, cremated or donated to science / medicine.

Personally, I want every viable organ donated the moment I'm dead. After that, I really don't care what happens to the rest of me.

*edit* Oh, my SOUL... what is a soul? No, honestly, define it for me because I don't know what you're talking about.

Personally, the way I deal with death is that I don't. I mean, I know it's going to happen and I've accepted that... but it scares the crap out of me to know that someday I will be gone... I just won't... BE anymore. I absolutely cannot conceive of not BEING. Every time I think about it, I get freaked out and have to distract myself or I'll just get more panicky. I know, it sounds lame to be so scared, and I know believing in God and an afterlife would be very comforting, but just because it would ease my anxiety doesn't mean it's real.

Answer 2

Well, something common in a lot of cultures is that people have memorial services of some type. Have you never had someone you know die or watched the news or read a story about someone dying?

I understand that some people take comfort in believing that they will literally "live on" in a different way after they're dead. I understand why some people believe in that. To each his/her own.

Regarding your details and your question in general -- do all theists believe the same thing? Why do so many people in here insist upon grouping everyone by one characteristic or belief and then making huge sweeping generalizations? People can "live on" by the fact that others remember them.

P.S. Death itself does NOT scare me at all. It's a natural part of the life cycle.

Answer 3

Hopefully my organs will be used to give someone else a longer life. Where was I before I was born?

Edit: I will just die, I had to give the physical answer because there is nothing else to say. I die, then I'm dead. nothing. Sorry I can't give you a better answer.

Honestly I do not like the fact that I'm going to die one day and no longer exist. I try to deal with it by being the best I can be now and make the world a little better for my family around me. That's it. A guy scared of dying but is very happy with how wonderful life is. This is the best dream possible.

Answer 4

same thing that happened before you were born.

time dialation,only exists as a reference point between 2 locations in space/time due to the limitations in the speed of light and other physical measurements. so if you arent measuring the universe in some form then time is of no relvance. i would say if the universe did in fact turn out to be cyclical in nature which it seems to be i mean isnt all radiation oscillating waves in nature, that if we died and a billion years went by and universe started again that it if we could conciously exist in a logical way again it would seem to be instant from death to new conciousness since theres no laws of locality in quantum physics. it really depends on the shape of universe which we should eventually be able to figure out. but I would say try not to worry too much about it because it can over consume you and cause problems like it does me. lol. i could go more in depth if you would like but i would rather you message me because i could keep writing for days.

Answer 5

I believe they just die. And for that reason, life becomes much more precious. And it becomes much more important that we improve life on earth. It would not be enough for us that judgment comes only when a person is dead.

And its a poor thing if the only reason for a man to do good is a reward. In the same way that it is a poor thing that the only reason one avoids doing evil things is the threat of hellfire. While I wouldn't say that Christians are like that, a man who does good only for those reasons is not truly good. A moral atheist would do good things for the sake of doing good and that alone.

Answer 6

There is no proof that a soul exists. The religions have been trying to prove it's existence for thousands of years and have given up. There is no proof. You can't believe everything that religion tells it's followers. They have been caught lying in regard to the story of Noah & the Arc. How did Noan get to Antarcica to gather 2 Polar Bears.?

Answer 7

what I believe is that i will, quite simply, cease to exist. i know how hard it is to accept the it just ends, with nothing left but the consequences of your actions on earth, but it is what i believe.

i think therefore i am, my being is my mind, and when my mind stops upon death, I am dead. before that happens i hope i can make a difference for the better in the world.

Answer 8

Soul is something invented by people who do not like the idea that there is nothing after death. They are too scared to admit it so they made up something that makes no sense at all and is invisible and hard to proove that it does not exist so they can feel at peace.

Answer 9

Nope. But I have peace in being able to admit I don't know rather than spending my Sundays searching for truth that our brains are not capable of comprehending. We have no control over it, so why stress over it, right? I just try to be happy and make those around me happy while I'm here. If there is an afterlife, great, if not, then welcome to incomprehension.

Answer 10

I recommend Einstein, who believed, and proved that energy can not die. The circle of life seems to just continue. One thing forms another, just like we melt plastic together, people will melt back into the earth in which we came.