As an Atheist I do not believe in any gods, but I think it may be possible there is an afterlife, some awareness after we die. However, I will not claim it as a fact. I just have some personal experience that makes me think it is possible, but it has nothing to do with a god. It may be part of the natural process of death.
2007-02-19 18:40:47 · 7 answers · asked by Vlasko 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Matt A. Atheists are not afraid of any god. If we were we would believers.
2007-02-19 20:09:09 · update #1
However much the mineral may progress, it cannot comprehend the vegetable world. Now, that lack of comprehension does not prove the non-existence of the plant!
To however great a degree the plant may have evolved, it is unable to understand the animal world; this ignorance is no proof that the animal does not exist!
The animal, be he never so highly developed, cannot imagine the intelligence of man, neither can he realize the nature of his soul. But, again, this does not prove that man is without intellect, or without soul. It only demonstrates this, that one form of existence is incapable of comprehending a form superior to itself.
This flower may be unconscious of such a being as man, but the fact of its ignorance does not prevent the existence of humanity.
In the same way, if materialists do not believe in the existence of the soul, their unbelief does not prove that there is no such realm as the world of spirit. The very existence of man's intelligence proves his immortality; moreover, darkness proves the presence of light, for without light there would be no shadow. Poverty proves the existence of riches, for, without riches, how could we measure poverty? Ignorance proves that knowledge exists, for without knowledge how could there be ignorance?
Therefore the idea of mortality presupposes the existence of immortality -- for if there were no Life Eternal, there would be no way of measuring the life of this world!
If the spirit were not immortal, how could the Manifestations of God endure such terrible trials?
Why did Christ Jesus suffer the fearful death on the cross?
Why did Muhammad bear persecutions?
Why did the Báb make the supreme sacrifice and why did Bahá'u'lláh pass the years of his life in prison?
Why should all this suffering have been, if not to prove the everlasting life of the spirit?
Christ suffered, He accepted all His trials because of the immortality of His spirit. If a man reflects he will understand the spiritual significance of the law of progress; how all moves from the inferior to the superior degree.
It is only a man without intelligence who, after considering these things, can imagine that the great scheme of creation should suddenly cease to progress, that evolution should come to such an inadequate end!
Materialists who reason in this way, and contend that we are unable to see the world of spirit, or to perceive the blessings of God, are surely like the animals who have no understanding; having eyes they see not, ears they have, but do not hear. And this lack of sight and hearing is a proof of nothing but their own inferiority; of whom we read in the Qur'án, 'They are men who are blind and deaf to the Spirit.' They do not use that great gift of God, the power of the understanding, by which they might see with the eyes of the spirit, hear with spiritual ears and also comprehend with a Divinely enlightened heart.
The inability of the materialistic mind to grasp the idea of the Life Eternal is no proof of the non-existence of that life.
The comprehension of that other life depends on our spiritual birth!
My prayer for you is that your spiritual faculties and aspirations may daily increase, and that you will never allow the material senses to veil from your eyes the glories of the Heavenly Illumination.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 92)
2007-02-19 19:57:19 · answer #1 · answered by Gravitar or not... 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am a materialist and understand that a few fellow Atheists are very spiritual and believe in an afterlife. Atheism is often associated as being very closed minded.. By mistake, a lot of people consider Agnostics to be the only open minded people which might believe in an afterlife. I think there is just general confusion over the entire matter. Atheists often are just as open minded as Agnostics.
2007-02-19 18:47:48 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you, but I differ with your perception of the afterlife. The Bible says that everyone will be judged. You either go to heaven or hell. You can believe what you want, I don't know why anyone would have a problem with your views, since they have no backing for theirs. We have the Bible that we believe is true, so that gives us our ruling for afterlife. Atheists just are afraid that if they concede that there is an afterlife, that there might be a God that judges them.
2007-02-19 18:48:20 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
An afterlife is religions main selling point. They sell it and receive $3 billion a year in donations. That's why the number of different religions with all of their sects are now over 1500, all with their own collection basket.
2007-02-19 18:50:23 · answer #4 · answered by liberty11235 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have encountered no evidence to support the existence of any sort of afterlife, just as I have found none to support the existence of a god. So, I don't believe in either.
2007-02-19 19:00:35 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
that is like this: faith is a organization, and a fashion of manipulating people - it supplies the leaders the potential, wealth and status they crave. with the intention to take action they promise mind-blowing issues in case you do what they say is ideal, and poor issues in case you do what they say is faulty. Gullible people, regrettably, tend to trust this stuff, even immediately... yet be conscious that it makes no large difference *what* you try this the leaders say is faulty - they ought to take care of administration for his or her personal egocentric ends, so once you're stepping out of line it would not count number what it is you've done, so that is all regarded as both heinous. they are in trouble-free terms attracted to holding the organization going, and evidently there is not any morality enthusiastic about any of this - organised faith is carefully amoral, and in trouble-free terms about obeying orders and self-interest. that is why all meant 'sins' are equivalent. and evidently gods do not fairly exist.
2016-12-04 10:02:32 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, I think that's fine
The label "Atheist" is too broad for many of us
2007-02-19 18:44:20 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋