Are Atheists afraid of dying?

Answer 1

I can't speak for the millions of atheists around the world, but whatever else I am, I am not afraid of dying. I know that death is inevitable, that that's all, folks. Human thought, fear, creativity, sexual impulse, and quite a lot else die with the brain. There ain't a thing I can do about it and I'm so doggoned busy in my twilight years (I'm 71) that I simply do not have time to be thinking about death. What I am thinking about this very moment is how the heck this classical actor can learn his lines in his role as the title character in King Lear.

Answer 2

It's not being dead that scares me, in fact when the time comes I'm sure I'll welcome an end to this pointless and troublesome existence.

What scares me is the unknown aspects of the process of dying. I've twice been seriously injured enough to consider it a brush with death. Both times I wasn't even aware I had become unconscious until after I woke up in the hospital. If I'm fortunate enough to die like that, or in my sleep, I won't even know it happened. On the other hand, should I develop cancer or some other chronic fatal illness, I will have plenty of time to appreciate my own impending death. I have outlived all of my family, most of my old friends, and have watched many sicken and slowly die. It seems that, as the end approaches, people progressively develop an acceptance of their own mortality and seem to actually welcome death when it finally arrives. I've witnessed both Christian and atheist deaths and have seen no difference.

Answer 3

It's actually the religious people who are afraid of dying... Spending so much time trying to make sure that they go to heaven, and spending their lives obsessed with the afterlife. Of course some Atheists are afraid to die, but most humans are simply afraid of anything they don't know (which is completely irrational) and I would like to think that most atheists have (like I have) come to terms with the fact that not knowing about something is NOT a reason to fear it.

So in summation, I, as an Atheist, do not fear death, and I would like to hope that most smart Atheists agree with me...

Answer 4

Death isn't something to be afraid of. Each of us experiences the world while we are here. In essence, for you, the world only exists while you are alive. When you are not alive, you are not there to experience your death. There is no uncertain afterlife. There is no heaven. There is no hell, nor is there a limbo. There is no pain or pleasure. There is not even a void or a blackness or a nothingness. You will not perceive anything at all, for your perceptions are a function of your working brain and body. Without those, you are no longer able to perceive.

Another way to understand death is that for each of us, we are always alive. We will never notice our own death. Every perception we have of the world will be while we are alive. So, while we are alive, the world exists for us. If we are not alive, the world does not exist, for us. Our perception of everything ends at the moment of death. Yes, we of course know that the world goes on without us, but as part of what we experience, it does not. We are not a ghost or a spirit in a future world, we are simply not there.

Death is not to be feared, but it is reasonable to fear dying. Dying might be painful or terrifying. It is also reasonable to avoid death, so that you can continue to experience the world. After all, I believe this life is all there is.

Answer 5

They certainly should be. If they're not they're sure in for a rude awakening on judgement day. By then, though, it will be too late to change their minds. Eternity is a long time to be stuck with a bad decision of that magnitude.

Eric, don't confuse Christians with "religious people" who are not Christian. Christians have a guaranteed place in heaven and have no fear of death. Non-christian people have a problem, however. They will not be accepted into heaven without believing in Jesus Christ. It may sound intolerant, but that's the way God set it up. He makes the rules, we don't.

Answer 6

I'm not going to step in front of a train, but no...when my time comes I will not be afraid. And by afraid, I mean afraid that there is going to be some kind of eternal price for not believing.

Answer 7

Almost everybody is afraid of dying.
Not everybody fears what happens after death. Religious and atheists both.

Answer 8

Im not, be an adventure, its the one sure way to find out who was right, if i die and then come to in front of the Big G man then ill know i was wrong and will accept the fact with grace.

Answer 9

Not really. Everything in life has a time to go. The way I look at it is, after a long, long life I will go to sleep. That's all I require to be happy.

Answer 10

not me not a bit. Of course I am not in a big hurry because there are still things I want to accomplish but dying does not scare me