Why do atheists fear death? Why do atheists spend so much time terrified about death?

Question

I do not fear death because I know that I have eternal life because I have accepted Jesus as my savior.
Why do atheists fear death so much?

Answer 1

I don't fear death at all, and I'm an atheist.

Granted, I hope the process of dying is quick and painless, but as far as being dead, I don't have any problem with that.

Answer 2

Assuming a little much, aren't you? Atheists generally believe there is Nothing when we die... that belief alone seems to be the one with the less fear, as there is no fear that one has done wrong and will end up in a place of eternal torment... while, on the other hand, most Mainstream religions claim that doing wrong without laying it on someone or something else will land the person in the place of eternal torment.... I am not so sure where you get that there is fear of death in Atheism. Seems to me, there isn't any fear of death at all with that belief compared to Mainstream beliefs. Again, You are assuming much and don't seem to have much knowledge of what Atheists believe.

Answer 3

Who ever told you that pack of lies?
This is what I wrote to an earlier question - see if you can get it through you thick skull.

I have been close to death on three occasions.
Each time, my wife realised it, but I did not - I was quite peaceful.
Recently, I developed cancer and over the last two years have had treatment to put it into remission. However, I do understand that my time on earth is now very limited. That situation does concentrate the mind.
My conclusion is that death is natural, inevitable and not to be feared. The cause of death does create some apprehension in me, but only because of the pain and suffering that may be involved. I now understand that the fear associated with death itself is unfounded. There is no reason to invent a god to help one overcome the natural desire to continue to live and pretend that there may be another life afterwards.
For me, the thought of living for eternity is not only wish full thinking to avoid reality, it is also a situation that I think is intolerable. The thought of living forever, without any chance of reprieve from the mind numbing boredom after the first trillion years multiplied by infinity is my idea of hell.
I am content to have lived the best life I was equipped to live and am also content to die and return to a non existent state.

Answer 4

I don't know, why do the Israelis drink so much Sapporo Ichiban? See, I can make bull**** up in the form of a question, too!

In all seriousness, though, I'd argue that atheists handle the concept of death a whole lot better than people who need to have 'faith' in an eternal life after their inevitable deaths. Almost sounds like a way of cheating death, no? Who's really terrified of death, here?

Answer 5

Death is not pleasant. So noone is going to approach that with joy. But I couldn't imagine how dreadful it would be knowing that you would be spending an eternity in hell after you die. Most Christians that I have known that were terminally ill took comfort in knowing that they were going to be with God soon. Edit: I guess because no living person knows exactly what death is like...we are naturally frightful of the unknown. They found immense comfort through their prayers and relationship with God and through the prayers of others. I really can't imagine them being anymore comfortable than what they were. They were upbeat, praising God, right until the end.

Answer 6

What atheists have you been talking to? I don't fear death at all, and I've been an atheist for years. Death is nothing to be afraid of.

Answer 7

You obviously don't know any atheists. Apparently, you *want* them to be terrified of death.

We're not the ones who need some comforting belief in an afterlife. Just remember that before the next time you go off on a rant.

Answer 8

What we have here is an example of a false interrogative. Here's how that works: A person wanting to make a claim about another person or group of people phrases that claim as a question beginning with "Why" on the assumption that the readers of the question will unthinkingly accept that the claim has merit.

Answer 9

I've never expressed fear of death on R & S or any other Internet forum. I don't know any atheist friends who obsess over it either. Are YOU projecting your own insecurities on others? If so, then aren't you the one who has faith issues?

Answer 10

*drink*

I don't fear death, not too excited about it and would prefer it to be later rather than earlier. Death is just a part of life, what is too fear?