As you don't believe in God or anything divine or in any such afterlife. Which means that you basicaly believe that you live here now and then you die and that's the end of the chapter. Which also means that you believe that you will never see your loved ones again. Do you not find that depressing ever? How do you cope with life then? Now by no means am I forcing any beliefs on you nor am I looking for an argument of anykind. You have your beliefs and I have mines. I am just cuirous is all. Thanks in advance for your answers.
2007-10-20 06:49:02 · 33 answers · asked by They Are All Ahead Of Me™ 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It's a good question! Here's the way I see it: If I go anywhere after I die... it won't be me. It won't be my brain (so it won't be my memory or previous thoughts or my ability to think & ration and understand and perceive), it won't be my hormones or biochemical compounds like estrogen, endorphins & cortisol (so it won't be my femininity and my emotions, my ability to self-soothe, my ability to get riled up, or even my ability to stress out), it won't be my nervous system (so I won't be able to feel warmth or shape or pleasure), it won't be my eyes (so it won't be my ability to perceive and enjoy color the way I do now), it won't be my vocal cords (so it won't be my voice) it won't be anything that is "me." All of those things get buried. So because of all those things... what is left for me in an afterlife?
It does bug me sometimes to think that I wont be able to see my family and friends (and fiance most of all). But it's okay to NOT look forward to death. How unnatural would it be if we were all excited about dying? When I think about death, it just makes me talk to my mom a little longer on the phone, snuggle my fiance a little bit more, work a little harder, study a little bit more, try to make the most of life, eat a little healthier, take care of my family. I don't really want to live forever. But I still fear death. I think it's natural.
And in a way I do feel like the most important parts of what makes me “me” will live on and on through my kids. They’ll have my hands, and my eyes and my brain and my hormones, etc. etc. etc. and if they don’t they’ll have their Dad’s. Which is even better. And even if their personalities are 100% different than mine, they’re still the next generation of ME. I’m basically ensuring that I have a good “next life” by making sure I give my kids everything I know they'll need to succeed in life. And in many ways I like that thinking better than a heaven because my fiance and I are together in our kiddos, and will be a part of their kiddos, and their kiddos, as OUR features & stories are transferred from one child to the next etc. etc. etc. Just like Zen Pirate says "When I plant my flower garden, volunteer in my community, and go crazy over holidays I see my mom living on through me and continuing to influence the world."
It sounds awfully circle-of-life-ish. But it's the best way I can explain my sentiment towards death. Thanks for bearing with me through all of it.
2007-10-20 07:32:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
All living things here on earth have the same destiny . That means every tree , shrub , worm , bug , human , fish , everything that has life . We are all just part of nature . What happens to one , happens to all .
We will be in the future what we were before birth . That is easy to understand , it is believable , it is natural . There is nothing to fear . It was great hundreds of years ago , for us who are alive now .
Sure fairy-tale superstitions sound great , but think them through , How can a sub-microscopic "soul " travel the zillions and zillions of miles that telecopes can see into space , then Bingo ! it inflates into a full sized human again . Think it over very carefully , which seems more probable ?
I have no problem coping with life . I have practiced self improvement , for over eighty years , and am considered to be the most helpful , trustworthy , honest , truthful person the neighbors know .
This is very annoying to my religious friends , who always expected non-believers to be just the opposite . Sorry , morals are part of a persons charactor , not his religion .
2007-10-20 07:13:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not an atheist but I still don't believe in an afterlife, so I figured I'd offer my two cents on this one. Death scares me a lot. I try not to think about the billions of years I haven't existed and the billions of years I won't exist in the future. But it's a part of life. We're born, we live and we die. We can postpone death, but we can't escape it, so I take care of myself as best as I can and enjoy the time I have in this world.
The fact that I will never see loved ones again does not depress me. Again, it's a part of life. They enriched my life when they were here, and they live on in my memories. Would I like to see my grandfather again? Yes, absolutely. But we don't get everything we want. I wanted to be an astronaut too, but it doesn't depress me that that is never going to happen either. We make the best of what we have.
2007-10-20 07:06:50 · answer #3 · answered by Nightwind 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I cope with life just fine,knowing this is my shot.I also don't let the thoughts of not seeing my loved ones and whatnot,get in the way of reality.Much like I coped when I found Santa to be false."because I don't like the idea of dying"(basically,what you said"Is NO reason,none whatsoever,to lose reality because you prefer the comfort of delusion.I cannot understand the opposite.If you are sure you will see your loved ones,no pain,no suffering,every tear wiped away.How in the HELL do you cope with life here.If I believed that,I'd be gone.What's keeping you in this cruel world that Satan rules if you think there is a better place waiting?I'd like to think that.I'd like to think wizards and elves exist.Wanting something to be true doesn't,has never,and never will,make something true.Basically,you are saying you believe because you don't like the alternative.That is the poorest logic of all.Reality is,doesn't matter what you believe
2007-10-20 07:00:35 · answer #4 · answered by nobodinoze 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
It's very comforting knowing this is my one life and that I should do my best to be a good citizen and neighbor and try to help the community. I have no grand visions of leaving the world a better place other than by my own small acts.
After my death, things will happen. My organs will be harvested so others may live. I'll spend the rest of the time as a medical cadaver.
I love life. God-free is for me.
2007-10-20 06:54:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 2⤋
It's really something of a relief.
I don't want to spend an afterlife (which is only imaginary anyway) with the sorts of folks who do believe in such nonsense. The fact that I will not enjoy the company of my loved ones again means that the time I have with them now is the most precious time of all.
There is only Now, there is no silly post-death Later. And it's better this way.
2007-10-20 06:54:06 · answer #6 · answered by kwxilvr 4 · 6⤊ 3⤋
Whether I like the idea or not this is what evidence and reality to me indicate. It may be nice to fantasize that we live on in a fantasy realm happily ever after with everyone we care about but there is not a shred of meaningful evidence this is the case. For me I think it helps me not take my loved ones for granted and try to appreciate and savor my time with them. My mom died several years ago and it was very hard. I had people try to use the occasion to strong arm into belief but when I went to a bereavement group I found myself surrounded by believers who were no less emotionally bereaved and devastated by the loss of a loved one. It seems faith is not necessarily a pancea for loss although they may say they believe they are eventually going to be reunited. For me coming to terms with death meant rejoicing in the memories of the times I had with her and realizing she does live on in concrete ways. She is a big part of who I am so when I go out and interact with the world I am in a way a reflection of her and the values she instilled in me. When I plant my flower garden, volunteer in my community, and go crazy over holidays I see my mom living on through me and continuing to influence the world. As for my own death, knowing I am not immortal makes me want to make the most in a positive way of the time I have and to raise a happy family that will be my own legacy. I think death is only scary to contemplate now if you fixate on it too much, I don't think being dead will bother me at all since I won't be aware of it. To me if you are fixating on what comes after life too much its a sign you need to find something worth living this life for. Best wishes.
2007-10-20 06:59:46 · answer #7 · answered by Zen Pirate 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Coping without an Abrahamic faith just means bellying up to the bar and accepting the way things aren't.
Jesus hasn't called, written, or sent a postcard in 2000 years. The only thing that's kept the memory alive is a chain of vested interest and people such as yourself who take marching orders from vested interests.
If I believed as you do we'd have something in common and I'd entirely lose my self-respect.
Frankly, I'd rather slit my wrists.
2007-10-20 06:55:33 · answer #8 · answered by Jack P 7 · 5⤊ 2⤋
We are recycled by nature, and by being recycled we sustain other life. That way we are actually making life better for other life, by dying. That is very beautiful in itself. The egocentric thought of always staying alive, is not so beautiful, as it does not sustain life at all.
This is not even a belief. It is a perspective - a way of thinking.
Until death - you have a lot of time you can spend living, not having to focus on death all the time. You can live and enjoy living.
2007-10-20 06:55:11 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 1⤋
Sometimes I wonder whether modern society, with its affluence, improved health and longer lifespans, is making it harder than ever to deal with death.
We. Are. Going. To. Die.
No exceptions. You may be the nicest, sweetest, kindest, bravest, best soul in the world and nevertheless, you are destined for the same end as the rest of us.
It's a difficult thing for most of us to accept, I'll grant you that much. But why? Everything living dies and everything dead rots. Nothing is exempt from the carbon cycle. It's not a tragedy -- it's the law of nature.
And only children are afraid of a natural process.
2007-10-20 07:05:23 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋