The terrifying thought of no afterlife

[lundberg500]

No afterlife means complete nothingness. Being afraid of death is literally being scared of nothing.

I like that Sophus. That's a good way to look at it.

The way I see it. Being an atheist for years, you most likely have plenty of time to get used to the fact that when you die it's over. As the years go by you get used to it. It's comes with the territory of being an atheist. I'm so used to believing that there is no heaven or hell that I know what to expect. Nothing. Hopefully I'll be old and tired of living among so many Christians by then that I will be ready. I feel content knowing that I am not deluding myself into believing that I will be going to another place when I die.  

[tymygy]

Before we were born, we didn't wait to be alive. While we're alive, why wait to be dead?

[navvelline]

Before we were born, we didn't wait to be alive. While we're alive, why wait to be dead?

That's a good way of thinking about it.
Sometimes I fear death, not that there's nothing. But the mere fact that I'll never see the people I love again. I've lost loved ones, yet believe there to b nothing after death. Then again, thinking about dying makes that reality all the more real. I usually suppress these fears and focus on the fear that I'll lose more loved ones along the way. That's the greatest fear of all, I'd say.

Usually, I try to focus on not dying though.  

[tymygy]

Before we were born, we didn't wait to be alive. While we're alive, why wait to be dead?

That's a good way of thinking about it.
Sometimes I fear death, not that there's nothing. But the mere fact that I'll never see the people I love again. I've lost loved ones, yet believe there to b nothing after death. Then again, thinking about dying makes that reality all the more real. I usually suppress these fears and focus on the fear that I'll lose more loved ones along the way. That's the greatest fear of all, I'd say.

Usually, I try to focus on not dying though.  :bananacolor:   :bananacolor:   :bananacolor:  :bananacolor:  :bananacolor:  :bananacolor:  :bananacolor:

[navvelline]

Before we were born, we didn't wait to be alive. While we're alive, why wait to be dead?

That's a good way of thinking about it.
Sometimes I fear death, not that there's nothing. But the mere fact that I'll never see the people I love again. I've lost loved ones, yet believe there to b nothing after death. Then again, thinking about dying makes that reality all the more real. I usually suppress these fears and focus on the fear that I'll lose more loved ones along the way. That's the greatest fear of all, I'd say.

Usually, I try to focus on not dying though.  :bananacolor:   :bananacolor:   :bananacolor:  :bananacolor:  :bananacolor:  :bananacolor:  :bananacolor:

Yes, that thought has crossed my mind, loved ones suffering because of my death. But then again, I suppose I don't think about that as much, I just stick to the pain and fears that I know. :-/

I agree about living each day as if it were your last...or at least trying too. It's easier said than done.

[i_am_i]

I live every day like it's just another day, which is what it is.

My death plan, for when the end is near and I may be suffering great pain, is to have the ready means of at first medicating myself with heroin and then, when I can't take it anymore, putting a bullet through my head.

Of course there's many a slip twixt the cup and lip.

[tymygy]

Yes, that thought has crossed my mind, loved ones suffering because of my death. But then again, I suppose I don't think about that as much, I just stick to the pain and fears that I know. :-/

I agree about living each day as if it were your last...or at least trying too. It's easier said than done.

Why? I don't think so.

[Whitney]

No afterlife means complete nothingness. Being afraid of death is literally being scared of nothing.  

^like

[navvelline]

Yes, that thought has crossed my mind, loved ones suffering because of my death. But then again, I suppose I don't think about that as much, I just stick to the pain and fears that I know. :-/

I agree about living each day as if it were your last...or at least trying too. It's easier said than done.

Why? I don't think so.

I suppose it depends on what one considers "living everyday to the fullest", I've never quite mastered the "fullest" bit.

[tymygy]

I suppose it depends on what one considers "living everyday to the fullest", I've never quite mastered the "fullest" bit.

Oh gotcha  

Take some risks, go get wasted on a friday night, go to hooters and give all the girls nasty looks.

[navvelline]

I suppose it depends on what one considers "living everyday to the fullest", I've never quite mastered the "fullest" bit.

Oh gotcha  

[tymygy]

I suppose it depends on what one considers "living everyday to the fullest", I've never quite mastered the "fullest" bit.

Oh gotcha  

Hahaha, I know some girls that do that kind of shit every weekend. They seem to love life.

I just think the only consequences I need to worry about are not going to jail. Anything short of that, I'll do.  

[notself]

If one can reach the age of 40 and not have serious regrets for things done or not done, then that person is living life to the fullest.

[navvelline]

Hahaha, I know some girls that do that kind of shit every weekend. They seem to love life.

I just think the only consequences I need to worry about are not going to jail. Anything short of that, I'll do.  

If one can reach the age of 40 and not have serious regrets for things done or not done, then that person is living life to the fullest.

I can agree with that. Making it to age 40 without any regrets about the past (would certainly mean you've done something right).

[radicalaggrivation]

I think this is one of the subjects that really turns people off to atheism. People want some type of reciprocity from life. I think people fear losing their conscience more than anything else. The idea of losing all the information you have collected is devastating. I do not relish the idea but I refuse to waste what time I do have fearing it. Death is a moment. If you got into a car accident, broke every bone in your body, and survived, you would feel lucky to be alive. You would tolerate a greater amount of pain but still be grateful that you did not die. If you had died your pain would have ended much sooner. So if death is eternal rest, you only need to expect the moment that it happens. After that it won't matter. If you somehow retain your conscience then it still won't matter.

One last point. If any of you watched Lawrence Krauss' Universe from Nothing, you would recall him talking about how dying stars made us. He makes the point that the atoms in your right hand came from a completely different part of the universe than your left hand. We will most likely all meet our end one day. But who says that the atoms that once made up you will not breath life into another organism one day, billions or trillions of years from now.

I guess what I am getting at is this. You may die but the process that shaped you will continue on for a very long time. Perhaps long enough so that you might look into the stars a long time from now and ponder if you had existed somewhere else or if you will ever exist again.