I really feel sorry for Athiests who think death is the end!

[jonnoboy]

Ok, so as the title suggests I really feel for athiests, it must be really scary and no wonder most people turn to God on their death bed! Athiest think death is the end, how can you prepare for nothingness! Thats really scary and sad

what are your thoughts?

God bless

Jonno

[mori]

It wasn't particularly awful before we were born. Epicurus said:

Death is nothing to us; for that which has been dissolved into its elements experiences no sensations, and that which has no sensation is nothing to us.

[VikkiKate89]

Mori pretty much summed it up.

[gard]

You make Christianity seem as if it is only a crutch to lean on when facing the unknown.

There are also many that turn away from God on their death bed. (Not a valid claim because it does not fit in any logic, but is only an observation such as yours)

Atheist do not prepare for nothingness, because you cannot prepare for nothing. Instead we live in the now and in that way are we superiorly moral.

[WBerry]

Originally Posted by gard

You make Christianity seem as if it is only a crutch to lean on when facing the unknown.

There are also many that turn away from God on their death bed. (Not a valid claim because it does not fit in any logic, but is only an observation such as yours)

Atheist do not prepare for nothingness, because you cannot prepare for nothing. Instead we live in the now and in that way are we superiorly moral.

Are you saying you are an atheist?

[jonnoboy]

I dont quite understand ur point Gard! I didnt say Christianity is a "crutch" to lean on! It is quite well - known that people turn to God b4 Death, a lot of people have said it, look on youtube and yes answer the peron above, are you an athiest?

[VikkiKate89]

Originally Posted by jonnoboy

I dont quite understand ur point Gard! I didnt say Christianity is a "crutch" to lean on! It is quite well - known that people turn to God b4 Death, a lot of people have said it, look on youtube and yes answer the peron above, are you an athiest?

He's saying that by the sounds of it most people turn to Christianity, or any other religion for that matter, because they're frightened of what might potentially lay after death and not because they believe that lifestyle is morally right. Otherwise there wouldn't be so many people suddenly turning to religion on their death bed. It's usually not because they "saw the light" or suddenly believe Christianity is the ultimate truth (though in fairness that is the case in some instances), it's because they're scared of the unknown and are trying to quickly cover their backsides just in case. People turning to God on their deathbed is a knee-jerk reaction that you really can't put much value into because more often than not it's done out of fear (they'd probably do the same for the Devil if they believed he would protect them).

The way you worded it at the start did pretty much sound like people choose Christianity because they don't want to deal with the unknown or are afraid of nothingness or even Hell, depending on which you believe exists. After reading your second post I can tell that was not your intent. Just thought I'd attempt to shed some light as to why someone may have jumped to that conclusion.

[wwjd_kilden]

I actually find the thought of a God knowing all my evil thoughts far more terrefying than the though of no God, and nothing happening after death...

if there was no God, and no afterlife, I would simply cease to exist, how can that be scary? If you do not exist, you do not know that you don't exist...

However, having to face God some day, responsible not only for what you did openly, but for what no other humans knows, now that is different.
(Thankfully the God that I believe is THE God, creator of us all, sent His son to pay for all of that )

[mori]

Originally Posted by WBerry

Are you saying you are an atheist?

Originally Posted by jonnoboy

and yes answer the peron above, are you an athiest?

What I find fascinating is that a casual reading of the post answers the question.

Atheist do not prepare for nothingness, because you cannot prepare for nothing. Instead we live in the now and in that way are we superiorly moral.

Emphasis mine. The repeated question, then, seems to be less a request for information than an attempt to badger.

[WBerry]

Well then...

Originally Posted by gard

Instead we live in the now and in that way are we superiorly moral.

I agree with your statement that you cannot prepare for nothingness because if you do not believe that there is anything beyond this life then there is nothing to look forward to, good or bad. However living in the now doesn't necessarily make you "superiorly moral" some people live in the now and do extremely immoral things without thinking about the consequences, be it in this life or the next.

[VikkiKate89]

Originally Posted by WBerry

However living in the now doesn't necessarily make you "superiorly moral" some people live in the now and do extremely immoral things without thinking about the consequences, be it in this life or the next.

True but believing in a God doesn't always cause people to live morally either. Satan believes God exists after all.

[Tethered]

Originally Posted by VikkiKate89

True but believing in a God doesn't always cause people to live morally either. Satan believes God exists after all.

I think a better example would be to use those who 'believe in God', not those who 'believe in the existance of a God'.
i.e. Immoral actions, done through the eyes of someone who believes it is Gods will that they do it, and that that is justified reason for them to.

[VikkiKate89]

Originally Posted by Tethered

I think a better example would be to use those who 'believe in God', not those who 'believe in the existance of a God'.
i.e. Immoral actions, done through the eyes of someone who believes it is Gods will that they do it, and that that is justified reason for them to.

Yeah but I've used Westboro so many times as an example of that, I decided to mix it up a bit.

[Dogma]

Originally Posted by WBerry

Well then...



I agree with your statement that you cannot prepare for nothingness because if you do not believe that there is anything beyond this life then there is nothing to look forward to, good or bad. However living in the now doesn't necessarily make you "superiorly moral" some people live in the now and do extremely immoral things without thinking about the consequences, be it in this life or the next.

I agree completely. A lack of belief in an afterlife might drive others to make more moral actions, and it might drive others to live more decadently. Personally, my lack of belief in an afterlife is a large motivating factor to be the best person I can be in this life. That being said, I have a completely different perspective on life in general.

I often hear people say things like "I couldn't tolerate living in a universe where this is no afterlife". To some people, the idea that life ends upon death is unacceptable. And to be honest this really baffles me. I have always held the belief that all of us extremely lucky precisely because we will die someday. Out of all the possible genetic makeups that could have been produced from our parent's gametes, it is us that have been given the opportunity to live. We are responsible for a very very very brief spark of consciousness in the cosmos.

No need to feel sorry for me; I am living my life to the fullest

[Johnxxxx]

Most people turn to God on their death beds? What evidence do you have for this?! Also, death scares me in any scenario. Eternal life is just as daunting as ceasing to exist. Anything I can't comprehend is frightening.

[Timelord]

As an Agnostic I look at things this way:

I don't know for sure if there is a heaven or if there isn't and I can't exactly test that possibility without actually Dying (I'd rather not JUST yet thanks :P ) So I just live my life as best I can and as good of a person as I can be with the assumption that there probably isn't a Heaven but on the off chance there IS one that me living a good life as a good person, regardless of who or what I belive in, would be enough to allow me into said possible Heaven.

Plus I'm planning on donating my Body to Science and my Organs to the Medical System so regardless of what there is or isn't after death at the very least after I die, I can still contribute to the world of the living.

[apocalypseArisen]

i follow a more buddhist belief. i didn't ask to be made, nor will i ask to die. when it happens,itll happen. The things that make up me will go on, and the things that make up me may be "reincarnated" but like, all that matters is how i act in this life. the promise of a good afterlife shouldn't be the motivation to help you better youself and others spiritually. it should be something done by you willingly.

But like, in regards to the topic, if you think about it, buddhists view enlightenment as extinguising of desire. when you achieve this state, then you are liberated from the cycle of death and rebirth. so in essence, they yearn for the "nothingness" you describe. Just an interesting take on it