i'm a hardcore athiest and i, i'm terrified of the thought of dying and there being nothing that i cant function, thas why i hope there is something else, i hope that god exists so much, but every inch of me sees no logical way how that is possible, i cant believe in him, i sorta wish i could but its just a gut feeling i cant deny, its eaing me alive. i wanna know, how do you believe in god and heaven and hell, and how athiests cope with the thought of death. death is just something i've never been able to cope with i cried like a baby when my mom explained the concept cause i started thinking about the blackness, nobody i've ever talked to has ever understood this, the way i think about death scares the absolute shit out of me
Man searches for a logical universe that makes sense, but the truth is that the universe is always one step ahead logic
Death is just that: death. You won't know you're dead, you'll just be. And, not to be proverbial or anything, but I think you fear the unknown, not death.
Edit: If it's any consolation for you, chances are your brain patterns, since they're just energy, might one day come back in the same frequency, and you'll be you again. Though, not in the same body, nor will you have any previous memories.
__________________ The only thing thats with you your whole life is complete and utter darkness.
atheism does not discount the possibility of mystical phenomenon. it just disocunts the possibility of traditional conceptions of GOD/s . there is more than enough reason to beleive that there is more to this world than the purely material and physical, as is the case with the human conciousness{which is basically what you do NOT want to lose. death is basically seazing of the conciousness}
I suppose it would depend on the definition of atheism, but the generally accepted meaning is that it is of the belief that there isn't a divine creator or god-deity. You could get technical and say they aren't 100% certain, they just see it as a very logical conclusion, but that could go for most religions as well.
It doesn't have to go hand in hand with materialism (i.e. no paranormal phenomenon) but it usually does.
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Michael Shermer, evolutionary biologist and publisher of Skeptic magazine, was once asked what his thoughts on the afterlife were. His answer: "I'm for it, of course!" Meaning, he didn't believe in it or see any logical reason why it's a reality, but if given the choice would gladly be shown to be wrong upon his death. I think it's much the same thing as EH is talking about, though I don't think Shermer has the same fear as him....the comment was mostly in jest.
dont worry, i used to think death was black and scary n shit. you get to the point where you just concentrate on life. and if your an atheist, you PROBABLY dont want an afterlife, for the simple reason that you'll be in hell and you'll be tortured n shit. so im good with nothing. heaven would be nice i guess, but ill take eternal life and superpowers(internal fantasy :eek. i guess i dont believe in god because not only does it seem illogical, it seems like he really doesnt care. everything god has done in the bible can usually be looked at as him testing you or torturing a bunch of people. who lets his own son be tortured? there's to much suffering for there to be a god that cares. now if there is a god, its a creator, who created everything then stepped back.
i was under the impression that atheists dont believe in jack shit or very few mystical phenomenon ie. reincarnation etc. personally i dont believe in god, but i think reincarnation is possible
Depends on the atheist. Technically Buddhists could be atheists, so your own beliefs aren't necessarily in contradiction with one another.
Depends on the atheist. The concept itself isn't the opposite of anything, and simply means that one doesn't believe in a theistic deity like many of the worlds major western religions.
I think, inherently, all man affirm the reality of a transcendent creator, even atheists; it is my view, that man either embrace the notion and take measures to seek understanding--perhaps a relationship?--despite the philosophical tug-of-war; not all truth is appealing, and so others reject what they naturally affirm and seek other more appealing truth. For instance, being held accountable/judged before a transcendent creator: some people--despite being apprehensive about the thought--humble themselves and remain open minded; other people simply--as I said before--seek other more appealing truth. Such people feel, in some cases, threatened by the thought of a transcendent creator; but most, I imagine, reject a transcendent creator out of selfishness and/or pride. This is not all inclusive, of course. Some people reject a transcendent creator in light of a dramatic experience, i.e., losing a loved one; but these people most certainly always focus their anger towards God, not the situation itself. Even in the worst of conditions, these men and women affirm the existence of a transcendent creator. Emotions and self-imposed philosophy are tools that atheists use to validate their thinking process. Professing that a "lack of evidence" lead persons away from faith, is just a scapegoat; they are running away from something that they cannot deny (for reasons stated in this response).
My advice to you, if you'll entertain such, is to remain open minded. Purchase research material on all subjects; everything! Give a fair inquiry to religious study, and be honest. Study evolution and molecular biology, moreover. Research subjects on the internet, but use caution. Numerous websites DO NOT CONTAIN A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND LACK SPONSORSHIP! There are reasons for this; find another source of information. In any case, subjects about god, science, theology, prophecy, and history are incredibly complex, and they require a great amount of effort to study, depending on how far you wish to seek. I just hope, whatever you decision amounts to in the end, is one that you have confidence in, because you know that you studied honestly (and let the evidence speak for itself, not emotion).
KMC Community Forums
Jan 1st, 2008 08:17 AM
. i guess i dont believe in god because not only does it seem illogical, it seems like he really doesnt care. everything god has done in the bible can usually be looked at as him testing you or torturing a bunch of people. who lets his own son be tortured? there's to much suffering for there to be a god that cares. now if there is a god, its a creator, who created everything then stepped back.
