Flame — HabitableZone

Flame » in reply to re: Then why...

"Maybe atheist get their wish and just cease to exist"
azstrummer — (archived)

Wow REB, is that what you think we want? All organisms have a built in desire to not have their lives end. Sometimes that's overridden by incredible pain or depression but it's not an intrinsic value.

No REB, my lack of belief in an afterlife stems not from a desire for it to be that way but instead from an analysis of my own wishful thinking that my life won't end. When you strip away that desire for eternal life (which I consider a natural part of species survival) and the huge influence of religious indoctrination through our early lives that treat an afterlife as a certainty, there's really no logical reason why death does not simply end whatever it is we are.

Despite the inevitable let down that my future after my demise does not include reunions with cherished family members and friends, angel wings for flying around the clouds, and some eternal peace, surprisingly enough the advantages seem to outweigh that disappointment. No longer does one have to care which of the two destinations you're heading for. Without a heaven there is no hell, no judgment, no Armageddon to deal with. Life becomes simpler and revolves around science and logic not Papal decries and strange tales that never made any sense.

Your ethical decisions are based on quality of life of you and your family and topics such as racism, societal makeup, marriage, values you pass on to your children become based around a very human Golden Rule instead of some idiot's interpretation of ancient text that was heavily edited by real world politicians.

Life actually became more beautiful and more precious. I became less tolerant of the taking of human life because, with only one shot at it, any mistakes you make in carrying out some lethal judgment have no God to sort it all out.

Your philosophy actually sounds like that interim period I experienced between faith and atheism. It wasn't a bad time either. At least I was asking questions. I still am.

Art

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