Would You Find Greater Comfort In Death Knowing There Is No God, No Heaven Or Hell?

[RATTER15]

I am currently going through a prostate problem, the hospital appear to be rushing everything which has made me a little concerned, I wont lie.

When these things come along I suppose we do all ponder the thoughts of our death.
As an atheist I have nothing to fear in death, the end is the end, I will be no more, end of, the parrot is deceased etc.

However! if I was a believer I would have to consider, would I go to heaven or hell?
I know a great many Christians as most of us do. Many of them are very pleasant and a fair few are vile untrustworthy and truly unpleasant people. Will they consider their place after death I wonder. Of course, most religious people feel they are going to meet up with dead friends, loved ones and relatives etc, have they ever considered that many of their loved ones may have gone to hell!
I think If I did believe in heaven or hell, it could be a very worrying time, whilst I have been a fairly decent person in my adult years, I dont know it that would make me worthy of a place in heaven?
What are your thoughts. Personally i'm glad as hell I dont believe in such tripe!!

[nailit]

//Maybe I will meet up with boy "Merlin" the one with me in my avatar//
Which one's Merlin? ;-)

Ive never understood that if there is life AFTER death, why have THIS life to begin with? It doesn't make any sense to be given a life only to die and then live again? Bonkers!

When I was a young and impressionable, evangelical Christian, I fully believed in heaven and hell. I spent much time praying for my loved ones to be 'saved.' I never had a moments peace, worrying not only about my 'unsaved' family and friends but also for my own eternal destination. I started to question other 'mature' Christians, just how can I be happy in heaven knowing that my loved ones were being eternally tortured by the God that I would spend eternity with?
Got either fobbed off with bible verses or met with silence (by people that had obviously never considered the possibility)
By my early 20's I had all but rejected any notion of heaven and hell (and Christianity) and its absurd doctrines.
Will I live after death? Who cares? The only life that we can be sure of is this one.
As far as the saying that there are no atheists in fox-holes...cobblers.
Ive been close to death a couple of times (at my own hands at that, during depressive episodes) and never once have I feared dying, Gods judgment, hell or anything else.
Nowadays I appreciate life for each moment and know that one day those moments will end. Knowing that those moment WILL end actually give more meaning to the life that I now appreciate so much.

Hope that ur prostate gets sorted soon Ratter.

[pixie374]

I agree, nailit, that people don't suddenly become religious in an emergency. I know it as well as you do. But I am interested to see how it supposed to work- and why? What is the point of an afterlife, even if it is eternal and blissful... why??

[nailit]

Pix…
//What is the point of an afterlife//
There isn't even a point to THIS life ;-)
As humans we seek meaning to everything...but not everything HAS a meaning.
That doesn't mean that we cant GIVE meaning.

[Tilly2]

All I know is that I don't spend my life, here on earth, worrying about what will happen to me after I'm dead. I do, however, concern myself about how I will die.

[nailit]

//I agree, nailit, that people don't suddenly become religious in an emergency//

Get sick of hearing this atheists in fox holes boolarks.
Christanity made me talk like an idiot

[pixie374]

That is natural, nailit, yes, but people can rationalise enough to understand the difference between what they would like to believe and what is likely, surely?

[nailit]

//I do, however, concern myself about how I will die//
So do I Tills. That is why I am all for euthanasia.
Religionist would have that I die a slow and painful death if needs be.
Sickos!

[pixie374]

Yes, I had never heard that phrase, until retro quoted it the other day, and I said then it is blatantly not true. Maybe it makes Christians feel better, as they are "already on the right track"?
Would any God keep someone out of heaven of they were a good person, but didn't believe and worship him??

[nailit]

//Maybe it makes Christians feel better, as they are "already on the right track"?//

I have known many evangelical Christians (from my younger years) who now profess no faith at all. Each and everyone has admitted that it was the threat of hell and the reward of heaven (carrot and stick) that kept them in bondage to a church/belief system.

Things are obviously different for those who find comfort in religion without actually investigating said doctrines of said religion.

[david small]

Bardo Thodol: The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Helps explain from a Buddhist thinking point of view. Personally I have had direct experience of life after death. Survival of a fractured and diminished personality is another matter. Heaven and Hell are what we ourselves create.

[Canary42]

The "meeting old loved ones" makes me laugh. What if you've outlived several spouses - will they get on together in Heaven, and how awkward will it be to be reunited with all of them. And how about those Victorian Mothers who lost countless babies very young, they're going to have their hands full dealing with them all (presuming they grew up in Heaven - if they didn't then massive nappy-changing will be the order of the day).

[david small]

Facetious canary? Or just lightening the mood?

[pixie374]

Nobody has "personal experience" of that, David.

[Old_Geezer]

"Ive never understood that if there is life AFTER death, why have THIS life to begin with? It doesn't make any sense to be given a life only to die and then live again? Bonkers!"

Could be a number of suppositions. Off the top of my head, maybe it's only starting here that an individual entity is created from whatever individuals are created from. Or maybe it's the only way to experience necessary experiences in order to develop and grow as an entity. Or maybe it's simply that anything that can happen inevitably will and does.

[fiveleaves]

You were created to live forever and not to die.
Each of us has an eternal spirit.
As a Christian, I believe in the Bible's teachings. They are only two options after your physical death.
I'm sorry if you have met some unpleasant Christians, but is not about what you do rather about who you put your faith in

[nailit]

//Could be a number of suppositions.//
And that's all they will ever be.
NOW back to facts.....

[pixie374]

So, fiveleaves, if we were all created to live forever, why does anyone bother having children?

[nailit]

//You were created to live forever and not to die.
Each of us has an eternal spirit//
Any *PROOF*?

[pixie374]

It doesn't make sense, og... and we have established, I think- doesn't actually need to.

[pixie374]

Out of interest, og... what would be the point of life "after" death. What is the purpose then?