Why Atheism?

[Demagog]

So I've always wondered. Why believe that when you die you stop existing? I don't see how anyone could accept that and be able to live happily, knowing that it's basically like you aren't even living at all. If you stop existing, then what was even the point?

[pepokish]

Likewise, I'd like to know what's so much more appealing about an eternity of servitude to a figure such as the Christian God.

[Demagog]

Wow, no need to be so hateful. And I don't know what servitude you're talking about, so I can't answer your question.

Is that your reason? You think theists are bound to an eternity of servitude (assuming we're right)?

[airframe]

Pepo wasn't being hateful, anymore than you were.

I don't think there is any reason to believe in something that we have no proof of. I mean that if you believe in some god you're not really changing any facts.

[Scaredgirl]

So I've always wondered. Why believe that when you die you stop existing? I don't see how anyone could accept that and be able to live happily, knowing that it's basically like you aren't even living at all. If you stop existing, then what was even the point?

I believe that I stop existing because all the evidence points towards that. Sure if would be cool to wake up in some other place where all you do is eat ice-cream every day, but nothing suggests that it's going to happen, so why would I believe that? Would be pretty ridiculous for me to start coming up with all kinds of stories and theories simply because I refuse to accept my fate.

I don't think there is a "point" in life. Life just happens. We are all just being on this earth, just like a worm or an ant. I don't think some random ant has a higher meaning in his life. It lives, it dies. Simple as that.

Problem with humans is that we like to think that we are somehow special and better than all the other animals here.
That's not the case. We are just animals who happened to follow an evolutionary path that made us successful.

We are not special.

[Demagog]

Pepo wasn't being hateful, anymore than you were.

I don't think there is any reason to believe in something that we have no proof of.

His diction made it sound like he was. There's no way to hear a person's tone of voice, so that's all I had to go off of. If any of what I said sounds hateful, I assure you it's not. I merely desire to satisfy my curiosity.

Belief doesn't require proof.

So I've always wondered. Why believe that when you die you stop existing? I don't see how anyone could accept that and be able to live happily, knowing that it's basically like you aren't even living at all. If you stop existing, then what was even the point?

I believe that I stop existing because all the evidence points towards that. Sure if would be cool to wake up in some other place where all you do is eat ice-cream every day, but nothing suggests that it's going to happen, so why would I believe that? Would be pretty ridiculous for me to start coming up with all kinds of stories and theories simply because I refuse to accept my fate.

I don't think there is a "point" in life. Life just happens. We are all just being on this earth, just like a worm or an ant. I don't think some random ant has a higher meaning in his life. It lives, it dies. Simple as that.

Problem with humans is that we like to think that we are somehow special and better than all the other animals here.
That's not the case. We are just animals who happened to follow an evolutionary path that made us successful.

We are not special.

What evidence points towards you ceasing to exist? There's no evidence either way.

As for the last part, I wouldn't call that a problem with humans. I think that due to our intellect, it is necessary for us to want to believe there is life after death. I think our species would have died off a long time ago if we couldn't believe there was a point to our lives. Why live if it doesn't matter that you lived?

Perhaps I should also ask, how are you able to accept not existing?

[xdude]

...because I can't believe there's a big guy in the sky?

[airframe]

Pepo wasn't being hateful, anymore than you were.

I don't think there is any reason to believe in something that we have no proof of.

His diction made it sound like he was. There's no way to hear a person's tone of voice, so that's all I had to go off of. If any of what I said sounds hateful, I assure you it's not. I merely desire to satisfy my curiosity.

Yes, nothing to worry about.

Belief doesn't require proof.

Then based on what you decide what religion you want to believe in? Just pick one and stick with it? The religion that perhaps your parents follow?

I have no need for supersticious beliefs. I find it much harder to believe in some god or gods than accepting that when my brain stops to function there is nothing after that for me.

[Scaredgirl]

What evidence points towards you ceasing to exist? There's no evidence either way.

Well, there is the medical evidence but I'm guessing that's not enough in this case?

I'll tell you a secret. I'm really an alien from the Gamma Galaxy. You don't believe me? Well, what evidence points towards me not being an alien from the Gamma Galaxy? Prove to me that I'm not an alien from the Gamma Galaxy.

The burden of proof lies with the person making the claim. Otherwise we could just make up stuff and nothing would make any sense.

If I told everyone that a magical green squirrel built the universe, everyone would think I'm nuts. But if I started a religion "The Church of the Magical Green Squirrel", wrote "holy" books, sacrificed acorns, etc. I would no longer be considered crazy because now it would be my religion. And if anyone wanted to prove me wrong, they would have to show me how the magical green squirrel couldn't have existed.*

*science is sometimes wrong so it is always wrong and the proof cannot be based on science

As for the last part, I wouldn't call that a problem with humans. I think that due to our intellect, it is necessary for us to want to believe there is life after death. I think our species would have died off a long time ago if we couldn't believe there was a point to our lives. Why live if it doesn't matter that you lived?

Perhaps I should also ask, how are you able to accept not existing?

Yes, this is the "point" you talked about in the first post. Like I said, I don't see a point in life really. It's the life itself that is the "point". Our job is to live a good life, help others, and reproduce. That's it. There is no prize at the end.

Me "not accepting" death is just denial. It's like getting cancer and saying over and over again "I don't have a cancer!". Sure you can do that but it makes no difference in the end.

[Demagog]

Pepo wasn't being hateful, anymore than you were.

I don't think there is any reason to believe in something that we have no proof of.

His diction made it sound like he was. There's no way to hear a person's tone of voice, so that's all I had to go off of. If any of what I said sounds hateful, I assure you it's not. I merely desire to satisfy my curiosity.

Yes, nothing to worry about.

Belief doesn't require proof.

Then based on what you decide what religion you want to believe in? Just pick one and stick with it? The religion that perhaps your parents follow?

I have no need for supersticious beliefs. I find it much harder to believe in some god or gods than accepting that when my brain stops to function there is nothing after that for me.

I have no idea what religion my parents are, or if they are religious at all, if that answers your question. I believe what I believe for the same reason as everyone else believes what they believe, including you. It's what I want to believe.

What evidence points towards you ceasing to exist? There's no evidence either way.

Well, there is the medical evidence but I'm guessing that's not enough in this case?

I'll tell you a secret. I'm really an alien from the Gamma Galaxy. You don't believe me? Well, what evidence points towards me not being an alien from the Gamma Galaxy? Prove to me that I'm not an alien from the Gamma Galaxy.

The burden of proof lies with the person making the claim. Otherwise we could just make up stuff and nothing would make any sense.

If I told everyone that a magical green squirrel built the universe, everyone would think I'm nuts. But if I started a religion "The Church of the Magical Green Squirrel", wrote "holy" books, sacrificed acorns, etc. I would no longer be considered crazy because now it would be my religion. And if anyone wanted to prove me wrong, they would have to show me how the magical green squirrel couldn't have existed.*

*science is sometimes wrong so it is always wrong and the proof cannot be based on science

As for the last part, I wouldn't call that a problem with humans. I think that due to our intellect, it is necessary for us to want to believe there is life after death. I think our species would have died off a long time ago if we couldn't believe there was a point to our lives. Why live if it doesn't matter that you lived?

Perhaps I should also ask, how are you able to accept not existing?

Yes, this is the "point" you talked about in the first post. Like I said, I don't see a point in life really. It's the life itself that is the "point". Our job is to live a good life, help others, and reproduce. That's it. There is no prize at the end.

Me "not accepting" death is just denial. It's like getting cancer and saying over and over again "I don't have a cancer!". Sure you can do that but it makes no difference in the end.

You said that you believe you stop existing because all of the evidence points towards that. If anyone is guilty of not meeting the burden of proof, it's you. You say there is evidence, I say there is none. I don't know what medical evidence shows that people don't possess souls (or whatever part of us lives on after death).

[xdude]

Pepo wasn't being hateful, anymore than you were.

I don't think there is any reason to believe in something that we have no proof of.

His diction made it sound like he was. There's no way to hear a person's tone of voice, so that's all I had to go off of. If any of what I said sounds hateful, I assure you it's not. I merely desire to satisfy my curiosity.

Yes, nothing to worry about.

Belief doesn't require proof.

Then based on what you decide what religion you want to believe in? Just pick one and stick with it? The religion that perhaps your parents follow?

I have no need for supersticious beliefs. I find it much harder to believe in some god or gods than accepting that when my brain stops to function there is nothing after that for me.

I have no idea what religion my parents are, or if they are religious at all, if that answers your question. I believe what I believe for the same reason as everyone else believes what they believe, including you. It's what I want to believe.

What evidence points towards you ceasing to exist? There's no evidence either way.

Well, there is the medical evidence but I'm guessing that's not enough in this case?

I'll tell you a secret. I'm really an alien from the Gamma Galaxy. You don't believe me? Well, what evidence points towards me not being an alien from the Gamma Galaxy? Prove to me that I'm not an alien from the Gamma Galaxy.

The burden of proof lies with the person making the claim. Otherwise we could just make up stuff and nothing would make any sense.

If I told everyone that a magical green squirrel built the universe, everyone would think I'm nuts. But if I started a religion "The Church of the Magical Green Squirrel", wrote "holy" books, sacrificed acorns, etc. I would no longer be considered crazy because now it would be my religion. And if anyone wanted to prove me wrong, they would have to show me how the magical green squirrel couldn't have existed.*

*science is sometimes wrong so it is always wrong and the proof cannot be based on science

As for the last part, I wouldn't call that a problem with humans. I think that due to our intellect, it is necessary for us to want to believe there is life after death. I think our species would have died off a long time ago if we couldn't believe there was a point to our lives. Why live if it doesn't matter that you lived?

Perhaps I should also ask, how are you able to accept not existing?

Yes, this is the "point" you talked about in the first post. Like I said, I don't see a point in life really. It's the life itself that is the "point". Our job is to live a good life, help others, and reproduce. That's it. There is no prize at the end.

Me "not accepting" death is just denial. It's like getting cancer and saying over and over again "I don't have a cancer!". Sure you can do that but it makes no difference in the end.

You said that you believe you stop existing because all of the evidence points towards that. If anyone is guilty of not meeting the burden of proof, it's you. You say there is evidence, I say there is none. I don't know what medical evidence shows that people don't possess souls (or whatever part of us lives on after death).

Dude. Again? She doesn't have to prove there are no souls. You have to prove there are.

[pepokish]

Wow, no need to be so hateful. And I don't know what servitude you're talking about, so I can't answer your question.

Is that your reason? You think theists are bound to an eternity of servitude (assuming we're right)?

I was not being hateful; that is how I view Christianity.  Just as you seem to think that being a part of this beautiful and wonderful thing called life (even if only in the most minute of ways) could ever be depressing.

There is no reason to believe that heaven is a place where you get to lounge around and relax until the end of time, especially considering some particular characteristics of the Christian God (insecurity, paranoia, jealousy).  God desires humans to continually praise him and exalt him, and feels insecure enough that he must destroy and endlessly torment anyone who does not believe in him.  And even aside from that, the prospect of existing forever seems completely egotistical and fantastic (and not in the good way). 

Faced with the decision of heaven or hell, I would probably resort to the flip of a coin, as both seem equally terrifying.

Then again, even if the concept of heaven was a reality, I would never believe that any human would be worthy of entrance, by God's standards.  If we are to take the bible literally (which, evidently, no one ever does, anymore), essentially the entirety of humanity is going to hell.

All in all, I find the idea of Christianity to be too flawed, too obviously a fear-mongering control device, and too unappealing to waste my precious time on (and my time is precious, because it is so short).

At times, yes, I do feel sad that there is not more than this.  I have a tendency to fantasize about reincarnation, but I can't fully convince myself that such a thing is possible.  But these moments are fleeting, and the great majority of my time is spent enjoying the time I have, and being thankful for the fact that I have been given this beautiful and wonderful glimpse of existence.  All I can do is make the most of what I have.