Atheists, where do we go after we die???

[QUOTE="jetpower3"]

[QUOTE="mrbojangles25"]

well, that is exactly the problem (and the issue at hand).

We can try in vain to imagine no where, but we literally cannot.

So just either accept it, or believe in something else

btw not trying to be a jerk with an ultimatum, simply expressing the two options I think are possible

mrbojangles25

You're right. That is the problem. It's one of the many problems out there with no real solution. I've had my own visions of "no where" myself, and from a conscious standpoint, they all seem pretty horrible. But from an unconscious standpoint, if you're not even aware of it, I suppose it makes no difference.

yea lol thats the problem, again.

You say "nothingnes is horrible", but I askhow can something be horrible if its nothing?

Then someone else might say "well nothingness is worse than something, so it must be worse than everything/anything" (i.e. even the pain of torture is substantial, therefore it is more valuable than nothing)

I say "nothingness is horrible" from a conscious and living standpoint, because that part of me does not want its existence to end, like most organisms. But I suppose when you're unconscious and dead, you won't feel anything. And that's why I said it makes no difference. It's a neutral phase.

I think it's pretty interesting how you mentioned torture. We've all seen how some people would rather die than go through terrible and prolonged pain. Well, I think if experiencing the good things in life is positive, experiencing the bad is negative, and if "no where" is some kind of neutralizing phase where all of that goes away, then maybe it might be preferrable. Like, if someone is going to be tortured, go through horrible pain, or going to live a irreverisibly miserable life for the rest of his/ her life, then I suppose death as a "no where" phase is not such a bad thing at all. It is completely neutralizing, and, besides the unknown chance of afterlife, the best they can hope for.

That's my two cents.

Fair enough Mr. Bojanles25, maybe I was a little hasty but still, it was a question for atheists. People just shouting heaven and nothing else does not contribute to the discussion at hand. I wasn't reffering to the ones who actually shared there thoughts toward the discussion at hand.

eckomisfit84

oh no, I agree with you concerning blind fundamentalists, but I have faith (har har) that the majority of religious folks are, at the least, willing to hear out others of opposing- or non-existent faiths. I feel we should do the same.

Gotta take a grain of salt, you know?

*idunno why but OT feels unusually warm and receptive tonight. Who wants to cuddle? I got a nice comforter...

[QUOTE="mrbojangles25"]

[QUOTE="jetpower3"]

You're right. That is the problem. It's one of the many problems out there with no real solution. I've had my own visions of "no where" myself, and from a conscious standpoint, they all seem pretty horrible. But from an unconscious standpoint, if you're not even aware of it, I suppose it makes no difference.

jetpower3

yea lol thats the problem, again.

You say "nothingnes is horrible", but I askhow can something be horrible if its nothing?

Then someone else might say "well nothingness is worse than something, so it must be worse than everything/anything" (i.e. even the pain of torture is substantial, therefore it is more valuable than nothing)

I say "nothingness is horrible" from a conscious and living standpoint, because that part of me does not want its existence to end, like most organisms. But I suppose when you're unconscious and dead, you won't feel anything. And that's why I said it makes no difference. It's a neutral phase.

I think it's pretty interesting how you mentioned torture. We've all seen how some people would rather die than go through terrible and prolonged pain. Well, I think if experiencing the good things in life is positive, experiencing the bad is negative, and if "no where" is some kind of neutralizing phase where all of that goes away, then maybe it might be preferrable. Like, if someone is going to be tortured, go through horrible pain, or going to live a irreverisibly miserable life for the rest of his/ her life, then I suppose death as a "no where" phase is not such a bad thing at all. It is completely neutralizing, and, besides the unknown chance of afterlife, the best they can hope for.

That's my two cents.

so, just throwing this out there (and not putting words in your mouth), but would you suggest that an atheist is more likely to endure torture than a religious person who believes in a positive afterlife?

we're just gone. we're nothing afterwards but we aren't bored, we just don't think.

[QUOTE="jetpower3"]

[QUOTE="mrbojangles25"]

yea lol thats the problem, again.

You say "nothingnes is horrible", but I askhow can something be horrible if its nothing?

Then someone else might say "well nothingness is worse than something, so it must be worse than everything/anything" (i.e. even the pain of torture is substantial, therefore it is more valuable than nothing)

mrbojangles25

I say "nothingness is horrible" from a conscious and living standpoint, because that part of me does not want its existence to end, like most organisms. But I suppose when you're unconscious and dead, you won't feel anything. And that's why I said it makes no difference. It's a neutral phase.

I think it's pretty interesting how you mentioned torture. We've all seen how some people would rather die than go through terrible and prolonged pain. Well, I think if experiencing the good things in life is positive, experiencing the bad is negative, and if "no where" is some kind of neutralizing phase where all of that goes away, then maybe it might be preferrable. Like, if someone is going to be tortured, go through horrible pain, or going to live a irreverisibly miserable life for the rest of his/ her life, then I suppose death as a "no where" phase is not such a bad thing at all. It is completely neutralizing, and, besides the unknown chance of afterlife, the best they can hope for.

That's my two cents.

so, just throwing this out there (and not putting words in your mouth), but would you suggest that an atheist is more likely to endure torture than a religious person who believes in a positive afterlife?

An atheist and a religious person would have to weigh whether having a chance at a positive life again is going to be possible. If they know this, then they might put up with it. But not everyone can handle torture, and, depending on the type, even if it doesn't kill, maim, or otherwise incapacitate a person physically, it can leave irreversible mental scars. But just as unknown as what happens after death, is what is going to happen in the future. A religious person believes he/she will experience life, or "afterlife", in a positive experience again. But he/she will probably still value being alive more than being dead, if and only if he/she believes will experience a positive life again.

An atheist might view this the same way. The only difference is that he/she will not believe in a positive afterlife, only a neutralizing nothingness. Like I said, if he/she believed that the torture was going to be unbearable, or would otherwise be scarred in an extremely negative way for life, then he/she might prefer death. But if he/she does believe he/she will experience positive life afterwards, then it might be advisable to try to stay alive as long as possible.

There is also the unknown factor of how much life is valued. But I think we should stop this discussion here. I am getting behind in my work, and I'm starting to sound like a game theorist, and I have no experience with that field :P.

[QUOTE="mrbojangles25"]

[QUOTE="jetpower3"]

I say "nothingness is horrible" from a conscious and living standpoint, because that part of me does not want its existence to end, like most organisms. But I suppose when you're unconscious and dead, you won't feel anything. And that's why I said it makes no difference. It's a neutral phase.

I think it's pretty interesting how you mentioned torture. We've all seen how some people would rather die than go through terrible and prolonged pain. Well, I think if experiencing the good things in life is positive, experiencing the bad is negative, and if "no where" is some kind of neutralizing phase where all of that goes away, then maybe it might be preferrable. Like, if someone is going to be tortured, go through horrible pain, or going to live a irreverisibly miserable life for the rest of his/ her life, then I suppose death as a "no where" phase is not such a bad thing at all. It is completely neutralizing, and, besides the unknown chance of afterlife, the best they can hope for.

That's my two cents.

jetpower3

so, just throwing this out there (and not putting words in your mouth), but would you suggest that an atheist is more likely to endure torture than a religious person who believes in a positive afterlife?

An atheist and a religious person would have to weigh whether having a chance at a positive life again is going to be possible. If they know this, then they might put up with it. But not everyone can handle torture, and, depending on the type, even if it doesn't kill, maim, or otherwise incapacitate a person physically, it can leave irreversible mental scars. But just as unknown as what happens after death, is what is going to happen in the future. A religious person believes he/she will experience life, or "afterlife", in a positive experience again. But he/she will probably still value being alive more than being dead, if and only if he/she believes will experience a positive life again.

An atheist might view this the same way. The only difference is that he/she will not believe in a positive afterlife, only a neutralizing nothingness. Like I said, if he/she believed that the torture was going to be unbearable, or would otherwise be scarred in an extremely negative way for life, then he/she might prefer death. But if he/she does believe he/she will experience positive life afterwards, then it might be advisable to try to stay alive as long as possible.

There is also the unknown factor of how much life is valued. But I think we should stop this discussion here. I am getting behind in my work, and I'm starting to sound like a game theorist, and I have no experience with that field :P.

and on that note

Well since I don't have any immediate family near me that would realize that I had died I would assume my body would become ward of the state and my body would end up as some experimental cadaver for med students to practice on.

When we die, we enter the ground as organic molecules, to become fertilizer for the next generation of ignorant clowns, with a few shining existential stars among the mix.

Well first, when you die, in the modern era, its usually in a hospital. So when you keel over, you'll end up usually in the morgue in the basement. Then if the cause of your death is known, they will ship your body out to a funeral home, where the funeral director (the undertaker of the modern age) will either embalm your body, preserving your "life" or cremate you, making disposal of your body very simple. Then your close family and friends will host a funeral for you, of varying types of ceremonies, some religious and even some secular, and your body will either 1) end up buried in the ground, 2) scattered on the cemetaries' "scattering grounds," 3) end up on a mantle piece or 4) if your wishes include your ashes to be scattered somewhere else, they will be taken by your family and placed where you specify.

That is what happens to us when we die. Whether or not there is some form of the body that "continues" on after the death of a person is pure speculation.

foxhound_fox

[QUOTE="Evolution-X0"]

We Go To Heaven with magical unicorns, emotionless angels, white clouds and just absolute nothingness for eternity,sounds like hell to me. Well in my point of view we die and thats it. no fantasy bull.

but you know imagine that maybe you will go somewhere, in your world and your rules so you dont have to worry about it so much.

mrbojangles25

lol that sounds awful. If there is a heaven, I just hope it has:

1. a lot of good beer
2. nice ladies with good personalities
3. good people to drink with
4. fast internet
5. video games
6. a movie theatre

I think that'd be all I need for an eternity

Perhaps this shall interest you...

Beer volcanoes and stripper factories.

May his noodly appendage touch you.