Are Atheists people with the most miserable aspiration of afterlife?

I think that the same people that are doing good deeds now with hope of an afterlife later… would probably do the same good deeds if no afterlife existed. Of course that is only a guess, but what can I say? I believe in the goodness of man.

But we’re talking about aspiration of afterlife. It’s clear that Creationist people are people with the most beautiful afterlife. Atheist people don’t. This is not about doing good deed whether or not there’s an afterlife but comparison about people with different perception of afterlife. Atheists do help people and doing lots of good deed but they aren’t happy about their afterlife.

I never said I wasn’t happy about what I believe to be my afterlife. I’m quite comfortable with it. Eternal life does not sound that appealing to me, to be completely honest.

I don’t believe in any afterlife, so by definition, that makes my vision less colorful than someone who believes there is a fantasy land with 72 virgins waiting or a land with angels playing harps or whatever.

Like @TheOnlyNeffie said ^ eternal life does not sound appealing. The 72 virgins would come with 72 mother-in-laws and the harps would be noisier than a Rap Club parking 10 minutes after the DJ leaves.

I have no plans for an afterlife so I make this life count.

I don’t think it is miserable at all. I think it is amazing that I will get the opportunity to die after a full life (hopefully). Although I would like to postpone the event for now, I imagine that one day I will welcome it.

Hey, go agnostic.You get all the benefits, at no extra cost, with none of the pitfalls. Easy really.

It has nothing to do with being an atheist. Currently I’m agnostic and try to have faith in the pure good of the universe.

I’m not sure if I am comprehending your question correctly. Christians do not believe in getting to heaven by “being good” but by accepting that Jesus Christ is our saviour because we all sin and are hell deserving (no matter how good we lived our lives). I’m not sure about the other religions. The Abrahamic religions to me have the worst afterlife outlook because most people alive today will go to their “fire and brimstone hell” for eternity. Atheists have the second worst outlook because of complete oblivion, which means “adios” to everyone that ever mattered in our lives. The eastern spiritual philosophies probally have the best outlook because most who pass will go to a third plane of existence upon physical death where the conditions are suppositively much better than physical life on earth and being reunited with deceased loved ones again.

@worriedguy great answer, but less harp-knocking, huh?! ;-)

What exactly is so bad about nothing? It isn’t like you would be consciously aware of the loved ones you’ve left behind. In fact, not much sounds more peaceful to me than absolute nothingness, certainly compared to an eternity of some level of consciousness. I’m very content with life here on Earth, I don’t feel much need for anything beyond this. Why is that viewed in a negative light? Doesn’t seem so bad to me at all, let alone the worst or second worst outloook.

I don’t necessarily believe there is no afterlife, but I see no natural reason for one, so I resist the notion that there is one. When a ball drops, it does so because gravity requires it to. I sense no natural forces that require an afterlife, or even hint at one. I disbelieve passionately, because the lack of belief allows for what feels like a more natural perception. (Same reason I passionately don’t believe in God despite encouragement.)

The purpose of life is here, in life. Losing the sense of that would make me not-me. I might be more happy, but what’s the point in being happy without a deeper sense of current purpose? It confuses me when I see people treating their educations like investments in some sort of business venture for future profit; I can’t comprehend what happens in the mind when someone tries to treat their entire life that way.

I don’t know. I’d say those who believe there’s a hell are worse (worse as in, more miserable prospect of afterlife?). That’s pretty scary to me. If you don’t believe that there’s anything after life, what does it matter? You’re gone and you won’t notice that there’s nothing.
Either way, i don’t know what they feel about hell, all i know is that it made me worry when i used to be a Christian growing up – basically the only reason to be a good person was to avoid ending up in hell – what kind of motivation is that to be a good person?
Anyway, this is just my personal experience.

@TheOnlyNeffie Not trying to prove which philosophy is correct here but if it was possible wouldn’t you prefer to be reunited with people you loved or missed in a much better dimension than complete oblivion? What about the little kid who never got to live his/her life because of an early death. What about the comfort for the people who are still alive? I’m talking about a preference here.

It’s just my opinion, but I feel the ones with the aspirations are clinging to something just to cling. I also feel that those who do not believe in an afterlife are just being a little more realistic. We have to face reality and consequences while alive, why make something up just for death?

@Jabe73 my preference is nothing. Eternity is way too long in my mind. I can’t imagine it being as good as people claim it is supposed to be. First of all.. how boring to have a perfect, happy, wonderful existence where nothing ever goes wrong for the rest of infinity. At least life is interesting with its ups and downs and chaos and learning and growing. The alternative typically being, as mentioned above, burning in a fiery hell… isn’t very tempting, either. “Nothing” sounds ideal to me. It can’t actually be “miserable” as described in the title, nothing is nothing.

@Blackberry Its more than just wanting to believe on my part. I was convinced through very bizarre experiences and though I can’t prove it to anyone else except those around me (who had similar experiences) and my own near death experience I can assure you that your opinion is just that, an opinion.

@TheOnlyNeffie Everyone is entitled to their own preferences. It still frightens me how many can be at peace with absolute oblivion of their deceased loved ones and be comfortable with that. I’m obviously in the minority on Fluther here on this one but in the real world most people agree with me.

@Jabe73 if it makes the discussion more even, I feel equally frightened that so many people believe in an afterlife and all of the trimmings that typically come along with such a belief. So at least we agree on that much, the other side of the fence sounds pretty scary to both of us. As you said.. everyone is entitled to their own preferences. :)
Unfortunately none of us will know for sure until the time comes, so in the meanwhile speculation is all we have.

Add me to the “I’m comfortable with the no afterlife.” camp.

Rhetorically speaking, if there is an afterlife, I wonder what kind of ant and roach spray I need to bring with me. I can’t stand those critters and I assume they have a right to the afterlife as well as bedbugs and mosquitoes and 72 mothers-in-law.

@TheOnlyNeffie The concept of everyone else buring in an eternal hell while enjoying yourself in heaven is even more frightening to me than oblivion. I am in between.

@Doctor_D IMO the prospect of an afterlife has Nothing to do with positive attitudes what so ever! I know a lot of God fearing people, in fact they are most of who I know and quite a few would qualify as grumpy and down right miserable. I am an atheist by definition and a practicing spiritualist and nobody is more colorful than I when I am in a good mood! In fact I am feeling very chartreuse at the moment!

@Cruiser A dualist atheist? Wow what a rarity on Fluther. Most spiritualists that I knew of believe in a great spirit of the universe of which we are all a part of. I’m not sure if you would call this force “god” itself but the term god can have several different meanings that I am aware of. Why do I allow myself to be sucked into these types of questions?

@worriedguy Yes, isn’t it so convenient how only humans are taken into account when it comes to death? Maybe pets will go to heaven, but what about beetles? We can kill a fly and not think twice about it, but the humans with the cortex can physically create their own afterlife?

@Jabe73 Just to clarify, my own spirituality is grounded in the “life force energy” of our entire universe and not some GOD like force or supreme entity (unless I am naive and gravity is somehow a God!?!) . The very same energy that keeps my atoms and your atoms glued together so we can type here together is what I “worship”. Energy…life energy is what made me and will spread to other wonderful things when my heart stops beating. No heaven or hell needed!

@Jabe73 Considering the differences between the identity of a person and the existence of a person, do you still feel the nature of the afterlife?

Consider the drives behind a person’s actions in relation to the effects they have on other people; do the purposes of these drives feel localized to the individual identities involved?

I can feel no reason why I or anyone else would need to exist as entities after our bodies die. There are people who still exist in the world who died countless generations ago. Their names are forgotten, their words are misquoted, but something of them that they valued as they valued life itself is still here. Our lives are their afterlife.

@Cruiser I’m not sure if I am comprehending you correctly. Spiritualists believe this “life force” is all part of the great spirit. In fact anything that has life to it including even plants, animals and bugs even have this “force” in them. A true Spiritualist also believes in the mind being seperate from the brain so physical death is just that, physical death but not the death of your mind, personality and memories. Sub-atomic particles are actually energy, not physical matter and have very unique properties such as being in several different places at once and the abilty to travel through physical objects (hence quantum mechanics). It is believed (by some scientists) that it is these sub-atomic particles that are a part of everything that exists is what makes up your ethereal body upon physical death. This is why spirits are difficult to see by us because they are made up of this sub-atomic energy (which makes up physical atoms). We can’t see energy per se but can observe its effects. There are real scientists out there (including quantum physicists) who are beginning to study this phenomenon. Sub-atomic particles are actually energy not physical matter. I’m not sure what type of Spiritualist you are.Now I really set myself up here.

@Jabe73 Perhaps but I don’t attach this life force energy I believe in to some great spirit and don’t appreciate it when people lump me in to a group that perhaps does. What I believe in is all random energy not some designed grand plan. And knowing about the nature and relationship of energy in our universe is more the reason I “believe” (pretty darn convinced) there is no God or supreme Lord being/entity.

And whether this energy is some sub-atomic particle or a wave is irrelevant as it just is ultimately energy and if anything is controlled gravity and the inherent laws of physics. So gravity is my God and Physics is my bible!

I don’t necesarilly agree with your assertion. Mainly from what I witnessed.

I have been with people – like my grandfather – who were atheists and died in perfect peace, looking back at a fruitful life with loved ones that will ‘carry the torch’ for them.

I witnessed religious people that were utterly afraid of dying. They looked back at their life and saw many reasons why their gateway to heaven would be blocked.

I guess dying can be scary when you feel you haven’t lived life the right way, regardless of your religious beliefs.

@Cruiser I’m just saying what a Spiritualist believes (going by those who actually practice what is called Spiritualism). I’m not lumping anyone into any category. What I said above is what a true Spiritualist believes.

So it is pretty obvious that anyone who believes in an afterlife will not get a great answer on this thread.

@Jabe73 Maybe if you answered my question, it would be great.

@Jabe73 When did lurve become the reason for answering?

@FireMadeFlesh Its not the lurve itself but it would be nice to have the other point of view at times. These forums seem very one-sided to me. Such as this one.

@zophu I don’t owe you an explaination. If I want to believe in an afterlife than I will. I already said plenty, I can’t prove to anyone what I’ve experienced just like you can’t prove me wrong. I do not need to explain why I believe we need to exist as entities in an afterlife. I offered another view here because all the other answers were pretty much the same. You all prefer oblivion and I do not and I offered the one lone opposite viewpoint to this.

@Jabe73 I acknowledge that Fluther is one sided on such issues, but why not “be the change you want to see in the world” (Ghandi), rather than saying “I don’t owe you an explaination”? Although I personally do not share your views, and am unlikely to change, yours are still valued and can give us insight into alternate ideas.

@FireMadeFlesh You can count on that! You see Fluther needs someone like me :)

@Jabe73 Glad to hear it.

@Jabe73 I don’t need an explanation. I was just trying to encourage more expression. Just because I don’t see a reason to believe in an afterlife doesn’t mean I can’t look for any.

@zophu Fair enough. I jumped off topic here anyway.

I believe it was Mark Twain who said “I was dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and it never caused me the slightest inconvenience.”

I’m in his camp.

There is an afterlife but don.t worry that it,ll be boring. It won.t be dull and you,ll get to see your so called dead friends. Please excuse my typing since my pc is being repaired.
I only wish that others could have experienced what we and other family members did; then you would believe, but I cannot tell you what will go on in the day of an angel.
I used to doubt too; then I realized if I.m dead who cares what happens?? I just didn;t care. Now I.m looking forward to seeing the future in my spiritual body! Will everyone go to the future realm? I can,t answer that question.
Many people think if someone else knows one thing that will happen they can then answer all their questions but that is untrue.

Here are two things we absolutely do know about life/afterlife from easily observed facts.

1—What you believe about an afterlife does not control what actually happens to you after you die. We know this because we know that the ancient Egyptians believed firmly that the Sun was the chief God. They believed that by building a vast tomb, mummifying and burring the Pharaoh there with everything he would need to sail to the Sun in the afterlife, even the builders would be assured of a place in eternity. We know that is what they believed because they wrote of it in hieroglyphics. And we know by the enormous effort they put into building pyramids that they must have fervently believed this would work. We know that despite their intense belief, their afterlife scheme didn’t work because 3,000 years later, the mummy, the ship that was to bear him to the Sun and all the food and supplies he was to use on the trip are still sitting there untouched.

2—We know that in this life, believing things will be better in an afterlife can be used as an excuse for atrocities and for ignoring pain and suffering here. Those who think this is all she wrote tend to use there time to write as much worthwhile work as they can in the little time they are allotted.

So I will take my chances living the best life I can live here and now. I am convinced by simple logic that doing that requires I follow the Golden Rule. If there is a God that will judge me and give me eternal life, I can only hope that is enough to secure my place. If there is a God that refuses to reveal himself openly to man but who requires that I guess which God of the thousands men have invented he is and that I follow some arcane set of rituals to please him—if living by the Golden Rule is simply not enough—and he damns everyone that fails his ritualistic test to eternal damnation, then I will be damned if I will worship such a ruthless, egomaniacal being.

@Aster You are aware that claims require proof, correct?

He hasn.t revealed Himself?? He tried sunsets, rainbows and puppy kisses; not good enough for you?

@Aster Alrighty then…......I’m just going to walk away from this one…..lol.

@Aster I believe in my father and mother because they revealed themselves to me. They didn’t reveal themselves by there being a house standing empty, or by this and that part of the physics Universe existing and obeying natural laws. They revealed themselves in millions of ways I could not possibly miss. I know they existed as firmly as I know anything on Earth, and I know they loved me and provided for me. There is no evidence whatsoever that rainbows prove god exists. They prove that water droplets, like all transparent round objects, refract light. I am quite sure an omnipotent and omniscient God could reveal herself in compelling fashion if she desired that we know she exists.

You require what you define as visible proof as in seeing your mother; I require a different type of proof which I see in much lovelier things than a water droplet and mine are much easier to see but, then again, drops of water are nice in the eyes of many. A snowflake appears much more intricate but so be it. I believe natural wonders like the silky skin of babies and red leaves falling are stronger evidence .than what you describe. What is so wondrous about a grown human being as compared to my visions of a God? Yes, she has revealed herself in compelling fashion and thank you for reminding me! Well stated and an inspiration.

@Blackberry , You have a good heart and, I have a feeling, a family who is praying for you.

I do not believe in the bible type of heaven and hell. Is it even described in there? But I do believe the idea of my energy changing not just dissipating. However none of this makes me unhappy now. If I do blink out to nothing, I won’t know it so it sure doesn’t worry me now.

@Aster My eyes are wide open to the wonder, mystery and grandeur of the Universe. Knowing as much as I do about cosmology and its wonder, I may appreciate it more than those who confine themselves primarily to earthly wonders. I discussed my feelings on these things vis-a-vis spiritualism in this answer. I have no problem with others interpreting these things differently, so long as they don’t try to force their beliefs on others.

I’m rather enjoying this Bash the Atheist week on fluther – it’s all right because we’ll get our turn and we are much less likely to be up in arms when someone questions our ideas or whine when these questions are posted. Our aspiration of an after life, my dear, is the least miserable of all because we’re not going to waste our time standing in line to be judged, nor in heaven worshiping something not worth it or in hell dealing with demons. No need for that, we battle enough demons in our lifetime and do good for good’s sake not for a pat on the back in the afterlife – we are therefore actualized individuals, rather than kids waiting around for a reward or kids waiting around to get spanked. You enjoy yours, though.

I have zero ideas regarding rewards or punishment. I cannot help but feel that an afterlife exists but that,s as far as I can go with it. I am not waiting around for an award , I don,t think about one but I also do not dismiss the possibility of getting my ass whooped.
So you feel bashed today. I sometimes do too but I don.t mind. I think I am as much at peace with my beliefs as you.

@Aster I’m sorry, were you commenting to me? I’m not feeling bashed, I’m very used to having believers worry themselves sick about my atheism or anyone’s atheism. It’s just interesting to always hear talk about how they feel fluther is so anti-religious but everyone’s traps are all of a sudden shut and we’ve had more than 2 questions making ridiculous statements about atheism – just funny in a har-har way and pitiful.

bliss in ignorance

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I actually enjoy and welcome such bashing, because it is not difficult to defend atheism or anything secular based. The defense can only help people or show them logic, and you can never have too much logic lol.

@Blackberry No, one can’t but you can’t reason with un-reason.

Don’t Label Me! I believe, I believe….in something.

The value of our lives persist to the extent that things we have done, created, influenced or invented continue to affect the lives of others after we have died. You do not need to believe in heaven for your life to have meaning and lasting value. Do things that make life better for others!

@Dr_Lawrence I agree. A belief in heaven doesn.t give our lives meaning, Not mine, anyway. Heaven is just a word, a made up word.
It.s there, though. UP there. lol

@Aster Where is ‘up there’? Is it in our solar system? Is it outside of our galaxy? Is it in another galaxy?

@Blackberry Shh, there you go again with your logic.

@Blackberry , that was a joke.

@Aster Whew! I’m relieved, so your statement saying you know there’s an afterlife was a joke too?

@Blackberry I find it strange you.d be relieved if u thought I knew heaven was above us.But for knowing there is one, I cannot deny what I know, what happened to us. It doesnt matter, really, if you believe it or not as long as you.re not angry which you aren,t. Besides, you have a lifetime to possibly change your beliefs.

Seeing how there is exactly the same amount of energy in the universe from when it first came into existence, we are eternal beings just transformed into a different form of energy a sort of pure vibrational energy. I will be able to go, visit, see whatever I want to physical or non-physical. I just won’t be able to interact with the physical stuff in the same way. That is my view on the afterlife.

Call it a “fridge magnet philosophy” if you will but in my experience misery is very much what you make of it. One could claim that an existence without end is miserable simply because on an infinite timeline everything becomes gradually less stimulating. Equally one could claim that a life of mortality is miserable because much of it is spent in fear. It’s a matter of perspective and preference and accordingly is not universally assignable.

Who cares about afterlife? It’s this life that matters. Don’t see the point in living life as a preparation for afterlife (or to avoid a negative afterlife). Are people who do good just so they can be rewarded truly doing good? Are people who do good just so they can avoid being punished truly doing good? To me, believing in a positive afterlife is a way to cope with this life and its difficulties. “It will all be bliss later”. Later. Next. Wait.

Live for the moment, not for a “later” that might not exist.

@DominicX
I’ve long been both skeptical and affectionate of that perspective. It occurs to me that “living in the moment” is a wonderful prospect and potentially fantastic in (even prolonged) bursts, but living in the moment for ones entire life seems unwise. To some degree fear, stress and uncertainty should be adhered to as they have their purpose just as excitement, fulfillment and adventure do.

I apologise that comes across as uncouthly intrusive. Just offering some thoughts :)

@DominicX

Well, in this sense, I’m defining “moment” as much longer, possibly encompassing this entire life. In other words, as opposed to living for an afterlife that may not exist, live for this life.

@DominicX
You make a valid point, however what if my afterlife has a make-it-yourself burrito bar?

Who said atheist are unhappy because they don’t believe/know there isn’t an afterlife?
Atheist(in my view)are very confident and strong person who believe in pure scientific truth and don’t feel the need to believe in reassuring things like God and afterlife..That’s what makes them happy,knowing the order of the Universe,discovering new things,witnessing the complex“beauty“of the Universe etc..Knowing this is the last show makes them live life to its fullest and they don’t just go through their life,waiting for their afterlife.Helping people and not having any prejudice because this is what they think is correct and not because they fear mighty God,I think makes them feel more free and happy than religious people who are happy because they made God’s will or something.
I think that there’s nothing ironic in atheism,I’d rather think that doing everything in life to have a good afterlife and discovering there’s none afterlife is ironic.
I guess that atheists are happier than religious people but sometimes being an atheist can be really painful because you ask yourself a question and you can’t answer“it’s God’‘or things like these,so you have endless nights of thinking and days spent deep inside books,but the nothing compares to the sensation you get when you find the answer

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Bash the atheist week? But it is ok when many atheist questions are set up to bash theists. Your statement makes no sense to me. Usually on most these forums it is 10 to 15 atheists against 1 or 2 theists. This one is a great example of this. When someone brings a different viewpoint up it is ok to bash or question them? This question asked which outlook of an afterlife seemed the worst to you. Every statement before mine emphasised how oblivion was great and I offered my opinion (in which I stated I disagree and prefer to continue on after death) before people questioned me why oblivion was so bad. I would have let the question go at that point. I had every right to state my opinion because to me personally oblivion is not good. Me and others should have a right to that opinion without being bashed or called names. Not everyone shares your views on here. Respect works both ways.

@Blackberry Why did you need to make the statement you did about hoping Aster’s belief in the afterlife was a joke? This is exactly what I am talking about. News flash for you, some of us do believe there is continued existance after death, why do we have to resort to the mediocre insults?