hey question for atheist/agnostics

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villageidiot111

Platinum Member
Jul 19, 2004
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Do I wish there was a heaven to look forward to after death? Certainly, you'd have to be pretty messed up not to. Unfortunately that's not the way things work; you've just got to make the best of the life you have.
 

videogames101

Diamond Member
Aug 24, 2005
6,783
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Hells yes!

Why would I NOT want to live in a eternal heaven?



Too bad, I can't, science, damn you.
 
Oct 25, 2006
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No. Eternal Life would be boring.

Why would I be messed up to not want to live forever?

Edit- Also, I'm already comfortable living in a world of reason and logic. No reason to change my beliefs for no reason.
 

Oceandevi

Diamond Member
Jan 20, 2006
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Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: JohnCU
Originally posted by: I4AT
Why would you be athiest/agnostic but still wish you could believe in a higher power? Maybe you're really a closet believer that wants to think they're athiest so as to fit in?

uhmmm i live in the bible belt where no atheist/agnostic fits in so no. i just wish i could just accept it like everyone else does without questioning so i wouldn't have to think about it as much.

I feel your pain. Seems like every girl I have a 'chance' with or even a lot in common with, is a southern baptist. :frown:

Just lie to them, pretending to be a christian is surprisingly easy.
 

DangerAardvark

Diamond Member
Oct 22, 2004
7,559
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Do you mean if I wish it were true? Do I wish that there was an all powerful sky-father at whose whim I live, die, suffer or experience happiness? Do I wish an omnipresent dictatorship on myself, inescapable even in death? At least in North Korea you can die.
 

Oceandevi

Diamond Member
Jan 20, 2006
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I am going to ride my soul board and explore the universe when I move on. You guys can stay in gods suburbs if you want. I'm going surfing.
 

JakwoW

Senior member
Aug 7, 2007
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Originally posted by: JohnCU
sometimes i wish i could just accept it and pack it in, and just be like everyone else so as to fit in but alas, my brain cannot fathom it, therefore i do not.

Pretty much how I am. I think it'd be cool to have a heaven to go to, but there is not, so we must make do with what we can during our short stay on earth.

Only time I really think about it is when someone close to me passes on and I think about how it would be swell to be able to be with them someday. I always drag myself back to reality though.
 

DangerAardvark

Diamond Member
Oct 22, 2004
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Originally posted by: villageidiot111
Do I wish there was a heaven to look forward to after death? Certainly, you'd have to be pretty messed up not to. Unfortunately that's not the way things work; you've just got to make the best of the life you have.

"I was dead for millions of years before I was born and it never inconvenienced me a bit."
-Mark Twain

The prospect of nothingness after death has kept me up at night a couple of times in the past, which shouldn't be a surprise when you think about it. After all, when you're in bed, you're minutes away from oblivion, with the exception of dreams of course. But, we've all experienced dreamless nights one time or another, and what was so terrible about that?

The point is that we all know what it's like to be dead. So ask yourself what it felt like. The answer? Nothing. Nothing to fear.
 

ObiDon

Diamond Member
May 8, 2000
3,435
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yes, because then i could pray for less f'ing deadliest catch on the discovery channel :|
 

thecrecarc

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2004
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Perhaps. It definitely would be cool if there was this kind awesome god and an afterlife of eternal bliss waiting. So I suppose I do occasionally want a god.

I also want large sums of money, unicorns, and sharks with lasers on their head. Alas, I don't have any of them :( Wanting something doesn't make it true...
 

Chronoshock

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2004
4,860
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I feel I understand the merits behind religious teachings without the necessity of faith and belief in a higher being. Certainly faith plays a very important role to traditional religious beliefs, but I feel its one means to an end of moral strength and personal hope. I'm happy with who I am and how I view life, and I don't feel the need for a "higher" source of support, compassion, or judgment.
 

miketheidiot

Lifer
Sep 3, 2004
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Originally posted by: I4AT
Why would you be athiest/agnostic but still wish you could believe in a higher power? Maybe you're really a closet believer that wants to think they're athiest so as to fit in?

you can't believe because it doesn't make sense, but you wish it made sense so you could believe.


I personally do someyimes, it would make alot of things alot easier, and i woudln't have to be the leper of the group whenever religion comes up.
 

miketheidiot

Lifer
Sep 3, 2004
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Originally posted by: Dirigible
As an atheist on the left coast I fit in just fine. I wish I did believe though. It would make death a lot less scary, I could find all the answers to life's difficult questions in a book, etc., etc.

as an atheist, i now find death much less scary
 

Dirigible

Diamond Member
Apr 26, 2006
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Originally posted by: miketheidiot
Originally posted by: Dirigible
As an atheist on the left coast I fit in just fine. I wish I did believe though. It would make death a lot less scary, I could find all the answers to life's difficult questions in a book, etc., etc.

as an atheist, i now find death much less scary

Yeah, well, you're an idiot. ;)

Why do you find death less scary as an atheist? I like the idea of heaven and eternal happiness, and am upset that there is nothing but nothing after I die. Or would you expect to go to hell? :p
 

DangerAardvark

Diamond Member
Oct 22, 2004
7,559
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Originally posted by: Dirigible
Originally posted by: miketheidiot
Originally posted by: Dirigible
As an atheist on the left coast I fit in just fine. I wish I did believe though. It would make death a lot less scary, I could find all the answers to life's difficult questions in a book, etc., etc.

as an atheist, i now find death much less scary

Yeah, well, you're an idiot. ;)

Why do you find death less scary as an atheist? I like the idea of heaven and eternal happiness, and am upset that there is nothing but nothing after I die. Or would you expect to go to hell? :p

You find it more comforting to be left up to the capriciousness of some kind of deity? What if you pick the wrong religion? You would put your eternal well-being in the hands of a petty God who values feigned obeisance over honest inquiry? A mind diseased enough to even invent Hell and threaten children with it is more than capable of sending you there.
 

manowar821

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2007
6,063
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No, there is absolutely no reason for me to believe in it, nor is there any reason for me to want to. I'd rather seek to understand the universe than just subscribe to a cop-out, even if I could delude myself into it.

It's easier to say "god did it", but that doesn't make it correct.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
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Not in the deity in most religions. Most deities are moody, or else borderline sociopaths.

It would be nice to have some kind of super powerful security blanket, but I just can't see it happening. We're on our own in a Universe that really doesn't give a damn if we're here or not.



Originally posted by: Leros
I wished I beleived. It would be very nice to think there was some kind of afterlife or guiding power.
Screw that. :) Afterlife? I think technology will eventually be able to cure us of the ancient malady of mortality. Maybe some kind of genetic who-knows-what, or else artificial bodies and brains.
All you seem to do in the afterlife is be eternally burdened with "watching over" people.

Guiding power? Maybe. But then it seems more like we're just puppets following some existing plan. If it's just us, we decide where we go and what happens to us.



Originally posted by: villageidiot111
Do I wish there was a heaven to look forward to after death? Certainly, you'd have to be pretty messed up not to. Unfortunately that's not the way things work; you've just got to make the best of the life you have.
So what sociopath deity says, "You must suffer on Earth first before you can come to Heaven. Oh, and if you kill yourself, I'll burn your invitation. And I'm not telling you when you can come here. And your family will get really upset when you're in the eternal place of happiness. Hehehehheeee!"

 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
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Originally posted by: manowar821
No, there is absolutely no reason for me to believe in it, nor is there any reason for me to want to. I'd rather seek to understand the universe than just subscribe to a cop-out, even if I could delude myself into it.

It's easier to say "god did it", but that doesn't make it correct.

but alas, you can't prove it either way. :p