[b]I recalled recently a conversation I had once with an old and dear friend, a woman who was one of my high school history teachers, and who has known me since I was born. We talked about a lot of things outside of class. Music, poetry, film, love… And eventually, religion.

One of the problems she had with the concept of atheism was that she just couldn't envision "nothing." The concept of a complete void was one that she couldn't handle. In other words, she couldn't imagine not existing. She couldn't imagine her consciousness suddenly ending upon her death, with nothing to follow.

Granted, it's a very difficult thing to grasp, on both intellectual and emotional levels. I'd be lying if I said I didn't find it hard to imagine, too. And I think this very concept is probably the single most relevant part of the origin of theism.

We invented an afterlife, probably before we even invented deities. Early humans had no idea what happened when a person died. Suddenly, there was simply no life in the body that used to be our friend/mate/child/whatever. There was just a corpse.

Eventually, the question became so urgent that some sort of answer was needed. And the invented answer, one that seemed to satisfy just about everyone, was that the dead person's spirit had gone to another realm. A realm devoid of human misery. The concept evolved into Heaven, the Happy Hunting Ground, Valhalla, and countless others.

Then there's the concept of reincarnation. Some people find it easier to imagine coming back to live life over again. To some, this is an infinite progression; to others, a temporary thing, wherein one reaches the true afterlife only after mastering this one, no matter how many times it takes.

Either way, it's easier to believe in something after we die than in nothingness, and I've said as much in this forum before.

I also feel that, in addition to this concept being the prime cause of the invention of theism, the difficulty in accepting nothingness is also the prime reason that theism continues to thrive. I've also spoken before of how our world continues to become a more and more frightening place with each passing year. The more afraid we are of the world, the more we want to believe that something better waits for us..

The truly sad result of this, in my opinion, is that fewer and fewer people are willing to try to make this world a better place. They think of some imaginary next world and don't want to deal with the problems in the real one. This goes beyond apathy and becomes at times outright rejection.

Is it any wonder that our world continues to deteriorate, especially when we have it within our power to change things for the better?

If more people were to accept the fact that lives come one to a customer (even to cats), then more people would realize that work needs to be done here. The work needs to be done by people who care about this world. Those who feel the next world is the one that matters will never fully apply themselves to healing this one. All the money that is sent to churches will never be used to make this world a better place in any but the most superficial ways. It will only be used to further that church and its belief system, which will invariably include preparing everyone for the next world.

In the end, we have but one life. It's right here, in this mundane, often frightening world. Placing our hopes and expectations into some fictitious afterlife can only be harmful to the here and now. By accepting the fact that life after death is a myth, we can turn our energies to making this world a better place. [/b]

toba:

Sir, what if u are wrong with this your thought, what happens to your atheistic belief?

ReLaTE:

@poster why nt prepare urself for heaven nw even if it doesn't exist than to regret later when its already late and the existence real.

alexleo:

you see the problem with atheists? They are wallowing  in total self deceit and they call it wisdom. Now after all the points that okeyxyz made here, you didnt even respond to him rather you still continued to ask toba where you are wrong. You are just deceiving your own self. Is it not better for you to prepare for eternity and when you die and see nothing then you have nothing to lose than not preparing for it and getting there only to discover that there is hell after all. Satan is deceiving you people. May God save your soul.

alexleo(m)
A Chalenge For Huxley,kay 17,ogaga4luv And Other Atheists And Satanists
« on: May 13, 2010, 09:33 PM »

For long we have witnessed a long argument between those of us who are serving God and those who claim that there is NO God. Now lets simplify this matter now and settle it once and for all. I hereby challenge all those atheists and satanist who say that there is no God to do just this one thing if they are 100 percent sure of their stand.
If you are sure that your stand is right then say this- GOD IF YOU EXIST AS THE CHRISTIANS WANT US TO BELIEVE , THEN LET ME BE BLIND FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS FROM NOW. Make sure you write it here so that all of us can see that you actually said it.

I pray God to respond to you immediately so that you may know that he truly exist. That you may know that the earth is the Lords' and its fulness thereof. That you may know that he reigns all over the earth and that he so love the world that he gave his only beggotten son that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life and that you will turn to him and worship and serve him in spirit and in truth. That you may also spread the testimony of his supreme existance here and yonder In Jesus name I pray. AMEN. He is the God of the whole universe, without him was not anything made that was made. He is our creator. He is my life and my salvation. I love God. May God give you this experience that you may serve him and make heaven at last, in Jesus name I pray.

pls note, this is not a joke. lets settle this matter once and for all. All the glory goes to no other person than the Holy Trinity now and forever more. AMEN.
The floor is now open for those of you who are sure in their believe that God does not exist to respond accordingly. Failure to do so will only mean that you truly know that God exists but you dont want to acknowledge it. DECEIVING YOUR OWN SELVES.

okeyxyz:

i think u r consuming so much of your monologue dat u don't realise how too simple your logic is.

does it make sense dat all intelligence as we know it came out of nothing?
has it ever been demonstrated in any way, in any lab, by experiment or oberservation any instance of life or intelligence or invention emanating out of just raw materials, without any intelligent input?

okeyxyz:

u mock a man for believing in an intelligence beyond wat we see, such a man is justified for believing so because d universe is full of design, there is nothing haphazard, everything makes sense, has a benefit to one living thing or d other, & yet all these makes no sense to u? u tell me who is really crazy here?

okeyxyz:

u say xtians r refusing to deal wit d life dat is now & looking to one dat is 2 come(your too simple logic again)?
well, actually they live d life dat is now & also hope for one 2 come. why do u think they say u'd b judged by d deeds of one on earth wen he gets to d afterlife. xtians all over put their lives to great use, they r doctors, scientists, accountants, lawyers, police, professors & any other profession u can think of. they engage in business, social life, relationships & family, joys & sorrows, save money & have investments. wat world do u live in dat u can't observe these things? wat more do u want them to do in order to demonstrate dat they take the life of now serious?
why would they teach money & properity in churches if earthly things were not important?

like i said, u'v indulged so much in your monologues dat no challenging thoughts seem to get through.
wake up man!

Cyberfreak:

@manmustwack,
what is your MBTI type please? Thanks.