A simple question for atheists

Ok here is really simple question for any atheist.

As an atheist you do not believe in an afterlife. So when you are dying how will you feel whether it is by old age, cancer, terrorism etc? Will you be afraid of the nothingness that you believe awaits you or something else?

That question really cuts to the core of the matter there, I'm not surprised I'm the 1st to reply to it. If I were Athiest, I'd be afraid of the nothingness, because even as a believer I'm afraid of the concept of nothingness.

I guess I'll attempt to field an answer to this.

I've never out and out said that I'm an atheist, but I guess I do fit the role because I do not believe there is anything after this. Life is what is. When you die, you're done. Dying is part of living, what is there to be scared of? When you body no longer functions and your brain dies, you cease to exist. Fear of what??? If there is nothing there, there is nothing to be afraid of.

if there is nothing after, then is your consciousness forever trapped (to you) in the moment of death, sort of like light emitted by a star as it collapses to form a black hole is stuck in orbit where time stops?

death is the just the end of biological function, thats all. your consciousness isn't forever trapped because your consciousness isn't there anymore, you are dead. I am not afraid of nothing because nothing is well... nothing. there is, pardon the pun, nothing to be afraid of.

Originally posted by apex
As an atheist you do not believe in an afterlife. So when you are dying how will you feel whether it is by old age, cancer, terrorism etc? Will you be afraid of the nothingness that you believe awaits you or something else?

The question makes no logical sense. LOL
How can you be afriad of nothing ?
There is a differnce between being afriad of the way your going to die and being afraid of death itself.

[edit on 2-11-2006 by xpert11]

When you die, you die, thats it. You don't see black for all eternity, you don't go into another host body or nothing. Its just the end of the line. There is nothing to be afraid of when there is nothing their. Do you think trees, plants and wildlife (which are all living things) believe in afterlife? No because when they die, they die. I would rather die and POOF thats it, end of the line. Then spend eternity just watching other people having fun .... Just think about it..

-Jimmy-

Originally posted by xpert11

The question makes no logical sense. LOL
How can you be afriad of nothing ?
There is a differnce between being afriad of the way your going to die and being afraid of death itself.

Perhaps i should say afraid of not existing then.

I am aware of a difference between being afraid of the way you die and death itself, as I don't like the idea of burning to death or being caught in, say, a pyroclastic flow from a volcano.

Apex why would anyone be afraid of not existing ?
Once your dead your dead I dont know how else to put it.
We have the chance to live our lives during our life times thats why you have to do what you want to while your living.

You may not be, I don't really now. Not existing is one of those things the brain can't really comprehend, like an infinitely long piece of string or similar.

thats how my mind works anyway.