Question about atheism and after one dies.

Oh I hope this is the right topic to post in. Off topic, general chit chat. Could work.

Anyhoo, I was trotting around the ATS and read someone's reply somewhere where they said they're atheist and do not believe in an after life.

Now I was raised Christian for 19 years. I'm almost 39. Lately I've read a lot of atheist sites and realized that yeah, it makes SO much sense that the idea of 'it all' is a fairy tale.
But then again, even if I /were/ to fully adopt atheism (right now I consider myself a polytheist agnostic; i think god/gods/goddesses could have/might exist but I need 110% proof before I'll 110% believe), I'd still believe in things like reincarnation. I can't see why being atheist automatically kills the idea of a soul.

That's something I can not wrap my mind around no matter how hard I try, and I think it just sums up more the fact that everything we believe is correct because we have no proof either way. No proof any way, if truth be told. It all has to be right since we don't know what is wrong.

I'm confusing myself. I'll get back on topic.

So is it mandatory that all Atheists must believe that when we die, that's it? Nothing else ever? I'm not talking Heaven or purgatory or any labeled 'place'. Not singling anything out. Actually I'm adding it all in. Atheists do not think there is anything after we die? Period?

So if I fully agree that there is a g/God myth, that it's all fairy tales (yet a beautiful thing for those who have faith and that which brings them peace and comfort - I would NEVER take that away from anyone for any reason), I then have to stop my belief in reincarnation?

If so, why? I don't get it.

Originally posted by sarra1833
So is it mandatory that all Atheists must believe that when we die, that's it? Nothing else ever?

No. It's not mandatory. Atheists share ONE THING. They don't believe in the biblical God. That's it. Any other beliefs are simply your own personal beliefs.

I am an atheist, but I think there's more to us than the physical. I don't know what or how it works (I'll probably find out when I die), but I think there's more to us... A spirit? A soul? It doesn't matter to me what it's called, but I think our essence goes on.

reply to post by sarra1833


Yes it is true atheist's believe that we are gone after we die. Yet we each have different views of this, my view is scientifically based. It is known that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, so this adds some credence to the idea of reincarnation. The brain is nothing more than a giant battery and super-computer combined. I believe that our mental energies are transferred from one computer to the next. Since we are only capable of consciously using two percent of our brain we are not yet to a point to which we can use these past energies. I believe these energies are what we call the soul.

Thanks so much for the replies. It actually makes sense to me. I appreciate it a lot.