Study: People Least Afraid Of Death Are Atheists Or The Very Religious

a reply to: NthOther

Edit:

Wow.

a reply to: Justso

And rightly so. Disgusting conduct. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Double

I tried the atheist thing for a bit, found it way too depressing. Nihilism ain't my bag, baby.

a reply to: Nyiah

It is fine to say what I have said because you have never faced death. At least it seems.

The long and short of it is this:

Do I believe that other folks who don't believe are very, very misguided and will end up regretting their lack of belief in a big way? Absolutely.

But it's what I believe.

For those of you who are atheists, you believe that we all simply die and become dust and that's it. End of story. You like to think those of us with faith in something more are delusional.

But that's only what you believe.

In the end, what I believe and what you believe are only what we believe. Right now, neither can truly know which of us is right (assuming one of us is; it may be neither). So if we are both mature and secure in who we are and what we believe, there is no need for open hostility about a divergent view or belief.

Hostility betrays insecurity.

Now I will explain my beliefs all day, and I might hope you come around to my way of thinking. In fact I do, I'd be a very poor Christian if I didn't hope you eventually see things the way I do, but I am not seeking to force you to believe anything. I know enough to know that no one can force anyone to believe anything. So what I really am doing is explaining my beliefs to increase understanding mainly because I see a lot of hostility where there need be none.

You have less reason to fear what you understand even if you don't agree with it or adopt it for yourself.

a reply to: Teikiatsu

Atheism and Nihilism aren't the same thing though

Atheists still have morals and various other beliefs and principles the live by. Nihilism basically rejects everything. Atheists just don't believe in a God. That's all. Even Buddhists are considered Atheists because they don't believe in God either. But I wouldn't say Buddhists are Nihilists.

originally posted by: Fools
a reply to: Nyiah

It is fine to say what I have said because you have never faced death. At least it seems.

I find it amusing that you have taken it upon yourself to tell others what they fear. May I do the same?

I think you're greatly afraid of ceasing living yourself, probably to an extreme. And projecting a lot. Which is fine, but the manner if which you are doing so is grating. Find a different way to say "I deeply fear death, anyone else? I need someone to commiserate with."

a reply to: ketsuko

beautifully stated ketsuko.

originally posted by: MacK80

originally posted by: TarzanBeta

originally posted by: MacK80
a reply to: NthOther
Religion is delusion for society to train toddlers and reform criminals. It's not exactly profound. It's programming.

Detaching yourself from it is almost profound a milestone than starting a practice.

The original self-help.

Careful with your logic there. You're saying that something imaginary is doing the best work that could be done in this world.

Raising good kids and reforming criminals are both miracles.

Think about it.

I think the Bible to an intellectual interpretation is an uplifting moral story.

To an actual interpretation, you might as well read it your whole life, as you've remained a toddler.

I actually have a friend who was in prison 10 years ago, and started reading the Bible. He...did have a nutter stage, but it actually worked out well and I'm proud of him. He's now exploring other Religions. Everything closed minded Christians hate. I'm so proud.

Btw, he likes the Bible too despite this.

For the first part, Jesus said that if we are not like the little children (and I don't mean disobedient scoundrels, I mean those that are hasty to forgive and slow to judge due to innocence), then we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

As to the second part, it is not uncommon for people who come to the light for them to explore the many lights and to discern which is right. I couldn't fault anyone for that. But I do know this - every single time, if hate is erased, then people always defend the Bible over their current disposition.

I've had multiple friends do the same.

originally posted by: mOjOm

originally posted by: TarzanBeta


Careful with your logic there. You're saying that something imaginary is doing the best work that could be done in this world.

Raising good kids and reforming criminals are both miracles.

Think about it.

You can also do those things without Religion though.

Religion creates a whole lot of crazy fanatics too.

I didn't say you couldn't. I didn't say miracles only belong to Christians. Many become Christian because of miracles - not the other way around.

a reply to: Teikiatsu

so wait a minute. you tried atheism and you ended up a nihilist? i tried atheism and ended up a humanist. something is off here

a reply to: TarzanBeta

So does that mean you think raising good kids or rehabilitating a criminal requires Miracles???

originally posted by: vjr1113
a reply to: Teikiatsu

so wait a minute. you tried atheism and you ended up a nihilist? i tried atheism and ended up a humanist. something is off here

I had a dream a long time ago.

In that dream, I was told that those who are atheists eventually take part in the occult: horoscopes, readings, all the minor stuff, until magick sometimes. It was a dream of my middle brother.

It made me cry so hard because he is so good to me.

...

Wouldn't you know.... He went from atheism to polytheism in the last year.

I had the dream 5 years ago. Blows my mind.

He always was enamored with the fact that he could bring an unsolved physics question to me and I could talk him through it. He always attributed it to genius. I told him that I just have someone giving something to me. He didn't believe it and hated me for being so naive as to claim my mind wasn't my own.

Funny thing is.... Now his mind certainly isn't his own.

Everyone ends up believing in something, regardless of what they say in public.

originally posted by: paraphi I think that very few people go into death with a calm nonchalance.

My Grandma did. I was holding her hand.
She was calm and nonchalent.
If she was even a little afraid, it didn't seem like it.
She looked happy when she died.

originally posted by: mOjOm
a reply to: Teikiatsu

Atheism and Nihilism aren't the same thing though

Atheists still have morals and various other beliefs and principles the live by. Nihilism basically rejects everything. Atheists just don't believe in a God. That's all. Even Buddhists are considered Atheists because they don't believe in God either. But I wouldn't say Buddhists are Nihilists.

In my experience someone who calls themselves an atheist is really just an anti-theist, theophobe, or a christophobe. They have faith in something to give their life meaning because they can't accept that there is no meaning to life.

If someone is going to say there is no God and the only truth is science then they should be a nihilist or admit to being a poser. I find agnostics to be much more worthy of respect for admitting they don't know everything.

originally posted by: mOjOm
a reply to: TarzanBeta

So does that mean you think raising good kids or rehabilitating a criminal requires Miracles???

Not requires....

It is.

There aren't many good kids out there - go shopping, or to a restaurant. And most criminals are repeat offenders.

Both are statistical improbabilities. Surely you have witnessed toddlers these days atleast? I feel like turning into Major Payne. "Woman, when I was 6, I had a full time job."

originally posted by: TarzanBeta

Wouldn't you know.... He went from atheism to polytheism in the last year.

Everyone ends up believing in something, regardless of what they say in public.

From no gods to many gods huh?? Sounds like he didn't know what to believe and was trying to figure things out. That's quite a big change however.

You can believe in lots of things and still be an atheist. You just don't believe in a Personal type of God. That's really it though. God is a really specific thing and I think more people are actually atheists but don't realize it or don't admit it.

originally posted by: vjr1113
a reply to: Teikiatsu

so wait a minute. you tried atheism and you ended up a nihilist? i tried atheism and ended up a humanist. something is off here

If there is no God, if the universe is just a random fluke, if the only truth is science then there is no universal truth and we are just biochemical accidents waiting for our metabolisms to stop.

Being a humanist means having faith in humanity and trying to prove people can maintain religion-created morality without religion, basically trying to out-Christian the Christians.

originally posted by: mOjOm

originally posted by: TarzanBeta

Wouldn't you know.... He went from atheism to polytheism in the last year.

Everyone ends up believing in something, regardless of what they say in public.

From no gods to many gods huh?? Sounds like he didn't know what to believe and was trying to figure things out. That's quite a big change however.

You can believe in lots of things and still be an atheist. You just don't believe in a Personal type of God. That's really it though. God is a really specific thing and I think more people are actually atheists but don't realize it or don't admit it.

Sounds like spiritualism.

originally posted by: mOjOm

originally posted by: TarzanBeta

Wouldn't you know.... He went from atheism to polytheism in the last year.

Everyone ends up believing in something, regardless of what they say in public.

From no gods to many gods huh?? Sounds like he didn't know what to believe and was trying to figure things out. That's quite a big change however.

You can believe in lots of things and still be an atheist. You just don't believe in a Personal type of God. That's really it though. God is a really specific thing and I think more people are actually atheists but don't realize it or don't admit it.

Sounds just like him.

Exactly.