Why does the chance that some form of consciousness exists beyond this lifetime have to be coupled with religion? So much of science fiction of the past has come to be commonplace now..

I don't see how worrying about your non-existence can help during your existence. Granted would it be nice to believe that in the end you get to spend eternity with your loved ones and finally be given some answer to all of the questions about life the universe and everything? Of course it would! That is why so many turn to cults (I mean religions) (I mean is there really a difference between the two). Within them you are given some hope no matter how desperately illogical said hope is as long as your willing to turn your back on logic and reason, proof and evidence then you can have the sublime or as I and many of our fellow atheists would refer to it as ignorance is bliss. Unfortunately, the end of that quote that almost no one seems top use is that ignorance is bliss where it is foolish to be wise. Yes, in the social constructs that we are surrounded by giving into that ignorance allows you in to the group think, to friends that are only friends while you agree, and all the other helpful social gains that you receive by accepting the non-sense into your life. I personally have never been able to do so as they generally scare the shit out of me and make me wonder if they ever think for themselves or question the obvious superstitions that they profess to be truth. I think that is something scarier than the thought of the nothingness that comes after death and the knowledge that after all of the hardships we will face during life in the end there will be no answers as to why all of the horrors that the human race has to endure as a punishment granted to us for our ability to think above the basic needs of life so that we end up questioning the meaning of it all. I'm sorry if that is a downer but unfortunately that simply is what it is!

Good day!

What is the scariest part of being an atheist?

Dangerous religious people.

The finality of death is one the best parts of not believing in souls. Living for ever may seem like a blessing, but I don't want to know what happens to a human mind after 100 billion years stuck in the same place with the same people doing the same things - with no end in sight.

I miss those I have lost, and I console myself with the fact I had them in my life at all; that no matter what happens, we had each other for a while.