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As an atheist, how do you handle the thought of death?

Greenheart 7 May 20
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38 comments

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2

I used to be quite anxious about it, even more so because I tried to imagine what death would "feel" like if there was nothing after it in a thought experiment when I was about 15 years old, but with time I've slowly started to accept the inevitability of death and let go of my fear.

MarcO Level 5 May 20, 2018

@Liberal50 I just don't die for long enough, nearly chronically sleep deprived because I keep waking up too early.

@Liberal50 I don't consider sleep to be like death - we still dream and experience sensations during sleep. In death, you don't feel anything because there's nothing left to "feel" things. It is an incredibly scary thing to realize, the non-feeling of not existing.

@Liberal50 Of course, there is no "me" left when you're dead, it's the short time before it when you realize you are heading toward non-existence that is dreadful.

3

I have a death sentence hanging over me anyway. An incurable, but very slow acting cancer of my immune system. But I'm 76, I have narrowly escaped death very many times in my life, and I know I have to die sometime. But I will procrastinate for as long as possible, I can assure you.
Here's a link to my self written epitaph:-
[mojacar.ws]

Good poem...I like the statements at the end...."it's the last event my body will attend...." LOL

Yes, please procrastinate on that Petter, so you'll be able to hang around on this site for years to come. Hoping for the best outcome for you.

@SpikeTalon Thank you Spike.

6

I forget the quote and who said it mark Twain I think someone correct me if I'm wrong but it states " I was dead before I was born and it didn't bother me then so I'm not bothered by the thought of death" or something along those lines. Like I said I really don't remember it exactly.

That's a wise quote. I believe death is the same as before we were born - which is nothing.

2

Well, I’m Agnostic, not an atheist.

But I am at peace with death. And the reason behind that is because it’s going to happen. Period. We are all going to die. And once you accept that, death isn’t all that scary. It’s the end of life. Everything ends sooner or later.

Agnostic and atheist are not mutually exclusive. One is an adjective the other is a noun. Most honest atheists will claim to be both. There are plenty of words out there, so please don't perpetuate the fallacy that agnostic is a belief system or lack thereof.

2

I don't have to handle thoughts of death its inevitable like taxes & I wouldnt waste my precious time thinking about my own death it will come when it comes not scared ,only of pain.

There is a wonderful epitaph on the tomb in our local cemetery. It reads "He managed to avoid one of life's certainties."

3

I was thinking about that (death) on my walk this morning. I was thinking that I probably need to get my things in order (wills and such). No, I'm not planning on dying anytime soon, but since I'm 53, alone, and really have no one here for support where I live, I think it's important to have your affairs in order. But I try not to think about it much, but if it happens, it happens. Much like birth.

3

I'm not afraid of death. I'm afraid of a painful, protracted, undignified lonely death.

And I keep coming back to this Tuck Everlasting quote:

"Do not fear death, but rather the unlived life. You don't have to live forever. You just have to live."

Good.

1

Thank goodness for death. Like most people I enjoy my life, I am in no hurry to die, and in fact I take steps to try for a long life. But the scariest thing to consider would be enternal life. At some point I would have seen and done everything so many times that surely boredom would lead to madness. And knowing that release from it would NEVER be coming would indeed be hell. So I am grateful for the wondrous gift of life, and also grateful for an eventual end to it. As usual, I am peaceful and happy following the ways of nature.

Jean-Paul Sartre wisely said that death is one experience we don't have to live through. I find that quite comforting.

3

As realistically as possible. It's inevitable. There is no reason to fear it.
Everything that lives, dies. No point in getting all twisted about it.

1

All life dies at some point. It is a part of life, it is inevitable. When my time comes I just don't want pain or machines. I don't fear it, I don't necessarily welcome it, but when it comes it comes.

3

I don't have to handle it. Something else will.

2

I handle the "thought" of death, by not having the "thought" of death. If it comes it comes and whatever happens will happen. Thinking about it isn't going to change anything.

2

I don't worry about it. In fact, sometimes I look forward to it.

2

Well, I know that I have a small amount of time to live so I’ll try and make the most of it ?

4

I don't worry about it, nor am I afraid of it. (Of course I'm afraid of suffering, or of it being painful.)

I don't need to think about the rewards in an afterlife, because I know I only have this life to make meaningful. When I'm gone, I'm gone. Any love I shared with others while I was alive will be what's left of me.

2

For me there's nothing to think about it.
The only thing I regret about it is I won't be aware to appreciate it.

2

Much like the other posters here already.. its inevitable. I guess I made my peace with the idea back when I was shipping off to war. The CO lined us all up, said "look at the man to your left" (everyone did). "now, look to the man to your right". Everyone did. "its a good chance one of those two men won't be coming back". there was some chuckling. some sotto voce "nice to know ya".. but I thought about it.. Sure.. I looked at 2 people.. 2 people looked at me. That gave me pause. So yeah, in my late 20's I accepted death as inevitable. I don't fear it. I don't welcome it, but I know it'll happen.

2

Bring it on. I am ready on the day that I die, be it today, next week, or 20 years from now.

2

The only thing I fear about death is the potential that my last moments will be spent in pain or indignity. That and that I may never have positively impacted the species, and therefore my existence was a moot exercise in futility. But I aim to change that, if nothing else and for no other reason than to be proud of what I leave behind as a form of comfort in my last breaths. It would also be nice to have loved ones around before I go, but, at the same time, I'm not sure I'm comfortable with them having to bare witness to that, especially if it's a traumatic, painful, or otherwise undignified death...

4

Accept it will happen and keep living life.

7

it's only the dying part that bothers me, death I'm sure will be just like before I was born.

2

“The clear awareness of having been born into a losing struggle need not lead one into despair. I do not especially like the idea that one day I shall be tapped on the shoulder and informed, not that the party is over but that it is most assuredly going on—only henceforth in my absence..." -- C. Hitchens

3

The actual 'being' dead bit doesn't concern me in the slightest (kinda' obviously) and hasn't occupied a single second of my thoughts since the age of 3 when I suddenly realised I'd die one day and had a five minute freak-out about it. ?

The process of dying is not something I relish. If I get lucky it'll be in my sleep or in a very sudden, unexpected moment — and ONLY once my child is an adult and not likely to be traumatised by losing a parent.

To be honest, I fear even a few seconds of realising the moment's come and the fun is over. But then again I kind of suspect my last thought might be 'thank fuck for that'.

1

Life is a privilege and all we can do is make the most of it however possible. Death is inevitable. It really isn’t that difficult. We all die, spend your time and efforts LIVING rather worrying about death. It’s like anything else, everything must come to an end sometime so enjoy it while you can!

4

By not thinking about it -- there's nothing I can do to change it, and it's necessary anyway so there's no real point in thinking about it. Of course I am tying to get my ducks in a row in case it sneaks up on me -- will prepared, end of life insurance bought, cremation and disposal of ashes pre-paid, that sort of thing -- but I don't see what else I can do about it other than get the practical stuff sorted.

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