A question for atheists.

[jb_mcbean]

Do you ever find yourself contemplating what happens when you die?

I occasionally think about it, I don't beleive in heaven or hell, why should I? But when I thought about it, reincarnation seems almost plausable. I ended up dismissing it as childish superstition, I suppose there's no actual need to know what happens or to assume in fact that anything happens, but sometimes I wonder.

Sorry if that was a bit morbid.

But on a similar note, do you tend towards any superstitions? I don't believe in any as such but I think that karma might exist, that's partly why I believe in reincarnation, I don't believe in a soul or that I will live forever, but I do believe that the decisions I make during my lifetime will affect someone else directly after I am dead, if you follow me. I don't definitely believe it, because there's no evidence for it but there is definitely a possibility in my mind.

[among_the_living]

I was thinking about this today actually hah

In the rain...

Im an Atheist and dont believe in ANY form of supernatural things whatsoever, and i was wondering...what if you are still *concious* when youre dead?....you would be put in the ground and just stay there, slowly rotting away....

But yeah, i dont think that actually happens, i was just thinking how weird it would be

SO yes, i think about it sometimes....not often, not at ALL often but sometimes....i just think you die, thats that.

Among the living pretty much said everything I was gonna say..

Less typing for me.

I'm pretty sure that my consciousness will be born again when all matter on the planet is turned into one giant superbrain. unless consciousness is a process brought into existence by the meat in my head, rather than a state of the said meat, then i guess there's no saving me.

i'm gonna start the superbrain cult all the same though, just to be on the safe side.

[boozehound420]

worm food

Electricity and chemical reactions in our brain make us who we are.

Those stop, we stop.

Have a good one,

conjuror

You simply cease. Your brain functions cease. It's like a permanent blackout. Hence my reasoning of not being afraid to die.

[StarWarsNerd]

for me being a man of religion, it's kinda hard to imagine not going somewhere when we die. try imagining, not being anywhere, not being of existence? it's really hard.

quote:Originally posted by StarWarsNerd:

for me being a man of religion, it's kinda hard to imagine not going somewhere when we die. try imagining, not being anywhere, not being of existence? it's really hard.

Not really. Have you ever drank too much and blacked out? It's that, but permanent.

quote:Originally posted by jb_mcbean:

Do you ever find yourself contemplating what happens when you die?

I occasionally think about it, I don't beleive in heaven or hell, why should I? But when I thought about it, reincarnation seems almost plausable. I ended up dismissing it as childish superstition, I suppose there's no actual need to know what happens or to assume in fact that anything happens, but sometimes I wonder.

Sorry if that was a bit morbid.

But on a similar note, do you tend towards any superstitions? I don't believe in any as such but I think that karma might exist, that's partly why I believe in reincarnation, I don't believe in a soul or that I will live forever, but I do believe that the decisions I make during my lifetime will affect someone else directly after I am dead, if you follow me. I don't definitely believe it, because there's no evidence for it but there is definitely a possibility in my mind.

NOTHING happens. You don't turn into a ghost because your brainwaves fade, your body doesn't work anymore and will turn into dirt.

Think about an A.I: when it's on, it works, when it's off, it just doesn't work and it doesn't "feel" anything. Simple as that.

[jb_mcbean]

quote:Originally posted by Quebb:

You simply cease. Your brain functions cease. It's like a permanent blackout. Hence my reasoning of not being afraid to die.

I don't think so some how, I was pondering the concept and, I think when your conciousness dies then your thoughts cease to exist, you wouldn't be able to experience a blackout or anything at all but you wouldn't be aware of anything, including the fact your dead.

[jb_mcbean]

quote:Originally posted by StarWarsNerd:

for me being a man of religion, it's kinda hard to imagine not going somewhere when we die. try imagining, not being anywhere, not being of existence? it's really hard.

No, it's impossible for ahuman being to imagine. But that doesn't mean it's untrue.

I used to wonder, but now I'm pretty sure that when I die everything is over. It's like frying the circuits on a computer: once it's gone, it's gone. It doesn't go somewhere else, it merely ceases to be.

Somehow, I don't find this thought at all depressing. In fact, it's almost a relief.

quote:Originally posted by bitplane:

I'm pretty sure that my consciousness will be born again when all matter on the planet is turned into one giant superbrain. unless consciousness is a process brought into existence by the meat in my head, rather than a state of the said meat, then i guess there's no saving me.

i'm gonna start the superbrain cult all the same though, just to be on the safe side.

You should read some of this:

http:../../www.december.com/cmc/mag/1997/mar/cunning.html

quote:Originally posted by jb_mcbean:

I don't think so some how, I was pondering the concept and, I think when your conciousness dies then your thoughts cease to exist, you wouldn't be able to experience a blackout or anything at all but you wouldn't be aware of anything, including the fact your dead.

That's what a "blackout" IS...

i think about death all the time, still can't figure it out. reincarnation is what i would really like to happen, but it seems so far fetched i doubt its real. i guess if i had to decide, i'd go w/ the ppl saying it would be like a permanent black out

I don't believe in judgement after death or that this life will affect the next but I do believe that when we die either we get reincarnated or we have souls. I know that even if we had souls, our memories, personalities, and every characteristic about us is gone because all that is nothing more than chemical reactions in our brains, but I like to believe that there is more than just this because it helps me live. Actually the most likely reason I have for believing that is because it is human nature to seek false hope. That is unfortunatly how religion became so popular I believe.

[This message has been edited by CBUM (edited 01-03-2007).]

among_the_living is the sort of person that gives a bad name to athiests.

I used to, but no longer. I concluded that when you're dead, you're dead, and that sucks. So I no longer choose to think about it.

How I wish religions were true

Although I'm spiritual and believe in God, I think about this often as well.

I've had many of surgeries in my life, and one time when I was being put to sleep with the mask, and I guess I tried staying awake as long as I could and I had like a "bad trip," like, I couldn't see, couldn't move, smell, and I could only mumble but I could hear everyone real weird, and it ran through my mind "what if I'm like this forever?"

That'd suck mah balls.

Love,

73c.v

quote:Originally posted by conjuror:

Electricity and chemical reactions in our brain make us who we are.

Those stop, we stop.

Have a good one,

conjuror

Couldn't have said it better myself...

[MilkAndInnards]

quote:Originally posted by conjuror:

Electricity and chemical reactions in our brain make us who we are.

Those stop, we stop.

Have a good one,

Thats what I think. But sometimes I can't help but wonder. But then I just dismiss the thought and think "oh well, I will (or won't) find out when I get there"

And the thought of having more than one life actually kind of scares me.