Death and Religion

[Groucho]

Pulling this from another thread so as not to go off on a tangent:

As one who does not believe in an afterlife, I wonder if that has affected my actions in other ways. I have never ever considered suicide, I am a semi-vegetarian (I do eat fish), do not smoke, drink in moderation and have never been drunk, take no drugs, and try to do everything I can to live a long and healthy life because this is the only one I will have.

I wonder if people who did not believe in an afterlife would be as willing to go to war, fly airplanes into buildings, and take other deadly actions if they knew that was the end. I wonder if they would be less likely to support the death penalty if they knew that would be the end forever of the person killed.

[Eddie]

Yes, I think people could sacrifice themselves for something they believed in or loved even if they don`t believe in an afterlife.

[AgentM]

Yes, I think people could sacrifice themselves for something they believed in or loved even if they don`t believe in an afterlife.

I agree. I think that atheists would be just as capable of sacrificing themselves.

[mataj]

Being a hard core member of Red Brigade, Red Army Fraction, etc, was pretty suicidal, yet, none of them was religious. Just gullible, easy to manipulate.

[Groucho]

I am sure nonreligious people would sacrifice themselves for a good cause. Bravery is not limited to religious people.

But I don't think you would get as many to do suicidal things like the 9/11 terrorists, who thought they would go to heaven for killing people and be greeted by a bunch of virgins.

How about my other question though. I have no facts on this, and am just wondering if atheists are, as a whole, more concerned with being here on earth as long as possible and thus try to live healthier, risk free lives?

[Ethos]

How about my other question though. I have no facts on this, and am just wondering if atheists are, as a whole, more concerned with being here on earth as long as possible and thus try to live healthier, risk free lives?

I, for one, am not that concerned with being here as long as possible. Barring specific medical advancements, I don't relish the idea of surviving within the limitations of extreme old age. What I hope for is to leave relatively content, whenever that may be, because there is no point dying in misery if one can avoid it. If smoking for thirty years sees me happier than not, I would gladly give the last ten in exchange.

Ethos

[Dutch]

I am sure nonreligious people would sacrifice themselves for a good cause. Bravery is not limited to religious people.

But I don't think you would get as many to do suicidal things like the 9/11 terrorists, who thought they would go to heaven for killing people and be greeted by a bunch of virgins.

How about my other question though. I have no facts on this, and am just wondering if atheists are, as a whole, more concerned with being here on earth as long as possible and thus try to live healthier, risk free lives?

I'm an athiest and I've lived the exact opposite of you. If anything I didn't have a fear of hell to hold me back. I feel athiests are just as capable of poor judgement as the best of the religious.

[AgentM]

I'm an athiest and I've lived the exact opposite of you. If anything I didn't have a fear of hell to hold me back. I feel athiests are just as capable of poor judgement as the best of the religious.

It really depends on the person.

As to a fear of death, myself I don't find that I'm afraid of death per say, what I'm afraid of is the pain that often comes before death. I suppose that would be more of a concern of what happens in this life.

[Turenne]

In theory, believing in an afterlife should make one take his physical existence more lightly.

In theory, being an atheist should make one more susceptible to suicide.

Reality suggests that neither one of the above should be taken seriously, with the possible exception of a person under the most extreme circumstances.

[Sgt Schultz]

In theory, believing in an afterlife should make one take his physical existence more lightly.

In theory, being an atheist should make one more susceptible to suicide.

Reality suggests that neither one of the above should be taken seriously, with the possible exception of a person under the most extreme circumstances.

Why would (in theory) an atheist be more susceptible to suicide?

[AgentM]

Why would (in theory) an atheist be more susceptible to suicide?

Maybe because we don't consider it a sin?

[Turenne]

Why would (in theory) an atheist be more susceptible to suicide?

You mean besides the absence of hell?

[Sgt Schultz]

You mean besides the absence of hell?

But (speaking for myself) there is only the here and now so why would I want to end it? In contrast those who believe in an afterlife, that is supposed to be a paradise, would seem to want to hasten their demise here on earth.

[Eddie]

But (speaking for myself) there is only the here and now so why would I want to end it? In contrast those who believe in an afterlife, that is supposed to be a paradise, would seem to want to hasten their demise here on earth.

Every religion I know off severely punishes suicide in the afterlife.

[Sgt Schultz]

Every religion I know off severely punishes suicide in the afterlife.

But you can be reckless without being suicidal.

[Eddie]

But you can be reckless without being suicidal.

Up to a point. In Sweden, it was illegal to be "too reckless" as late as the 19th hundreds due to the fact that it was considered "suicide" by the Church if you died while being "too reckless" :p