A recently de-converted Christian posted on the Richard Dawkins forum, asking how atheists deal with the fear of death after they have left religion behind. Here was my reply:
I am also a recently de-converted Christian. Only I was a Jehovah’s Witness. For my entire life I believed that the majority of faithful mankind would live forever in a paradise-like earth, restored to it’s original glory as before the sin of Adam and Eve. In contrast to mainstream Christians, the thought of going to heaven seems undesirable to most JW’s. We are taught that in it’s original perfect sinless state, the human body has the ability to regenerate itself indefinitely and be free of all sickness and disease. The fear of losing this hope of everlasting life is exactly what drives JW’s to stay a JW no matter what happens.
Of course the desire to live forever hasn’t really left me, but I haven’t had a panic attack about it yet. Who wouldn’t want to live forever and have eternity to do all the things you want to do?
Regardless, I am quite calm about the thought of death. It doesn’t bother me much anymore. For me, I just think of all the rest of humankind who has had their little bit of time on earth and then passed on. No one else “lives forever”, or goes to an imaginary heaven, never has, never will. No matter how many deluded silly people shout “repent, or die!”, they are still just deluded silly people. Everyone wants to think they are more important than this, that they will somehow go on forever. There is no sense in wishing for it, or dwelling on it, because it’s never going to happen.
Be thankful that you have a life, and forsake your vain and presumptuous desire for a second one. - Richard Dawkins
I do not view this as a limitation, and it is not a negative thing. In fact, it’s inspiring. Since I’ve become an atheist, I no longer worry about possible destruction at the hands of invisible spirits because of any of the “sinful” things I’ve done in life. I no longer think I have to spend my entire life pleasing an invisible “eye in the sky”. I can make good, moral decisions based on reason and logic rather than fear and the hope of reward. I can value my body and my life like it’s the only one I have, and manage it properly, rather than view it as just a transitory vessel to get to the next stage. Now, I can focus on what makes me happy, and am even more motivated to do what I can to make my brief experience here a worthy one.
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