Are athiests happy?

[John J. Bannan]

And if so, why? You deny life after death. Your life is meaningless drivel. You are one of six billion other souls - all fighting for survival. This outlook is pretty bleak. How do you keep from offing yourselves?

 

[Sock puppet path]

And if so, why?

Yes.
Why not? do you know something I don't regarding my wife, kids, work?

You deny life after death.

Is that supposed effect my happiness?

Your life is meaningless drivel.

I had no idea thanks for the update

You are one of six billion other souls - all fighting for survival.

Do you actually fight for survival? No wonder your outlook is bleaker than mine.

This outlook is pretty bleak. How do you keep from offing yourselves?

It's your outlook so how do you cope??

 

[Crunchy Cat]

And if so, why?

Just like theists, some are and some are not. When atheists are happy, I suspect it is because of enjoyment and satisfaction they encounter in their lives.

You deny life after death.

Denying something implies that it exists. Many Atheists simply understand that consciousness is a function of the brain and that death will ultimately cause the brain to stop functioning. Other Atheists think that consciousness doesn't end with death. Atheism isn't concerned with life after death (thats a different delusion).

Your life is meaningless drivel.

The meaning of a life is the relationship of that life to everything it can possibly have a relationship with. That is so chalk full of meaning that no person on Earth has the mental capacity to process the result.

You are one of six billion other souls - all fighting for survival.

Souls don't exist and survival takes work because of our biological dependency on energy and the affects of entropy on biology.

This outlook is pretty bleak. How do you keep from offing yourselves?

Your interpretation is what's bleak and its the result of an absence of understanding. It is easier to put human characteristics on reality and end up with a magical 'sky daddy' than explore reality and understand it for what it is.

 

[Enterprise-D]

Merely because life is finite does not mean it is meaningless. As a matter of fact, the transience of life is exactly what gives importance to every achievement and every relationship.

You are placing an assumed outlook on athiests without having a single idea of what the mindset actually is.

 

[John J. Bannan]

I guess you aren't searching for too much meaning. Mindless enchantment with your own bodily functions. Good for you.

 

[Sock puppet path]

I guess you aren't searching for too much meaning. Mindless enchantment with your own bodily functions. Good for you.

pathetic

 

[John J. Bannan]

"Denying something implies that is exists". Huh? I thought denying something was saying something didn't exist - not implying that it does exist. What atheists believe there is consciousness after death?

 

[Orleander]

That's so weird. I actually had this conversation with a believer. They were surprised I was an atheist and the first thing they said was "But...but..you're so happy". If analyze it, I've wasted time I could have spent with my kids. Time I will never get back. To be honest I think that's why I only sleep 6 hrs a day. I don't want to waste it.

Knowing that I will die makes me appreciate this life so much more. Knowing I won't enjoy it in heaven makes me enjoy everything now. Knowing I won't see my Mom in heaven has drawn me closer to her now.

My life is about Now.

 

[sniffy]

john Why do you care so much about what athiests think or don't think shouldn't you be more concerned with your own salvation?

 

[Sock puppet path]

They threaten him obviously, which means his faith isn't as strong as it should be.

 

[John J. Bannan]

Because atheists and the religious are the most defensive groups on this chat room, and the ones most likely to respond to my questions. I am simply bored at work and need some stimulating conversation.

 

[Crunchy Cat]

"Denying something implies that is exists". Huh? I thought denying something was saying something didn't exist - not implying that it does exist. What atheists believe there is consciousness after death?

The most common usage with the word 'deny' is to 'withhold'; hence, the implication. Normally it wouldn't be important; however, I have seen enough Theists intentionally use the 'withold' definition to load their questions with meanings such as "You know 'God' exists so why do you 'Withold" your acknowledgment of that fact?".

 

[sandy]

....Souls don't exist....

Soul is mind, will, and emotion. How can soul not exist?

We are spirits. We live in bodies. We have souls.

Spirits are eternal. I don't understand how someone can be satisfied knowing theirs will burn in hell when they were given the choice of Heaven.

 

[John J. Bannan]

I don't see how "withhold" implies that you believe anything. You are simply withholding your belief - which is a fiction anyway. I don't get the need for semantics on this one.

 

[John J. Bannan]

Most rational people would not want their soul to burn in hell. Consequently, they must be denying they have a soul. As there is no physical evidence for the existence of a soul, telling people who only believe what they see that they have a soul is a tough sell. Get it, sister?

 

[geeser]

Soul is mind, will, and emotion. How can soul not exist?

We are spirits. We live in bodies. We have souls.

and your proof for this is where,

Spirits are eternal. I don't understand how someone can be satisfied knowing theirs will burn in hell when they were given the choice of Heaven.

I dont know how someone can be satified, knowing their loved ones who didn't follow their faith (children, brothers sisters,etc) will burn in hell, whilst their in heaven, would that not be just as hellish.

 

[sandy]

So they are denying they have no minds? No will? No emotions?
The "no minds" I can understand Joking... But seriously, these are some of the "smartest" people in the world and they think they have no soul? I think they just have soul and spirit confused.

 

[John J. Bannan]

What is the difference between a soul and a spirit?

 

[Enterprise-D]

and your proof for this is where,
I dont know how someone can be satified, knowing their loved ones who didn't follow their faith (children, brothers sisters,etc) will burn in hell, whilst their in heaven, would that not be just as hellish.

A wider perspective: I don't know if I (were I christian) would be able to stand it if I knew strangers of other faiths who were moral people were burning in hell simply because of a differing philosophy.

 

[spidergoat]

And if so, why? You deny life after death. Your life is meaningless drivel. You are one of six billion other souls - all fighting for survival. This outlook is pretty bleak. How do you keep from offing yourselves?

Sometimes. Why? Because sometimes things make me happy. When things go right, when I accomplish something, when it's a nice day and I have nothing to worry about...

I deny a God. Life after death is a different matter. There could be an afterlife without a God. Death itself is a transition, a return to the source of life, to our constituent atoms- eventually to be incorporated again. The inference is that things that last are more meaningful than things that are temporal. But look at the things we value, most of them don't last- childhood, a rainbow, a good cup of coffee or a great meal, vacations. So I don't see how just because something is temporal, it is less meaningless. The rarity of something makes it more valuable. My temporary form is meaningful because it is the accumulation- the end result-of billions of years of evolution and even if I die, I will be another link in the chain of cause and effect leading to whatever comes after.

If I thought death led automatically to paradise, I would be more likely to kill myself, not unlike those suicide bombers.