Posted by Sedruce at 5:13pm May 20 '07I am not an atheist. I believe there is something after death.
My ex was an atheist, and he said that he thinks atheists have more fun and do more with their lives because they realize that this is the only one they get, so they're not working on being good for the afterlife. Now, let's presume we're talking about moral people, so we're nixing serial killers and suchlike from this equation. Essentially, I'm referring to humanist atheists.
Do you think atheists have more fun? Do you think people who believe in an afterlife/heaven/whathaveyou spend too much time focusing on being good and getting into the good part of the afterlife?
Personally, I feel that what he said is self-absorbed and wrong. Sure, an atheist isn't working towards something their whole lives the way a Christian is, but does that mean that the Christian automatically can't have as much fun? I've been to a few church events with friends, and I have to say that the sense of community they have, the fun things they do (I went whitewater rafting and camping with one friend's church), and the friendships they forge seem to be a TON of fun. Atheists automatically lose out on the sense of community that is founded in a church because there is no atheist church (at least not to my knowledge!).
Of course, this doesn't always apply. Like I said, I'm not atheist, but nor do I go to church (far as I know there is no church or equivalent anywhere in the world that I would be able to worship at...). But I have plenty of fun with my life. Not going to any sort of church leaves me free to interpret my religion for myself and understand it in the ways which I feel are most appropriate. Which means I don't get told I'll go to the hell-equivalent if I do bad things, and that alone makes me feel pretty good. But my life is not based entirely around my religion, and I have plenty of fun in other ways. I don't feel I inherently have any less fun than someone who's "living this life to the fullest because it's all I've got" or such.
What do you guys think? I'd love to hear answers from atheists and non-atheists both. :)
My ex was an atheist, and he said that he thinks atheists have more fun and do more with their lives because they realize that this is the only one they get, so they're not working on being good for the afterlife. Now, let's presume we're talking about moral people, so we're nixing serial killers and suchlike from this equation. Essentially, I'm referring to humanist atheists.
Do you think atheists have more fun? Do you think people who believe in an afterlife/heaven/whathaveyou spend too much time focusing on being good and getting into the good part of the afterlife?
Personally, I feel that what he said is self-absorbed and wrong. Sure, an atheist isn't working towards something their whole lives the way a Christian is, but does that mean that the Christian automatically can't have as much fun? I've been to a few church events with friends, and I have to say that the sense of community they have, the fun things they do (I went whitewater rafting and camping with one friend's church), and the friendships they forge seem to be a TON of fun. Atheists automatically lose out on the sense of community that is founded in a church because there is no atheist church (at least not to my knowledge!).
Of course, this doesn't always apply. Like I said, I'm not atheist, but nor do I go to church (far as I know there is no church or equivalent anywhere in the world that I would be able to worship at...). But I have plenty of fun with my life. Not going to any sort of church leaves me free to interpret my religion for myself and understand it in the ways which I feel are most appropriate. Which means I don't get told I'll go to the hell-equivalent if I do bad things, and that alone makes me feel pretty good. But my life is not based entirely around my religion, and I have plenty of fun in other ways. I don't feel I inherently have any less fun than someone who's "living this life to the fullest because it's all I've got" or such.
What do you guys think? I'd love to hear answers from atheists and non-atheists both. :)
On the subject of atheism - Sedruce