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End of Life Issues & Atheism...

I came back to the forum after an extended absence due to needing a place to vent about some family / end-of-life issues. My elderly mother-in-law (who I love, respect, and adore), is in the hospital with dementia and the prognosis does not look good.

I'm handling this as well as possible, I guess. Trying to be there for my husband, etc.

But I need to talk about some real anger I have toward theism. My poor mother-in-law is wracked with intense pain due to a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe, and severe arthritis. She believes in God and has asked God to end her pain by letting her die. Because she continues to live on, she believes that she is being punished by God. (In fact, she believes she's in Hell).

This is the nicest, sweetest, most gentle soul I've ever met. I am so angry that religion has put all these horrific ideas in her head. You know, I used to give religion the benefit of the doubt as far as being a relatively harmless emotional opiate for some people around the time of death. But this case has really educated me about the monstrous possibilities someone can believe when they hold religious beliefs at the end of their life. (It doesn't help that at least one family member is trying to convince my mother-in-law that any suggestion she's in Hell is coming to her from "the Devil", who is telling her falsehoods as a way of tormenting her).

I feel like I'm living in the effing Middle Ages.

I don't look forward to the end of my life. But I'm glad that I don't believe in God, because I don't have to worry about being punished by a cosmic bully, or being lied to by a cosmic gangster. When the time comes, I'll be able to accept it for what it is, a biological process. And for that, I'm grateful.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Black on December 24, 2012 at 6:59pm

I never considered that angle. I know this is hard for you and everyone that loves your MIL. I hope her situation changes soon.

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Permalink Reply by Humble Pie on January 2, 2013 at 8:07pm

I am so sorry to hear about her, and your, struggle. I can only hope that it is over by now. This really stresses to me that everyone is a victim of theism, even those who appear to "ride high" on it. If they truly believe what they are preaching, the fear, guilt, and uncertainty will come for them when they are least able to defend themselves. We should feel much sorrier for religious folk than I usually do.

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Permalink Reply by Napoleon Bonaparte on January 2, 2013 at 9:27pm

I pity believers and the mental torment many of them go through, particularly in relation to death. I think of them as having led unliberated lives.

Fortunately, I have the power and means to terminate my life painlessly at a time of my choosing. It is for ethical reasons that wretched lives are drawn out in pain where it is pointless to continue.

A one way ticket to Thailand and the opium pipe will be a prelude to my end.

It is a matter of courtesy to arrange for ones efficient disposal on death.

Death can be cool if you want it. The basic rules are control and subjagate pain with drugs, maintain comfort and contact and most importantly, don't linger past the point of being in control.