Can you have a meaningful life without an afterlife? The Thinking Atheist asked several friends to join him in exploring the merits of human existence and the concepts of posthumous reward and punishment.

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Comment by sk8eycat on June 24, 2012 at 7:30pm

One of the all-time worst aspects of Christianity is teaching small children that they are "worthless sinners" through no fault of their own, and there's nothing they can do about it but beg for forgiveness, from somebody who never communicates with them (and doesn't really exist, anyway), for something that "happened" thousands of years before they were born.

No wonder there are so many effed-up people on this planet.

Comment by annet on June 23, 2012 at 11:06pm

Wonderful video Loren, thanks, it validates many of my feelings. sk8eycat says it well too.  At the risk of repeating myself: 

As a kid I was terrified of the idea of eternity in heaven and even went through a period where I would cry in bed at night at the thought of going on forever.  Inevitable atheist!

Now thanks to Neil deGrasse Tyson, Carl Sagan, etc.. it is a comfort knowing that my atoms will be floating around to new and exciting adventures. Hopefully visiting places like this: 

Here is a link to an entertaining radio lab episode on the subject: http://www.radiolab.org/2009/jul/27/

Comment by sk8eycat on June 23, 2012 at 9:40pm

O, wow!  Thank you for posting that beautiful video, Loren!

I am not afraid of ceasing to exist - except as fish food. I kind of like the idea, made my plans, and paid for the whole thing. The Neptune Society is cool! IMO

I just hope it doesn't take a long, agonizing time for me to do it.  I have "DNR" at the top of the instructions on my MedicAlert bracelet because I do NOT want to spend my last years the way poor Christopher Reeve did.  [shudder!]  (I have a physical defect that could put me on life support if some over-enthusiastic EMT restarts my lungs and heart after an accident.  No, thank you, guys.  Do NOT want!)  I've had an extrordinarily good life, most of it without any gods.  What more can anyone ask for?

What was it Woody Allen said about dying?  That he wasn't afraid of it, but he didn't want to "be there" while it was happening?  Something like that.  That's me.

;>)

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