We're all going to die. It's a part of reality, and we just have to deal with it.
The above is simplistic, and I'll admit callous, but it's the truth. Eventually there will come a time when our brains cease to function, and our organs stop functioning. Following that our bodies will decompose, unless you're like me and then it'll turn to ash, and the only thing that will remain are the memories of us retained by those who had contact with us are still alive. If you're lucky you've done something that causes a large number of people to remember you and your name will go into history books so everyone knows what you did (good or bad). If you're unlucky, no one cares that you died. Regardless of your standing in the community, the world keeps turning. Got all that? Good.
That's my basic views on death. I've dealt with death before. Granny died several years ago, and I've recently had friends die. When you start examining and questioning what you believe, it's inevitable that eventually death will become the subject you start to think about. Greta Christina has written about it (more than once), Cassie of TeenSkepchick wrote about it, and so has Hemant Mehta. If you're a vocal atheist it is something someone will eventual bring up, so you have to think about it.
What comforts does my lack of belief in the supernatural give me when it comes to death? None. Yep, that's right. My non-belief in the supernatural doesn't give me any comfort concerning what happens after I die. Nor should it.
My non-belief has nothing to do with comfort. I arrived at my atheism, and disbelief in the supernatural, through examination of evidence. Some of what I discovered didn't provide any comfort, but that's what happens when you start examining with reality. The degree to which you want something to be true has no effect on reality.
No, my non-belief doesn't provide any comfort for the knowledge that one day I will no longer have direct interaction with the world around me, so what comfort do I have?
The answer may suprise you. I remember the funeral for Granny. There was some talk of her "being in a better place", and other empty platitudes. However, there was much more talk of her life and stories from those there who knew her. The memories of her giving me a blanket to fold up and use as a boat on her living room floor when I was little, the story of her finding a corset so uncomfortable that she made her younger brother wear it until she got home, and other humorous and touching anecdotes that reminded us all of the effect she had on our lives.
Human beings are social creatures, and that interaction influences future generations. When the time comes that I no longer draw breath or have a heartbeat I will find no comfort in the thought of going to a better place. The comfort I will find is in my efforts to make the one I'm leaving better.
July 6, 2010
How Do I Not Fear Death With No Afterlife
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