Julia Sweeney on dealing with death as an atheist

Explore the meaning and joy of life with 100 atheists in this book of photos and commentary featuring Richard Dawkins, Dan Dennett, Steven Pinker, Penn & Teller, Julia Sweeney, Alex Honnold, Derren Brown, and more!

A Better Life: 100 Atheists Speak Out on Joy and Meaning in a World Without God will be released on January 1st, 2014.

[bellblue]

Why does there have to be an already made point to being alive?
I find purpose in my life by simply enjoying my time, hanging out with friends, playing sports, learning, and being in love

I created my own point life, for me there is no purpose to living other then to simply make something out of it.

[fhoplist]

Its quite unique to be alive and to experience this sensation we all have. It sucks that I get only a brief time as me to soak in everything this life has to offer but I believe that it gives me more purpose not to waste it. 

[peterz]

"they bloom, then they die...."

[ItsDeebs]

I deal with the death by remembering the person or pet and how much they will always mean to me. To remember someone and never forget is the best way to honor the life of someone.

I don't believe I will see them again in some afterlife. That's why it is important to never forget.

[jasonh.]

That's interesting. Once I was going through struggles in life, and my Uncle said, "I asked everyone at church to pray for you last Sunday." I was moved that a bunch of strangers would all think about me for a moment, and it made me feel better. But if I didn't know this, how would it have helped me? And although they were thinking of me not one of those people thought to actually help me. So yeah, why pray for someone remotely when you could actually be with them and help them?

[TheEmilyFoolery]

My Nan died on Tuesday. The way that I am finding comfort is the idea of conservation of energy. It's never destroyed.So everything she was as a person is gone, but everything she was as a being is still in existence. It's difficult to grasp that she is just gone, but the life she lived will always be there in my mind. That'll never be destroyed. And the fact that she died a quick death from peritonitis, but that the post mortem/autopsy revealed that she was riddled with cancer on all of her major organs (that we or she never knew about) makes me relieved that it could have been a long drawn out and painful experience for her. She died blissfully unaware and quickly. It's strange, but a sort of poetic justice in my mind.

[parkarch]

I watched my 17 yr old son die & my 16 yr old daughter struggle for her life after an auto accident. Due to the way my son lived, his spirit lives in the lives of the people he touched. My daughter has almost fully recovered thanks to the dedicated & skilled doctors & nurses. There is no god to blame or thank. There is only one life to live and we only have each other

[peach]

We all have 2 deaths. The 1st, when you die. The 2nd when the last person who remembers you dies.

[nehemiahmarcus]

Death is going to happen. There is nothing that can be done to stop it. The grief we feel is real. The loss is real. All we can really do is be there for those who are still alive and help them get through their grief.

[rneedham]

My mom died of cancer. I was her caregiver. When she was buried her sisters and brother and i was there. No religious service. My sister-in-law was upset i did not invite her. I probably sounded rude but told her. "You didn't care about her when she was alive why do you care about her now?"

[SandraLovesSun]

I was around a lot of people dying. Just recently. I’m glad I didn’t get too much of the I will pray for you thing.

[warriormc]

Funny thing is I think she got that description from the bible itself. Psalm 103 describes our time on earth like this.

[tannersconcerts]

2 quotes that help me conceptualize and grieve with death:

"Life is merely a brief gap between 2 eternities of darkness"
"Don't be sad about all the time you didn't get to spend with someone, be thankful for all of the time you did get to spend with them"

Our human lives are too short to spend sad, and miserable. We must accept death as a natural process, and realize it is a beautiful thing. Death was never meant to be scary, it's a time that every human will experience. We all will have a day, where we take our final breathe, and end this beautiful journey with our loved ones. Each and every person reading this comment will one day experience true peace. A feeling that will last for eternity. Weather we have some sort of consciousness after death, or if there is truly an afterlife, be happy that you lived, you did it, you made it, and be happy when it's over. Don't be scared of death, be present and stay kind.

[denier]

To know exactly what life is without any kind of made up mysticism makes life many times more valuable and wondrous to me. Conversely, to pretend that death isn't really death looks like one of the cruelest possible lies. Both murder and capital punishment seem that much more heinous to me.

[ceasarmoreno]

I cry thinking about dying forever because I also know there is nothing after...I'm actually tearing up right now just writing this, excuse me

[VeteranPeace]

Wow, she explained that beautifully. Right on.

[Poodfof]

What's wrong with researching, documenting, looking, asking, wondering and wandering? Those are some of the greatest joys in life. I want to wonder and search. If all the answers were handed to me in a book, I don't think I'd have much to live for anymore. My life is about asking, researching, wondering and wandering. It's just in my nature. I personally feel sorry for those who reject science and go for religion. Are they so afraid of the unknown that they need to be comforted by superstition?

[pm]

I think if you believe in an afterlife then you never let go and just torture yourself with the false hope that you will see them again. Better to grieve, enjoy the memory, then move on with your life. I know some fundamental Christians that are stuck, constantly in grief, not living their lives fully.

[markwhitman]

The reason people believe in any god of any kind is that they cannot or will not accept mortality and are afraid of death. BUT let me posit an idea for them: Were you afraid of anything before you came into existence? Of course, not! One simply goes back into oblivion and no longer is aware of life! This is not something to fear at all! I am atheist, love life and thank goodness am not afraid of oblivion!

[offgridvr]

Belief or disbelief doesn't change the reality of an afterlife, but would you really rather have a loved one die in despair rather than in hope?