What does an Atheist experience before he/she dies?

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Mind_Mover

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#1 Mind_Mover
Member since 2005 • 1489 Posts

Some people live their whole lives passionately, an atheist might say, it is better being an atheist because you know you will only live once, and you should make the best of it because of that.

What goes through an atheists mind when he realizes that a whole life of love, fun, happiness, saddness, pain, etc will cease to exists the moment he is dead?

How does an atheist easily accept that kind of fate, a fate where a whole life time spent with your wife or husband, your children that you are so proud of, your parents that hold a special place in your heart, will one day mean nothing.

Your concioussness, poof, no more. Doesn't that scare you?

The real question is, If given the choice to spend eternity, happily, would you accept it?

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ps3wizard45

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#2 ps3wizard45
Member since 2007 • 12907 Posts

When I wasn't Born I didn't care, and when I die I won't care either...

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l4dak47

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#3 l4dak47
Member since 2009 • 6838 Posts

well it's like what it was before you were born therewas just nothingness, you felt nothing, you expirenced nothing, that said i would much rather not be born then to live and die because at least this way i wouldn't know what i was missing. if i had the choice to spend eternity happily, i don't know eternity is a long time and unless there was a 100% gurantee that i will be happy forever i wouldn't want to have an afterlife.

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chessmaster1989

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#4 chessmaster1989
Member since 2008 • 30203 Posts
How should I know what I'll feel right before I die? :?
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LoG-Sacrament

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#5 LoG-Sacrament
Member since 2006 • 20397 Posts
id need to know how they died before i can answer that.
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MrPraline

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#6 MrPraline
Member since 2008 • 21351 Posts

Some people live their whole lives passionately, an atheist might say, it is better being an atheist because you know you will only live once, and you should make the best of it because of that.

What goes through an atheists mind when he realizes that a whole life of love, fun, happiness, saddness, pain, etc will cease to exists the moment he is dead?

How does an atheist easily accept that kind of fate, a fate where a whole life time spent with your wife or husband, your children that you are so proud of, your parents that hold a special place in your heart, will one day mean nothing.

Your concioussness, poof, no more. Doesn't that scare you?

The real question is, If given the choice to spend eternity, happily, would you accept it?

Mind_Mover
We have already accepted all of this. And no, I wouldn't want to live forever.
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zakkro

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#7 zakkro
Member since 2004 • 48823 Posts
If someone led a good life, and knew that they are going to die someday, I'd imagine they would feel accomplished no matter what belief system (if any) they hold.
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Maqda7

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#8 Maqda7
Member since 2008 • 3299 Posts

People believe that there is an afterlife to give their life meaning. I as an athiest don't need my life to have meaning. I will feel content once i've done everything I can for myself and my family and leave in peace.

P.s. I think everyone will see the whole white tunnel thing because it's a part of the chemical reactions happening in your brain as you die.

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flordeceres

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#9 flordeceres
Member since 2005 • 4662 Posts

A power gasm

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Vandalvideo

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#11 Vandalvideo
Member since 2003 • 39655 Posts
I'm going to steal Socrates' ideas from the Phaedo before his execution. Why must death be a bad thing?
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Brainkiller05

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#12 Brainkiller05
Member since 2005 • 28954 Posts
Everyone would happily believe there's a magic invisible being looking after us and has some awesome divine plan and when you die to live happily ever after in heaven with passed loved ones and friends, difference being believing it doesn't actually make it true.
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Theokhoth

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#13 Theokhoth
Member since 2008 • 36799 Posts

I'll let you know when I become an atheist and die.

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Treflis

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#14 Treflis
Member since 2004 • 13757 Posts
"Aww crap.." Most likely.
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KHAndAnime

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#15 KHAndAnime
Member since 2009 • 17565 Posts
The same thing everyone else experiences, obviously. It doesn't matter if the fairy-tale ending is happier, because it's just that, a fairy-tale ending. Death isn't going to be happy and it's not going to take you to heaven.
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supa_badman

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#16 supa_badman
Member since 2008 • 16714 Posts

They shake their fist in the air, and with their last breath, they exclaim 'I win!'

Yeah, I really wouldn't know.

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Diablo112688

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#17 Diablo112688
Member since 2003 • 8345 Posts
Blind followers don't question things. These ideas of eternal life and being happy don't really make a lot of sense under these boundaries. Your god would have to rewire you brain.... rewire it to a brain of a robot... At least what would seem to be a robot under my current mind. Then again some may argue that saying we have always been robots. The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind.
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spirit7someguy

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#18 spirit7someguy
Member since 2009 • 3813 Posts

I just don't understand so many humans who do not wish to live... oh well... What will happen will happen:P

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MrPraline

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#19 MrPraline
Member since 2008 • 21351 Posts
I just don't understand so many humans who do not wish to live...spirit7someguy
Well life isn't all that great.
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DFan17902

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#20 DFan17902
Member since 2006 • 5427 Posts
See the Muse song.
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supa_badman

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#21 supa_badman
Member since 2008 • 16714 Posts
[QUOTE="spirit7someguy"]I just don't understand so many humans who do not wish to live...MrPraline
Well life isn't all that great.

Life isn't all that bad either :o
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THANATOS-465

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#22 THANATOS-465
Member since 2009 • 45 Posts

When I wasn't Born I didn't care, and when I die I won't care either...

ps3wizard45
I think its like that for everyone, u wouldnt know ur no longer alive cause ur brain is no longer processing information
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194197844077667059316682358889

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#23 194197844077667059316682358889
Member since 2003 • 49173 Posts
Why would it scare me? If I were offered immortality, I'm sure I'd jump for it, just as I'd jump for the ability to fly under my own power, but from my perspective, neither is likely to occur, so neither is something worth spending a lot of time thinking about.
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MrPraline

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#24 MrPraline
Member since 2008 • 21351 Posts
[QUOTE="MrPraline"][QUOTE="spirit7someguy"]I just don't understand so many humans who do not wish to live...supa_badman
Well life isn't all that great.

Life isn't all that bad either :o

Not completely, though the prospect of nothingness sounds better.
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194197844077667059316682358889

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#25 194197844077667059316682358889
Member since 2003 • 49173 Posts
[QUOTE="supa_badman"][QUOTE="MrPraline"] Well life isn't all that great.MrPraline
Life isn't all that bad either :o

Not completely, though the prospect of nothingness sounds better.

How Buddhist of you!
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supa_badman

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#26 supa_badman
Member since 2008 • 16714 Posts
[QUOTE="supa_badman"][QUOTE="MrPraline"] Well life isn't all that great.MrPraline
Life isn't all that bad either :o

Not completely, though the prospect of nothingness sounds better.

Whatever floats your boat MrPraline, I think the prospect of an eternal afterlife (given there is one and I get to go to the 'best' afterlife) sounds better. :lol: That's just me.
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THANATOS-465

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#27 THANATOS-465
Member since 2009 • 45 Posts
[QUOTE="MrPraline"][QUOTE="supa_badman"] Life isn't all that bad either :osupa_badman
Not completely, though the prospect of nothingness sounds better.

Whatever floats your boat MrPraline, I think the prospect of an eternal afterlife (given there is one and I get to go to the 'best' afterlife) sounds better. :lol: That's just me.

no sex forever doesnt sound like a heaven I wanna live in
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deactivated-5a79221380856

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#28 deactivated-5a79221380856
Member since 2007 • 13125 Posts

Your concioussness, poof, no more. Doesn't that scare you?

Mind_Mover

It doesn't scare me. However, I am saddened when I think about others dying.

The real question is, If given the choice to spend eternity, happily, would you accept it?

Mind_Mover

Of course I would. I'm now in doubt. Don't quote me on this because I'm contradicting myself. :x

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MrPraline

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#30 MrPraline
Member since 2008 • 21351 Posts
[QUOTE="MrPraline"][QUOTE="supa_badman"] Life isn't all that bad either :osupa_badman
Not completely, though the prospect of nothingness sounds better.

Whatever floats your boat MrPraline, I think the prospect of an eternal afterlife (given there is one and I get to go to the 'best' afterlife) sounds better. :lol: That's just me.

Eternity is a long time. No escape possible. Of course, I have no idea what this hypothetical afterlife would be like.
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Crypto138

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#31 Crypto138
Member since 2005 • 1672 Posts
I did have a moment when I really realized that one day I would die (which is weird, because I wasn't looking my mortality in the face, it just kinda popped out of nowhere), and I was depressed about it for weeks, but I've come to accept the fact that one day, I'm going to die. However, a lot of people are too scared to accept this, and they're too egotistical to accept that their life doesn't have some big grand meaning, so they resort to religion.
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Mind_Mover

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#32 Mind_Mover
Member since 2005 • 1489 Posts

How should I know what I'll feel right before I die? :?chessmaster1989
You have a whole life before you die to think about it, i didn't specifically say right before you die.

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Mind_Mover

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#33 Mind_Mover
Member since 2005 • 1489 Posts

When I wasn't Born I didn't care, and when I die I won't care either...

ps3wizard45

You won't care when you are dead but do you care now?

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Severed_Hand

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#34 Severed_Hand
Member since 2007 • 3402 Posts
[QUOTE="Maqda7"]

People believe that there is an afterlife to give their life meaning. I as an athiest don't need my life to have meaning. I will feel content once i've done everything I can for myself and my family and leave in peace.

P.s. I think everyone will see the whole white tunnel thing because it's a part of the chemical reactions happening in your brain as you die.

isnt it DMT or something?
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xionvalkyrie

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#35 xionvalkyrie
Member since 2008 • 3444 Posts

I dunno, I'll tell you on my deathbed.

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Crypto138

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#36 Crypto138
Member since 2005 • 1672 Posts
[QUOTE="supa_badman"][QUOTE="MrPraline"] Not completely, though the prospect of nothingness sounds better.MrPraline
Whatever floats your boat MrPraline, I think the prospect of an eternal afterlife (given there is one and I get to go to the 'best' afterlife) sounds better. :lol: That's just me.

Eternity is a long time. No escape possible. Of course, I have no idea what this hypothetical afterlife would be like.

Oddly enough, none of the people who take comfort from spending forever in Heaven seem to have any idea what it's actually like.
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Mind_Mover

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#37 Mind_Mover
Member since 2005 • 1489 Posts

I'm going to steal Socrates' ideas from the Phaedo before his execution. Why must death be a bad thing? Vandalvideo
Because death is the end. We are not talking about the end to an awsome movie, or an awsome video game, we are talking about the end of awsome movies and the end of awsome video games, period, if you get what i mean.

How, can that be good?

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MattUD1

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#38 MattUD1
Member since 2004 • 20715 Posts
Just let me get on my death bed and tell you... :|
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BumFluff122

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#39 BumFluff122
Member since 2004 • 14853 Posts

It all comes down to the legacy and the memories you leave embedded on society of your existence and the things you did.

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santoron

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#40 santoron
Member since 2006 • 8584 Posts

The real question is, If given the choice to spend eternity, happily, would you accept it?

Mind_Mover

My beliefs, and yours, don't determine the truth. If I could design my own afterlife, there might be lots of incentives for me to stick around, but that isn't how life works.

People aren't atheists to guarnatee that they won't be resurrected by God, they are atheists because they firmly believe God doesn't exist. And no one should make a decision on religion based on how comfortable you might feel those last few seconds of life, right or wrong.

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Mind_Mover

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#41 Mind_Mover
Member since 2005 • 1489 Posts

Just let me get on my death bed and tell you... :|MattUD1
Ok, i take it you won't be long? :P

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MattUD1

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#42 MattUD1
Member since 2004 • 20715 Posts

[QUOTE="MattUD1"]Just let me get on my death bed and tell you... :|Mind_Mover

Ok, i take it you won't be long? :P

I probably have quite a few more years to go. :|
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Mind_Mover

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#43 Mind_Mover
Member since 2005 • 1489 Posts

Blind followers don't question things. These ideas of eternal life and being happy don't really make a lot of sense under these boundaries. Your god would have to rewire you brain.... rewire it to a brain of a robot... At least what would seem to be a robot under my current mind. Then again some may argue that saying we have always been robots. The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind. Diablo112688
Your answer my friend has just blown my mind...

are you saying that the only concept of afterlife that you can think of is by having yoru brain wired to a robot?

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Fandangle

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#44 Fandangle
Member since 2003 • 3433 Posts

They enter the matrix

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Mind_Mover

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#45 Mind_Mover
Member since 2005 • 1489 Posts

[QUOTE="Mind_Mover"]

[QUOTE="MattUD1"]Just let me get on my death bed and tell you... :|MattUD1

Ok, i take it you won't be long? :P

I probably have quite a few more years to go. :|

Yeah, you have your whole life to think about it, but i suppose if you choose to think about it on your death bed, then fine me with me, but i wasn't refering to right before you die.

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Crypto138

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#46 Crypto138
Member since 2005 • 1672 Posts

[QUOTE="Diablo112688"]Blind followers don't question things. These ideas of eternal life and being happy don't really make a lot of sense under these boundaries. Your god would have to rewire you brain.... rewire it to a brain of a robot... At least what would seem to be a robot under my current mind. Then again some may argue that saying we have always been robots. The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind. Mind_Mover

Your answer my friend has just blown my mind...

are you saying that the only concept of afterlife that you can think of is by having yoru brain wired to a robot?

Most (all?) ideas of an afterlife involve it being without sin. In order to have an afterlife where people didn't have the ability to go around stabbing other people, they'd have to be wired like robots. There's literally no other way.
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joesh89

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#47 joesh89
Member since 2008 • 8489 Posts

What does a human experience when they die ? .... I think it'll be that.

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Seiki_sands

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#48 Seiki_sands
Member since 2003 • 1973 Posts

[QUOTE="Mind_Mover"]

[QUOTE="Diablo112688"]Blind followers don't question things. These ideas of eternal life and being happy don't really make a lot of sense under these boundaries. Your god would have to rewire you brain.... rewire it to a brain of a robot... At least what would seem to be a robot under my current mind. Then again some may argue that saying we have always been robots. The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind. Crypto138

Your answer my friend has just blown my mind...

are you saying that the only concept of afterlife that you can think of is by having yoru brain wired to a robot?

Most (all?) ideas of an afterlife involve it being without sin. In order to have an afterlife where people didn't have the ability to go around stabbing other people, they'd have to be wired like robots. There's literally no other way.

I don't know about that... I think I could conceive of a world in which the circumstances were so altered that my consciousness or mind may not have to be altered to make sin unthinkable depending on your definition of mind. In the world as it exists now, a certain sin for a certain person can be pleasurable, but that does not have to be true, we assume it simply is because of our individual histories and our bio-chemistry, but those are so variable and ever changing that to use them as a form of identity by saying this is my consciousness, this way I react, seems naive.

Right now, very, very few people burn themselves alive. There are a number of reasons why relating to physical pain and psychology. The mechanisms to cover pain so it isn't felt are already present in the body, there are extreme occasions that the body does not feel even intense pain despite signals that are being sent by the body to cause it. Is it rewiring the brain to be in a world where the body is triggered to override pain signals not just in times of extreme need, thereby eliminating pain and removing at least one barrier to the person inclined to commit suicide by burning themselves alive. Is it the world or the intrinsic you that has changed, or both?

Imagine landing on a planet where the air itself triggers the release of hormones and chemicals that override pain, does that mean your consciousness was changed and your brain rewired? In other words, if your consciousness as you are conceiving it is a product not just of the internal, but how you interact with what's around you, I suppose this would be rewiring, but then one really has to question one's status as an athiest, because you're bordering on an all in one sort of universal consciousness. "You" are a product not just of your thoughts and history, but your reactions as you have come to know them in the arbitrary existence you have lived, making that existence as much a part of "you" as your own thoughts and history. If on the other hand, you are saying there is something uniquely you in there, no you would not have to change that to make the unthinkable, thinkable you would merely have to manipulate the body that is the middle man between you and the world.

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deactivated-5cf0a2e13dbde

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#49 deactivated-5cf0a2e13dbde
Member since 2005 • 12935 Posts
I don't think being an atheist makes anyone not believe in some form of conciousness after life
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rjxtian

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#50 rjxtian
Member since 2005 • 2638 Posts

Fear.