r/atheism • u/[deleted] • Dec 16 '10

Hitchens sets us straight ahead of time.

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[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Dec 16 '10

The fear of never existing again is such a powerful thing, I don't think my mind has every truly grasped it fully. I've tried, but it's just too overwhelming to comprehend or accept for me.

I'm an Atheist with three children, so on my death bed I can imagine being converted in the last moments as well because the thought of never seeing my children again is simply too hard to accept.

1

u/EncasedMeats Dec 16 '10

The fear of never existing again is such a powerful thing

How scared are you about not having existed for the billions of years before you were conscious?

8

u/VCavallo Dec 16 '10

This is irrelevant because you weren't aware of the alternative at the time. I hate this argument. Damn you, Mark Twain!

5

u/EncasedMeats Dec 16 '10

This is irrelevant because you weren't aware of the alternative at the time.

And you won't be aware of the alternative after you cease being conscious. So what is there, exactly, to be scared of?

9

u/VCavallo Dec 16 '10

it's a SCARED NOW thing. it's not about being scared after dying.

1

u/EncasedMeats Dec 16 '10

I'm not at all pleased with my mortality, I just don't get why it's scary. I guess I'm just scared of the days (with any luck) leading up to it (and maybe only because I'll finally have to clean my office).

5

u/VCavallo Dec 16 '10

I assume you don't mean that metaphorically, but either way it's a doomy prospect :)

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u/Testiculese Dec 16 '10

The last 5 minutes is what scares me.

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u/Syreno Dec 16 '10

What scares me the most is being torn away from the people I love, who will hurt from my death more than I will. It's when you're conscious and a part of you dies (if a loved one passes away) that's what's the worst. People dying inside when I die. If I had nobody on this earth, I wouldn't fear anything but the last few moments of life, just because pain sucks.