A bus plunges off a cliff…everyone dies…It’s all part of God’s master plan…which we sad,small mortals can’t understand…same bus,but everyone lives…It’s all part of God’s master plan…etc. The Godites can have it both ways…Lucky ones they…

On the other hand Atheists can go on happily “knowing” it makes no difference whatsoever what happens anywhere for any reason. There is no accountability and no reason for anything happening one way or the other. I guess we’re both lucky…

well….it is not natural to die either:)

Death comes to every living thing in time…Philosophy aside

Dying is just as natural as life.

We are all just potential road kill…waiting for that big 18 wheeler…

You crack me up Rat. Really, you are on a roll lately.

Philosophy aside? Doesn’t sound like you feel that way, rb, just didn’t want to type up an epistle about it today? lol

Nicely said, AL, can see that you really understand atheist viewpoints. Rationalists can also be christians, right? It seems like some of our founding fathers, though christian also, understood that all citizens need to be treat each other equally. (now, about that slavery thing?) But weren’t some of them called rationalists? And I don’t completely understand the reference, maybe you know?

Death is NOT natural. We were not made to die originally. Why else do we do everything in our power to avoid it’s ugly face?

You like the speculative posts, RB. So what’s your real hang-up with the idea of God?

hmmmm….well. Let’s try this. Physical death is very natural. Spiritual death is not.

Yeah, yeah… afterlife talk. Not provable, but easy to assume if you approach it right. But, we tend to avoid the idea of death, particularly in the U.S. (damn, we’ve developed some bad habits) because of doubt. Churchianity simply doesn’t cut it, in inspiring actual belief in it’s followers.

One of my favorite quotes, and damned if I can remember who said it: “Blessed is he who is born in a church; cursed is he who dies in one.”

I’ve seen people collapse during Mass, get Anointed, and then have the paramedics arrive. I don’t think any have died, but in the literal sense of your question, I think it’s as good a place as any, and better than most! :)

You’re right, though. Americans are terribly afraid of death. In fact, I would say we have a hard time understanding people from other times of history because we have no perspective of what life was like. They dealt with death as a constant reality and possibility. Heck, Hollywood now slips sexual themes into kids shows but is still afraid of having death be a part of it, when it was just the reverse in earlier times; Fairy Tales were full of death, and sex was more taboo.

Americans I know don’t take death seriously…It’s a problem which can be overcome with the right diet and exercise…Yes,Arandur…about your God question…I really have no hang up with God…He just does not exist…Now werewolves…Different issue

I guess I meant more what convinces you that He doesn’t exist? :)

Don’t forget the right spa treatments and plastic surgery. Botox gets you through to retirement, and then its all about drugs and Social Security to keep you kickin’

Atheists don’t need evidence that God doesn’t exist…all they need is the lack of PROOF that He exists…Kind of a cop out if you ask me * winks at Kookoo and RB *

I always get a kick out of it when christians say don’t you want to be saved, don’t you want to go to heaven, why not take a chance that you will be saved and live forever, etc. (disclaimer: not that anyone on this thread would say that) I always think, I know more than you about this subject, I don’t think your god would want me to convert just to save my own ass! (kookoo at the pearly gates: “we know why you did, it, remember that all-knowing thing (oh, you didn’t know?), well we’re awfully sorry, but the line for hell forms over there, we always give everyone a chance to commiserate before damning them, Buhbye, now.)

I think all societies (and individuals) have a problem with death, (U.S. more than others, maybe). It is very traumatic, sometimes for an entire nation (JFK). It is so sad when anyone dies, not just a friend, but anyone. It’s hard to rationalize it, deal with the trauma, so we have to find a way to live with it. Of course we avoid the subject, it’s hard to talk about, it affects us so much. It is a natural part of life, and we know everything and everybody has a limited time here on earth (in advance). When someone close dies, it is so much worse, there is always regret (I wish I’d visited him last year, i never got to see him in the hospital before he passed, we argued and i was an asshole and never told him, I loved him so, but never told him how much, you all know what i mean). The regrets can cause a guilt trip that some people never come back from. I have seen a lot of death in my lifetime (must get to that AIDS post, but i’ve been putting it off because it will be one of the most difficult posts that I’ve ever composed here and I will cry over this keyboard, I know i will, no joke inserted here). See, I want to avoid the subject, too. We can’t help it (Hi Joe, how ya doin? Well, Frank, death is staring me in the face. Well, great, Joe, see you at the funeral!) Very short conversations on the subject, for sure. And, of course, we use humor to help to deal with it, too. (What kind of wood doesn’t float? Natalie!) well, dark humor sometimes, too. I know you all see what I mean (yeah, kook, you don’t have to pummel us!).

Atheists (we hate being grouped together tho) don’t believe in an afterlife. We don’t believe that a bus going off a cliff is part of any god’s plan (as if any being with that kind of power would plan such a tragedy). And i know what some of you will say, god allows such things to happen, etc. Well, no matter what, the bus plunged off the cliff, didn’t it, and now, we have to deal with it, some of us with god’s help, some without.

Wow Kookoo…that stopped me to think a moment and no mistake. In case we never talk again, I agape ALL of you here.

AL, i don’t know how this is happening, I am starting to feel as if I’ve known you (all) for an entire lifetime, and it’s only been weeks. I Know this has never happened to me on any other website, I become friends with people, yes, but there is no closeness, like I have found here. You bring a tear to my eye, my friend, with your kind kind words. Thank you!

I hear you there buddy, I don’t even communicate with any of my lifelong friends like I do with you guys. This site is pretty special to me also, I’ve never seen anything like it.

Let’s BUMP this topic, we don’t have much comment from new folks on here. Any interest?