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If an entity offered you as an atheist an after life after you lived, would that interest you

amorphous_constellation

Well-Known Member
So I guess, assuming that heaven is an 'incentive,' (is it?) this question goes out to atheists.. If after death you are offered heaven vs non-existence by an unexpected entity, after having completed a life of good deeds, would you accept this opportunity even though you never believed?

Also a further clarification in case it isn't clear, this entity appears to you after you are dead, not while you are living

Also if you are an atheist who believes in reincarnation, I suppose this wouldn't be applicable to you.
 
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SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
I'm technically not an atheist, but I don't see heaven as an incentive or even an afterlife. I see heaven as a state of mind that can be attained right here in this earthly existence.
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
- so what you do think, is heaven an incentive and... if you are atheist do you see it that way, if, after death you are offered heaven vs non-existence by an entity, after having completed a life of good deeds

In reality the journey beyond this physical world is objectively unknown if it exists at all.In the Baha'i Faith the journey beyond this world is through many worlds, and we do not hold the scales regardless of what people believe from the human perspective..
 
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Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
As an atheist I regard this life as the afterlife.

Heaven or hell or in-between is up to the person and the circumstances surrounding it.

You get whatever your born into.
 

leov

Well-Known Member
- so what you do think, is heaven an incentive and... if you are atheist do you see it that way, if, after death you are offered heaven vs non-existence by an entity, after having completed a life of good deeds
They will have a choice to be with likeminded souls.
 

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
Well, an eternal afterlife would be intolerable eventually. So, if an afterlife is offered, I would want an 'escape clause' at a time I could determine.

The usual descriptions of heaven sound pretty hellish to me, so I would pass on those. Singing songs of praise just doesn't seem like a good way to spend eternity.

But having a few thousand years to learn a few more languages, really do some in depth research, and watch how things change over time, well, that could be interesting.
 

Hockeycowboy

Witness for Jehovah
Premium Member
watch how things change over time, well, that could be interesting.

That is one thing that would definitely make it tolerable! Very enjoyable, IMO.

Spending time with, and getting to know, your kids’ kids’ kids’ kids’ kids’, etc.!!!
And then, eventually, imagine exploring other worlds in the universe!
While your progeny keeps on expanding.

Who knows what abilities that new technologies will afford us with!
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
- so what you do think, is heaven an incentive and... if you are atheist do you see it that way, if, after death you are offered heaven vs non-existence by an entity, after having completed a life of good deeds

What heaven?

The place full of pious religious people saying "told ya so"... No thanks, i will stick with what is known, life ends in death but your component atoms live on for ever

As an atheist heaven is a meaningless concept used in religion as a big stick.
 

amorphous_constellation

Well-Known Member
Ok I had to change a couple things in the op because I was in a hurry, so I made it clearer what I was driving at, but thanks for responding anyway.
 
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amorphous_constellation

Well-Known Member
I'm technically not an atheist, but I don't see heaven as an incentive or even an afterlife. I see heaven as a state of mind that can be attained right here in this earthly existence.

One should hope, though many probably never reach an optimal state here, thus they become more enamored with the idea that there is better state in the afterworld. That seems to be the message in the Christian world anyway
 

epronovost

Well-Known Member
So I guess, assuming that heaven is an 'incentive,' (is it?) this question generally goes out to atheist.. If after death (as an atheist) you are offered heaven vs non-existence by an entity, after having completed a life of good deeds, would you accept this opportunity even though you never believed?

I would treat it like any other goods or services; what's the product exactly; what's the cost. I don't need a life after death, but if one was to offered to me at a reasonnable price, I don't think I would refuse it. I like my life and certainly refuse having more of it at a good price.
 

amorphous_constellation

Well-Known Member
In reality the journey beyond this physical world is objectively unknown if it exists at all.In the Baha'i Faith the journey beyond this world is through many worlds, and we do not hold the scales regardless of what people believe from the human perspective..

You express a nice sentiment

As an atheist I regard this life as the afterlife.

Please re-read my op and answer its question, I made it clearer. Or is your post referring to a belief in reincarnation? it's unclear to me

Well, an eternal afterlife would be intolerable eventually. So, if an afterlife is offered, I would want an 'escape clause' at a time I could determine.

The usual descriptions of heaven sound pretty hellish to me, so I would pass on those. Singing songs of praise just doesn't seem like a good way to spend eternity.

But having a few thousand years to learn a few more languages, really do some in depth research, and watch how things change over time, well, that could be interesting.

That's an interesting answer. So you'd take a few thousand years, very interesting

What heaven?

The place full of pious religious people saying "told ya so"... No thanks, i will stick with what is known, life ends in death but your component atoms live on for ever

The heaven that an entity offered you, so I take it you wouldn't take it then
 
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shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
You express a nice sentiment



Please re-read my op and answer its question, I made it clearer

When I posted: "In reality the journey beyond this physical world is objectively unknown if it exists at all.In the Baha'i Faith the journey beyond this world is through many worlds, and we do not hold the scales regardless of what people believe from the human perspective."

If no spiritual after life does not exist our journey after this life is we return to earth and come back as what ever life happens to be.
 

amorphous_constellation

Well-Known Member
So basically, it's free. Free, is a very reasonnable price.

Well, basically you might see it as an inadvertent consequence. I don't know if that's quite commensurate with it being free, but maybe it's close. Maybe you could imagine a scenario where it's really free, but that would take every bit of the 'incentive' part out of it. Though I suppose in a situation where you were agnostic to consequence, yet performed well anyway, then there wasn't really an incentive
 
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