Flaws in the idea of an "Afterlife" (#44)

I don't believe that anything happens after you die, I don't think there is reincarnation, I don't believe in any of that. When you die, I don't know what happens, we probably physically die and our body's biological structure decays into atoms of other elements and becomes more substances that are part of the earth. That's my assumption, at least.

I am an atheist when it comes to my beliefs in god, and the afterlife. I am agnostic in a sense when it comes to the philosophical study and talks of religion, so I'm pretty open minded when it comes to religious affiliated talk. To me believing in nothing after death is a completely logical (and there is very little room for error that I know of) way of believing in what happens after you die. I actually changed into an atheist from an agnostic because of all the flaws I found in the idea of heaven and hell and afterlife.

When I kept on finding flaws in the idea of religion and after life, I dropped from my mind the idea of a heaven and hell. It all seems too absurd, I found people justifying their behavior and actions based in the name (and hope) of an afterlife. I find it absurd that people do things in life that are supposedly good, all for the hope of going to heaven. People don't do things because they value doing that particular thing that is "good", people usually do something because they are afraid of going to hell and not being accepted into heaven. Now, I found this rather questionable, because a lot of major religious figures, and value in our human society, all preach the idea of no judgment towards others. So, apparently in order to go to heaven, you are judged based on a set of circumstantial choices, that these religions supply you, about what your supposed to do, otherwise you go to this bad place. What kind of fairness is that? I thought were not supposed to be judgmental?

The counter argument is that apparently god is all powerful and our creator, so therefore that automatically gives god the power to judge and direct us where he feels. I find that even more absurd. So basically this god is a selfish and unforgiving god that uses his power to justify his actions of judging and directing us towards our consequences? That's a god? This god certainly isn't a nice god, and this god is apparently extremely childish. Look at some of the things people on earth put up with, and still go on, and this god cant take some people making mistakes and/or cant forgive us for our thoughts and actions? No, if this god is all powerful and really did create me and doesn't have a sense of other peoples values then I want nothing to do with him then. Maybe god understands this, and doesn't see a need for a heaven then. What if that's the case?

I see heaven as more as a wish fulfillment mechanism, almost like a defense mechanism for humans, as a way to cope with the idea of death. Most people long for heaven, but probably would go crazy if they could consciously think and act in a heaven for a long time, because they would get bored of everything after a while. And some people say "No, one can never get bored in heaven." But I disagree, there are even stricter laws in heaven. You cant do certain things that are deemed as bad, immoral, or unethical, or even THINK in certain ways, because if you do then you will be sent to hell. There is no violence of any form, no drugs, no destruction, no immoral things; no bad things can happen. People want conflict and action in there lives, and in heaven I don't see any of that happening. Most people don't know what to do with themselves already in their lives, what chance to they have in heaven.

"Millions long for immortality who don't know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon." -Susan Ertz, Anger in the Sky

But who defines bad? Apparently, according to everyone, god does. But as I said earlier, why does he get to choose what is right and wrong? Just because he's my creator? And therefore I should bow down and accept this? No. I never asked to live…or maybe apparently I did. Whatever the case, there is no way I would want him to dictate my values, lifestyles and thoughts. What kind of freedom do I have then? If god dictates all of my actions and thoughts, either purposefully or inadvertently, and if I'm a bad person, why did he create me in the first place? So I can fail and be sent to heaven? Why didn't he just create me there? If he created me and dictates my thoughts and lifestyles, then I have no control over where I go. So, he basically creates someone so they can be put through hell or heaven? That's fair? Why didn't he just create me where he wanted me to be? If there is a god, he certainly doesn't believe in morality.

If god exists, I would hope he judges us and sends us to places that create the illusion of control and fulfill that existential need of purpose that all humans desire. I would hope god sends us to our own place that fulfills all of our individual needs, rather than some generalized values that he made up; That's not a god in my opinion then. Ultimately, I wish there was a heaven, or reincarnation or something, But I've trained myself to think logically, analytically, and truthfully. Hence my logic refuses to believe in an afterlife and god, and it probably always will.