Theists have prayer and many other comforting things but what can comfort an atheist when something terrible happens? Lets say you are an atheist and get diagnosed with terminal cancer. You get richard dawkins to come visit you in the hospital. What could he possibly say to comfort you as an atheist?

I can also see some more problems with being an atheist as far as having a will to live in tough times. I just don't see atheists having as much reason to keep fighting through tough times or tragedy when they believe that there is no afterlife and no matter what you do in this life the same ending happens every time.

Why would you think someone would have less of a will to live if they dont believe there is something after death? The opposite is clearly true.

Because no matter what they do the end result is the same. If an atheist is a saint he believes there is no reward for being good as far as the afterlife is concerned. Where as theists believe there is an afterlife and something to look forward to after death. And have more reason to live for that payoff.

What does the atheist have to fight for? Whether he dies now or 50 years from now he will experience the same thing.

actually iirc Dawkins wrote in "God Delusion" that a research showed that people who hadnt left their hopes to God n had the strength n the attitude that their body can beat the illness(theists vs atheists patients to be specific) had greater chance of recoverin

i fkn love that theory and that is what makes you free.
not asking for your imaginary friend when things arent going that well

"oh gosh, that is horrible"

"wow, i am so sorry"

"i feel terrible for you"



let's say something awful happened to me such as someone very close to me died in a car accident.

i may be inconsolable for a period of time; there might be nothing anyone could say to make me feel better. a theist might find some comfort and feel a little better in the thought that their dead family member is not actually dead, but is alive and watching me from the comfort of the second life. that does not score a point in favor of theism.

i could believe in reincarnation and that every person who dies wakes up the next day as a new born baby. i could believe in some notion of karma, that every score is eventually settled in some way during our lives.

just because these thoughts make me feel good doesn't give me reason to believe they are true. if we care about having true beliefs, we shouldn't believe things just because we would be happy if they were true.

I mourn when something tragic happens. If necessary, I take action.

I don't offer platitudes.

This is awesome (srs)

I don't think feeling good is why anyone believes in god. Feeling good just happens to be what you feel when you take that leap of faith that god is real. Its a nice bonus but not the reason why anyone believes in god.

And I really hope you would have something better to say than sarcasm when someone is going through a tragic situation.

Feeling good is probably the best reason to believe in God in terms of practical benefit

What do atheists say for comfort when something tragic happens?

"At least a lot of Christians died too"

I mean seriously, wtf @ this thread.

lmao

Great article addresses the topic directly:

"IN a recent conversation with a fellow journalist, I voiced my exasperation at the endless talk about faith in God as the only consolation for those devastated by the unfathomable murders in Newtown, Conn. Some of those grieving parents surely believe, as I do, that this is our one and only life. Atheists cannot find solace in the idea that dead children are now angels in heaven. “That only shows the limits of atheism,” my colleague replied. “It’s all about nonbelief and has nothing to offer when people are suffering” ..."


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/op...anted=all&_r=0

lol nice.

I strongly agree with bolded.

As a Christian it is weird because on one hand knowing God is there is comforting, but on the other hand it is alienating knowing that God let "x" happen.

x = insert horrible event here

Therefore I can see atheists finding comfort in the fact that, "hey **** happens nothing personal".

Run bad?

lol suck out.

Play more hands.

Sample size.

Rebuy?

If you need god (which god?) to feel happy...you're just a big kid with an imaginary friend. It's okay though, kids have them. Some adults just don't grow out of it.

That is assuming there is not a reason beyond our understanding. Sure when you hear about terrible shootings and other things happening its easy to ask where was god or what kind of god would allow this to happen.

But I think the more you learn about god the more you trust in him that yes in a world of free creatures terrible things will happen but that doesn't mean god doesn't have a plan for evil caused by free creatures and a solution now or in the future. Whether we can see it or not.

"Sorry for your loss, but at least you know that after your dead you won't feel this pain any more."

And LOL at not believing in an afterlife makes you less likely to fight though tough times. It makes you cherish the one life you have even more. Knowing I won't be going to LaLa Land to dance with my Imaginary Friend after I die, makes the life I have now precious and unique.

I am a Christian but I don't find comfort at all in what you posted.
I just think this is trite (even though technically I agree with you).

I am not asking where was God. I know where God is, God is always present. The frustrating thing is that God allows these things to occur.

I think of how all events in the COLD, RUTHLESS, EVIL world are just probabilities occurring and this CALLOUS truth brings warmth to my heart.

Do you really know where god (which god?) is? So you are able to communicate with something outside of our universe? Why don't you tell him to stop all the suffering on this planet?

Someone get this guy to a mental health hopsital...seems psycho to me.

What?? The difference is 50 years worth of experiences. Do you really not see why an atheist would value that?

I think it is human nature for us to want to fight to survive, regardless of our beliefs.

That said I would def. roll over and die with less of a fight as a Christian.

No, he will experience 50 years more of life.

Also I equally pity and worry about people who need to believe in never never land to think it is a good idea to not do bad things.

It isnt about the end result, it is about the journey.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptwEV0xhTzI

I hope that my life and time will be spent making the world a slightly better place for the next generation. That is what I fight for. I will live one life here on this planet, might as well make the most of it. This is why the Christian dogma is so lol. "Gays are teh bad!", really? That's what you want to do with your life on this planet?