What happens to Atheists when they die??

[Frisky]

What happens to Atheists when they die?? Do they go to their own little astral section of the astral planes where all the other atheists hang out??

Is there any bad karma they will have to deal with for living an anti-spiritual life??
Or do they just go to whatever astral plane their vibration matches??

I find most atheists to be rather negative and condescending people, so I somehow doubt they'd end up in the higher astral planes, no??

[Indiana]

Originally Posted by Frisky

I find most atheists to be rather negative and condescending people, so I somehow doubt they'd end up in the higher astral planes, no??

That's kind of a negative and condescending thing to say about atheists, no?? Maybe you just haven't met the nice ones yet - there are plenty of us out here...

[Frisky]

Originally Posted by Indiana

That's kind of a negative and condescending thing to say about atheists, no?? Maybe you just haven't met the nice ones yet - there are plenty of us out here...

The only 2 atheists I ever listened to extensively are Dawkins and Hitchens. And yeah, they dont get much more condescending then those 2

Also, you're atheist? Why would you frequent a spiritual forum??
I'm not trying to be a jerk, I'm really curious

[ZephyrusX]

I am an atheist as well.

Usually when I hear people talking about vibrations, they are talking about states of being sort of akin to Steve's explanation on levels of consciousness. I don't think it is fair to assume that atheists are any less able to achieve higher levels of being, such as understanding and unconditional love.

What do you mean by anti-spiritual life?

Originally Posted by Frisky

I find most atheists to be rather negative and condescending people, so I somehow doubt they'd end up in the higher astral planes, no??

[Frisky]

Originally Posted by ZephyrusX

I am an atheist as well.

Usually when I hear people talking about vibrations, they are talking about states of being sort of akin to Steve's explanation on levels of consciousness. I don't think it is fair to assume that atheists are any less able to achieve higher levels of being, such as understanding and unconditional love.

What do you mean by anti-spiritual life?

I just doint see how you can be spiritual, and at the same time conclude the universe was created without some type of God.

But hey, thats just me. Maybe I'm wrong

[Indiana]

Originally Posted by Frisky

The only 2 atheists I ever listened to extensively are Dawkins and Hitchens. And yeah, they dont get much more condescending then those 2

Also, you're atheist? Why would you frequent a spiritual forum??
I'm not trying to be a jerk, I'm really curious

That's true about Dawkins and Hitchens, but there are also plenty of mouthy spiritual people who are negative and condescending towards those who don't share their beliefs, so I find it best not to judge the value of a belief system on its fundamentalists :-)

I don't really hang out in the spiritual section of this forum but your post was on the main page, so I clicked on it because I saw the word atheist.

Like Zeph, I don't think atheism is incompatible with high consciousness. I believe in acceptance, tolerance, moving towards oneness (in the sense of seeing the beauty and truth in all people), and I believe in karma in the sense of 'you reap what you sow'. But these are quite practical matters for me; they don't necessarily involve any kind of universal driving force - they just seem to be a more effective and integrated way of living.

I have, from time to time, seen people who are really into the spiritual side of PD, New Age beliefs, etc, refer to people who don't believe in, say, oneness or astral planes etc, in quite condescending ways. One that seems to be a favourite is 'Muggles'

To me, the highest point of consciousness would seem to be when you truly understand that you are one with everyone - that nobody is better or worse than you, and that judgment is pointless (or a reflection of self-judgment). So I don't think 'higher states of being' are necessarily reserved for those who believe in a spiritual realm.

[supertom]

Originally Posted by Frisky

What happens to Atheists when they die?? Do they go to their own little astral section of the astral planes where all the other atheists hang out??

Is there any bad karma they will have to deal with for living an anti-spiritual life??
Or do they just go to whatever astral plane their vibration matches??

I find most atheists to be rather negative and condescending people, so I somehow doubt they'd end up in the higher astral planes, no??

They will find something else to be wrong about. Perhaps they really will cease to exist, life is about your choices and beliefs after all. I don't think we have really have the tools to lessen the mystery or clear the darkness, I think I prefer to acknowledge the unknown as the unknown.

[desertrat]

I believe that is a place on the astral , even for atheists , and reincarnation also . desert rat

[ZephyrusX]

So if we just take the premise that there is life after death for the sake of conversation, we can probably safely assume that all of us are going to find something else to be wrong about.

Originally Posted by supertom

They will find something else to be wrong about. Perhaps they really will cease to exist, life is about your choices and beliefs after all. I don't think we have really have the tools to lessen the mystery or clear the darkness, I think I prefer to acknowledge the unknown as the unknown.

[rubixmon]

Is there a place for us Atheists out there on the astral plane? Well first prove to me there is one.


I couldn't resist.

[ChrisGinsburg]

They usually get put in a coffin and buried or cremated and put in an urn.

[supertom]

Originally Posted by ZephyrusX

So if we just take the premise that there is life after death for the sake of conversation, we can probably safely assume that all of us are going to find something else to be wrong about.

[ChrisGinsburg]

Originally Posted by supertom

Are you really homeless supertom?

[Bonadea]

Same as the rest of us.

[ZephyrusX]

Originally Posted by Frisky

I just doint see how you can be spiritual, and at the same time conclude the universe was created without some type of God.

But hey, thats just me. Maybe I'm wrong

Secular spirituality - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I like this explanation.

To add to it, I am an atheist, but I'd like to point out that much of what we experience in life as human beings transcends the material world irrespective of whether you believe in a divine God or other planes of reality. I can show up to my cousin's wedding (the material reality), but that material state does not inform me what state of being I will observe (anger, spite, joy, love) or how I will relate to my enviornment (detached, connected). These are issues of spirituality, for me.

I don't think it is possible for someone to live an anti-spiritual life. Anger is a state of being as well, and if you want to strictly define spirituality as the pursuit of 'higher' states of being, I don't think you can neatly separate human qualitites and emotions as if they are mutually exclusive. They are not. My experiences with anger, powerlessness and despair, for example, enables me to be more forgiving and empathetic.

Creating a divide between the spiritual and anti-spiritual just seems like another false dichotomy that people set up for their own self-interest (i.e pride, arrogance). For me, spirituality is an essential aspect of being human, so to say that some people are not spiritual seems dehumanizing to me.

The only way I can see justifying calling some people anti-spiritual is if you strictly define spirituality to matters relating beyond this state of reality, but then, that would seem rather disingenous because much of what people are concerned about when speaking about spirituality actually pertains to states of being (or consciousness) and the meaning of existence.

Secular spirituality emphasizes humanistic qualities such as love, compassion, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, contentment, responsibility, harmony, and a concern for others[2]:22, aspects of life and human experience which go beyond a purely materialist view of the world, without necessarily accepting belief in a supernatural reality or divine being. Spiritual practices such as mindfulness and meditation can be experienced as beneficial or even necessary for human fulfillment without any supernatural interpretation or explanation. Spirituality in this context may be a matter of nurturing thoughts, emotions, words and actions that are in harmony with a belief that everything in the universe is mutually dependent; this stance has much in common with some versions of Buddhist spirituality. A modern secular definition: "Spirituality exists wherever we struggle with the issues of how our lives fit into the greater scheme of things. This is true when our questions never give way to specific answers or give rise to specific practices such as prayer or meditation. we encounter spiritual issues every time we wonder where the universe comes from, why we are here, or what happens when we die. We also become spiritual when we become moved by values such as beauty, love, or creativity that seem to reveal a meaning or power beyond our visible world. An idea or practice is "spiritual" when it reveals our personal desire to establish a felt-relationship with the deepest meanings or powers governing life." - Robert C. Fuller

Ha! Now that I got that off my chest, I'll stop derailing your thread.

[Indiana]

Oh. I guess Hitchens just found out what happens, if anything.

In spite of (or perhaps because of) his bloody-mindedness, he certainly made a very valuable contribution to political discourse, and challenged people to use their brains.

[RonSouther]

I'm an agnostic pagan....

[supertom]

Originally Posted by Frisky

I just doint see how you can be spiritual, and at the same time conclude the universe was created without some type of God.

But hey, thats just me. Maybe I'm wrong

It goes something like...
“Isn’t it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too.” - Douglas Adams

more about the magic, logic and beauty of the universe and the laws that allow them to function. In saying that the word spirituality has become very vague.

[redemption]

They become part of the earth. Natural life takes over.

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by ChrisGinsburg

They usually get put in a coffin and buried or cremated and put in an urn.

I agree with that. Though occasionally the get buried at sea, and I hear that green burials, where the body is put directly into the earth to decay, are on the increase, undoubtedly for atheists as well as true believers (in whatever).

[cheesedip1]

I think when you die, your beliefs create reality, at some level, so if you are atheist, you will find nothing until eventually you get bored of it and kind up wake up to the real reality around you...

I heard some people who don't believe in an afterlife get put in a sleep state for awhile until they eventually wake up. Other beings will usually try to help with these type of things, but I they can't override free will.

[cheesedip1]

Originally Posted by Frisky

I find most atheists to be rather negative and condescending people, so I somehow doubt they'd end up in the higher astral planes, no??

Where you go depends on what type of person you are.

If you're really heartless, then you might go to a hellish realm.

If you embody heaven-like qualities, you go to one of the levels of heaven.


---Everything goes where it's vibration will match. (Heavenly person-go to heaven etc.)


------For these type of "where will i go in the afterlife?" questions, a term like "atheist" is too vague. What matters is what type of person you are; what your vibration is like, etc.

[cheesedip1]

Originally Posted by Frisky

I just doint see how you can be spiritual, and at the same time conclude the universe was created without some type of God.

Hmm...maybe people who don't believe in a type of God believe in stuff such as "values" (integrity, compassion, etc.) and a "greater good". Although the term "God" can mean many things to different people.

[Frisky]

Originally Posted by Indiana

That's true about Dawkins and Hitchens, but there are also plenty of mouthy spiritual people who are negative and condescending towards those who don't share their beliefs, so I find it best not to judge the value of a belief system on its fundamentalists :-)

Thats very true. Not so much spiritualists, but it's definitely dogmatic religious people who are arrogant and condescending

Originally Posted by Indiana

Like Zeph, I don't think atheism is incompatible with high consciousness. I believe in acceptance, tolerance, moving towards oneness (in the sense of seeing the beauty and truth in all people), and I believe in karma in the sense of 'you reap what you sow'. But these are quite practical matters for me; they don't necessarily involve any kind of universal driving force - they just seem to be a more effective and integrated way of living

I totally agree with that, especially the karma part. But thats not really what we're discussing though, atheists believe there is no deity of any kind, I say there has to be one because how else was the complexity of human life created??

Originally Posted by Indiana

I have, from time to time, seen people who are really into the spiritual side of PD, New Age beliefs, etc, refer to people who don't believe in, say, oneness or astral planes etc, in quite condescending ways. One that seems to be a favourite is 'Muggles'

To me, the highest point of consciousness would seem to be when you truly understand that you are one with everyone - that nobody is better or worse than you, and that judgment is pointless (or a reflection of self-judgment). So I don't think 'higher states of being' are necessarily reserved for those who believe in a spiritual realm

And agreed again on the last part. Maybe I am being too judgemental re: atheists.

And sorry to say, Hitchens died today. While I didnt particularly like the man, I dont wish cancer on anyone

[beautyscientist]

Well since Christopher Hitchens has been mentioned, I guess he knows now. He was a great man with great passion and commitment. This world is poorer for him no longer being in it. It would be great to think that he was up there somewhere and aware of all the tributes that are being paid to him. But he has achieved a sort of immortality. His works live on to inspire us all.

[Frisky]

Here's a really good piece on atheists and NDE's. Click on some of the links to read atheists personal NDE accounts:

Atheist near-death experiences

Many religious people make the mistake of assuming that atheism is a one-way ticket to hell. The fact is that God cares very little about a person's religion or non-religion as revealed by some of the NDE accounts profiled on this website. The only thing that really matters is the spiritual condition of the heart.

My experience has been that when an atheist tells me they don't believe in God, they really mean they don't believe in the Christian God or any God from any religion. From the NDE perspective, I can agree with this. Many atheists reject a spirit world for one reason or another and they generally do so because they have a strict scientific perspective of reality.

Many scientific atheists devote their entire life studying the laws of nature and, to them, this may be their form of divine devotion whether they know it or not. In fact, because of this, I submit to you that a large percentage of such scientists are closer to spirituality than many religionists

[BillyTheAdult]

Originally Posted by rubixmon

Is there a place for us Atheists out there on the astral plane? Well first prove to me there is one.

Originally Posted by ChrisGinsburg

They usually get put in a coffin and buried or cremated and put in an urn.

Yes just like everyone else.

Originally Posted by Indiana

Oh. I guess Hitchens just found out what happens, if anything.

That was strangely timely to this thread wasn't it.

Originally Posted by Frisky

Also, you're atheist? Why would you frequent a spiritual forum??
I'm not trying to be a jerk, I'm really curious

I guess I'm "technically" agnostic, because I could go with the argument that the greater field of consciousness is god, who am I to say (although I tend not to make that argument myself, in general I prefer not to even think about it) I'm really primarily atheist. Buddhism is really an atheist religion. Spirituality is a big part of my life and I spend a decent amount of my forum time in the spirituality section. There is no disconnect to me between spirituality and atheism. In fact there is more of a disconnect to me between religiousness and spirituality because it seems that people with religiousity tend not to question or think about their beliefs nearly as much and are more likely to just agree with whatever they are told.

I just want to clarify about the field of consciousness thing. I don't like to say it's god because I find most people have an image of god in their head, and when they say consciousness is god, what they really mean is that consciousness is that image and they are not actually thinking about it or representing it in the terms of consciousness being the allness and oneness of everything that is. If god exists where is it?

[desertrat]

Originally Posted by ButterflyWoman

I agree with that. Though occasionally the get buried at sea, and I hear that green burials, where the body is put directly into the earth to decay, are on the increase, undoubtedly for atheists as well as true believers (in whatever).

There is this weird thing some do . When dead you are left on a mountain top and eaten by eagles , and some other critters . That is the body , the sprit is in a new body (baby) or on some leval of the astral plane . desert rat

[Indiana]

Originally Posted by Frisky

I totally agree with that, especially the karma part. But thats not really what we're discussing though, atheists believe there is no deity of any kind, I say there has to be one because how else was the complexity of human life created??

Evolution seems like a pretty solid theory to most atheists...

[Frisky]

Originally Posted by Indiana

Evolution seems like a pretty solid theory to most atheists...

Evolution seems like a very good theory to some creationists also (including myself).

But some higher power had to construct the design of it all. Starting from an amoeba all the way up to humans. Put it this way, every software program had to have a designer. Why should evolution be any different??!