I wish I wasn't an atheist. I deeply envy people who have faith in an afterlife. [Spirituality & Religion]

It causes me a great deal of anxiety and stress when I begin to think about what happens to people I love when they die, and what will eventually happen to me too. I wish so badly I could feel safe and confident that, even though death is hard, my loved ones will be just fine, and so will I, and we'll eventually be together again, happy and secure.

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PlumBerries · 31-35, F

I don't like the idea of thinking of a afterlife. Makes the life we are living now just seem like a test to prove you are worthy. I like the thought of this being our one life and to live it the best way you can while we are here.. Also like the thought of death and there being nothing just like it was before being born

Terrance · 41-45, M

@PlumBerries Good points. I sometimes wonder what the point of learning and educating ourselves is, because when we die it's gone forever

Unless you achieve some form of recognition and are immortalised in the history books forever, of course

BlueMetalChick · 26-30, F

@PlumBerries On the one hand I feel exactly the same way, that the life we have now is of the utmost meaning specifically because it's the only one we have. But at the end of it, when it's gone, I feel like at least something, even a tiny bit, should remain.

PlumBerries · 31-35, F

I get that and agree with you but we are such a tiny tiny part of this universe and who knows how long this planet will last. I don't think anything truly remains in the end and I guess thinking that way gives me comfort and a bit more confidence in a weird way

Terrance · 41-45, M

@PlumBerries And then I think about how old the earth is and then how old the universe. Which then makes me think about how long mankind has been here and how irrelevant we all are. Even the more relevent of us are irrelevant. Which makes me ultra irrelevant.... Then I have to stop or I'll get depressed 😂

BlueMetalChick · 26-30, F

@PlumBerries You don't need to tell me that. I'm an astronomer, that's my job. And as much as I love what I study, it frustrates me too because it forcibly dissociates me with my own humanity. And so many of the questions I have about my work will remain unanswered until long after I'm dead.

PlumBerries · 31-35, F

I wasn't trying to tell you anything really just saying my thoughts. I know basically nothing about the universe except a few little things. being a astronomer I imagine is highly interesting but could also understand it dissociating with humanity in a way. Maybe some answers you are after will be answered before our time here :)

BlueMetalChick · 26-30, F

@PlumBerries I know you weren't. "You don't need to tell me that" is synonymous with like "you can say that again." It's a bad translation from my native language lol

PlumBerries · 31-35, F

oh good lol I thought I might have offended you

BlueMetalChick · 26-30, F

@PlumBerries There's a number of phrases I use that are ad hock translations from Romanian. Some are a little bit clunky lol

PlumBerries · 31-35, F

I do the same thing but im sure different phrases lol.. well I am glad I didn't say anything stupid lol