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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SW-User

As a person who does believe in an afterlife, I can safely say that you do have reasons to be doubtful. Even i've doubted the existence of an afterlife myself. What motivates me? I guess you can say.... fear. Fear of the possibility of me never seeing my mom and loved ones again and going somewhere where i'll suffer for all eternity. I am amazed at the fearlessness that so many atheists display. Is it truly fearlessness? I'm unsure.

BlueMetalChick · 26-30, F

@SW-User I call myself an atheist because I do not believe in god, but the only real difference between an atheist and a person of faith is what you pretend. Nobody knows if god exists and nobody knows if there is life after death. There are hypotheses, some better than others, but anyone who says that they KNOW, beyond doubt, it lying. And the difference between myself and a religious person is that I admit I am ignorant, while they make up stories to pretend they aren't.

I do very much hope you're right though, and there is an afterlife. I do think it's a very comforting and helpful thought.

lamps · 22-25, F

@SW-User Everybody's a little afraid of death, that's human. I don't believe in an afterlife, and I'm not fearless, but a belief in an afterlife would not comfort me personally.