Never heard that from anyone. All I ever get asked is why don't I believe, and my thoughts on religion. Those people seem dramatic as hell. Lol

That doesn't even make sense.

If there isn't a God or Heaven this life is all you have, so why would you want to end it?
If there is a God and Heaven and Heaven is so much better than Earth, it makes perfect sense to kill yourself and start enjoying life in Heaven.

Give them that argument and let us know what reaction you get.

I have a perfect retort to that. If I were asked why don't I kill myself if there is no God I would inform them it's NOT me who should want to end my life for not believing. The question really is if you do believe why do you do anything that might extend your life. If your sick, do everything in your power to get sicker, for crap sake Heaven awaits you. It is curious why theists fear death, if they truely believe and they claim absolute certainty because of this relationship with God they should not fear death in any way. They should be the heros that charge straight into enemy lines without a worry in the world of being shot.

I find it interesting that religions created a convenient antidote to the "hurry yourself to magnificent heaven because it's so much better than your life" thing: they all made suicide a sin which would keep you out of heaven.

Never encountered that. But I have gotten the "you're going to go to Hell" reaction.

I have never had this said to me, but I think your response should be, "If you believe in Heaven and it's supposed to be so wonderful, why don't you hasten your arrival there?"

Here's a good way to put it: "since there is no afterlife, this life is the only thing we have and ever will, doesn't that make it that much more precious?"

I don't get that so much as "Why don't you just kill and rape anyone you want" or that kind of thing. It's always them trying to prove that there "must" be an absolute right and wrong.

That's Ken Ham's old line. People get this idea in their head that you can't be good unless you have a Creator to be accountable to. It's rather pathetic, and evidence of a psychological deficiency. I don't want to be around anyone who thinks they'd kill or do other sick shit if it wasn't for God.

People are weird about anything that contradicts what they were brought up with. Most of them are knee-jerk responders that haven't really thought about religion or life or the universe or science. They are ignorant and comfortable there. Sucked for me to give up Santa. I dug that white-haired old guy. But I got over it. Once you get over God you are okay with your own beliefs-which are in a state of constant evolution everything is better. I am a vegetarian and people have a hard time with that too. Used to irritate me when they would scrutinize it. Now I no longer care what they think. I generally don't discuss religion with folks because I have been watching the religious folks my whole life and I don't need to ask them why they believe for my own understanding. If they haven't asked themselves why they believe then I have to assume they are afraid to question their deity or their parent's deity. Share with those that you either know are like-minded or those that you don't mind engaging in a shouting match. Your beliefs and ideas about gods and death and morality are for you to own. Be at peace with yourself. The idea of killing oneself because there is no god is just silly. Happily, I have never come up against that.

Tons

my reply: This is my heaven!

Never gotten that one before, but I've heard religious people make similar comments like "Why be good?", or "Why not murder everybody?". It's disturbing on so many levels .-.

If anyone should be rushing to the door of so called heaven, it would be your theists. No I personally haven't had that said to me but who says something like that.. other than your bible thumpers..

I have never had anyone say that to me but I had to laugh when I read your question. I have wondered the very same thing about believers. If they believe in the rapture and that heaven is the ultimate goal, then why not just rush to get there so they can be with their god and live in bliss for the rest of their lives?

As an atheist, this IS my only life and I feel compelled to make the most of of it because it's all I have. I endeavor to be the best person I can be because I'm only going to get this one life and I want to be remembered by my loved ones as a loving human being and a role model for my descendants.

The question I get asked the most is if I don't believe in god and the ten commandments, from where to I get my morality? Why not just go out and rob and steal and kill people? I have answers for that question.

because theres still things to enjoy while were alive?

We want to enjoy food, sex, art, music, nature and loving each other. They should kill themselves and go meet their maker.

Unitarian Universalist is a group that will welcome you. I sit next too an atheist every Sunday morning. Pat Hoppr

Oh ny! I think a fuck you and walk away is in order here. Seems odd to me because the Christians believe that they are going to an amazing Paradise after their deaths. So I would ask why all of them are not praying for some terminal cancer or disease for themselves and their children to get there faster.

Goodness. No, never, but then, I don't identify as atheist. Nor have anything much to do with extremist believers. But I had some newly born-again tell me, that my ex partner was now in hell, because he had taken his own life. I asked: And how do you know that? Did God write you a letter about it? That shut him up for half a minute. He also told a Christian friend , where he was receiving a christmas dinner he had not really been invited to, well he told her she prayed all wrong. Thankfully, she could just laugh at him, asserting she'd been in the praying business a bit longer than he had, and that she was very comfortable with her way.

Waaaait, what? They are asking why don't YOU kill yourself, or are they saying "why don't I just kill myself?" Either way that's crazy talk. No, I've never gotten that response. I usually just get either a fearful stare as if they were expecting my head to start spinning, or they say they don't believe me.

I don't get that one very much but why not suggest they do the same in order to get to their heaven. Also with the belief that this is the only life we get, we are more likely to cherish it more than those who look forward to ending up in everlasting bliss.

I never get that, but my aunt gave me a HUGE guilt trip about how we will not be together in heaven when we die. I was like, um, ok...

I have never been asked that.
If someone did I would say "Never, having way too much fun ".
Another not so nice answer would be " I can hardly wait for all the nice stuff left behind for me to use when you guys get raptured out.
You can be good without god.