Problems with being an Atheist (or Evolutionist)

Interesting topic, thanks Stile.My only real problem in my (newly affirmed) strong atheism is that there is no room for an afterlife. When you're dead, that's it, the end. There is a tiny part of me that still wants to entertain some notion of continued existence, but that tiny part is outweighed by my overwhelming feeling (and the overwhelming evidence) that death is the end.The only consolation I find for this feeling is the realisation that I am priveleged to exist for the time that I do.I'm thrilled when writers talk about the extremely low odds of being here at all. This concept can be thought about in deep terms, such as the fact that we would certainly none of us be here now if not for various environmental conditions being just right throughout the history of the universe.But in more immediate terms, the fact that my mother gave birth to me after having miscarried on her previous attempt has always given me pause to consider how close I was to never existing.My British daughter, as another example, exists solely because of a chance encounter in a Yahoo chatroom with her mother, which developed over time and culminated in my migration to the UK and the conception of our child. Stacey (my daughter) very nearly never existed at all.If, in just two generations (mine and my child's), our line had two "near-misses" in terms of non-existence, it stands to reason that there were many similar events in the lives of our ancestors that played out in such a "fortuitous" way as to allow me to be here typing this now. In the face of my realisation that "the end is nigh" (I'll put it off for a little while longer I hope), I can take solace in having had the chance to inhabit this world, albeit for only a fraction of a second in geological terms.Edited by Briterican, : No reason given.

All life is ultimately connected. It's called macroevolution. You can't equate the morality of a frog and a human, sorry.

I'd have to disagree, whilst simultaneously thanking you for your reply.Firstly I don't really fear death as such, or fear that it is the end. I am simply convinced that it is the end. No amount of "second law of thermodynamics" arguments has persuaded me that my counsciousness will continue to exist in ANY shape or form after my death (apart from memories in others minds and in things I might create and leave behind such as art or literature, neither of which constitutes a continued existence for me).The act of taking an irrational viewpoint so long as I acknowledge I am doing so is a sort of intellectual dishonesty.In other words, it's a nice thought, but it doesn't work for me. This made me smile hehe. I wish more people acknowledged that they just "don't know". There are exceptions to this rule who purportedly do have access to parts of this unattainable knowledge, Psychics, Prophets, etc

I can relate to this. I am absolutely gutted when I realise that there is no way I will get to know what things are like in 1,000 years. Likewise, there is no direct way to glimpse the distant past. Having said that, we live in interesting times where, within a single generation there are enormous advances in understanding. I'm glad my consciousness has arrived now rather than back when i'd have spent my time as a hunter-gatherer. Precisely. Most sorts of "afterlife" don't sound like something I would want anyway (especially that icky hell place).

Now we're talking. I'll sign up for that. Unfortunately I don't think it will be available within my lifetime and if it was I probably couldn't afford it.

You make some good points here. If by "fear" you mean dread at the notion of ceasing to exist at a time not of my choosing, then perhaps there is some fear there.I suppose this isn't really as much of a "problem" for me, but more of a sense of disappointment. As I get older I begin to feel like I have wasted a lot of my time, and I start feeling like I'd better utilise whatever remaining time I have better. This (imho)is a good result of my belief system, in that by considering this life to be the only one, I'm determined to make the best of it.Perhaps you've helped me narrow down my primary concern - the fact that the cessation of my tenure on this planet will almost certainly come at a time not of my choosing. That does give me a feeling of fear. I worry that I'll go out at a time when I have some unfinished business, and that my last conscious thoughts might include "shit - I forgot to turn off the stove" (that part is a joke, but you get the idea).Edited by Briterican, : No reason given.