Are atheists afraid of hell / punishment for the wicked after death?

[WinnieTheJew]

I'm not concerned about what happens after death. If I cease to exist I'm okay with that. If I get boiled in hellfire forever there's at least some comfort I can take in the certainty of my situation. It's not hard to argue that this world is worse than hell. The only thing I fear is being reincarnated as a horrorcow's pet.

 

[Grand Omega]

The only hell I can entertain the remote possibility of existing would be the hypothetical "Bad Egg" scenario. A less idealistic and far more meaningless version of the "Egg" that might exist within a cyclic universe - bonus points for consciousness being intrinsic to it.

An infinite cycle of lifetimes or experiences that aren't just limited to just humanity, but virtually anything.. We wouldn't accumulate memories of past lives and being, just like how we can't count up to infinity. The only constant would be the endless permutations of consciousness manifesting within life, and states beyond our current comprehension. The best hope would be that suffering wouldn't be universal in the way intrinsic consciousness would be.

 

[builtforcwc]

I imagine Atheists are more afraid of the consequences of their actions in life, enforced via societal shaming and the Law.

Fear of Hell would be more likely to make someone more religious, not less.

 

[feedtheoctopus]

One reason I'm so cynical about Christianity is that I know the kind of damage it does to people's minds even after they leave it. I'm pretty much an atheist, even if I'm not going to kid myself and pretend I know the secrets of the universe (who does?). Still, there's that old fear of hell. Christianity's central tenant is that being born makes you worthy of eternal damnation. All of life is supposed to be an attempt to earn forgiveness from a god that has condemned you from the moment sperm met egg. It's a worldview totally lacking in nuance or real moral understanding. People are fundamentally sinful and debased, and none of us are worthy of god's love.

I love reading christian forums and subreddits. Do you know what makes up the majority of their content? Not bible study, people asking sincerely whether they are going to hell or not. "I jerked off for the first time in 2 years yesterday, am I still a christian?". That sort of shit. Every aspect of everyday life, from going out drinking to getting into an argument with your dad to rolling your eyes at the priests sermon about the virtues of man-boy love, all of it doesn't just make you imperfect, it makes you damned.

Devout Christians are permanent neurotics afraid of themselves, because to accept yourself is to accept eternity in the fire. That or they don't have any actual personal interest their own religion and it's all just meaningless tradition with no theological substance. Something you give lip service to but don't really consider.

This fear does not go away. It will always haunt me. Just like it probably haunts many of you.

 

[The Spice boi]

You can't be afraid of something you don't believe in.

I'm pretty confident that there isn't an afterlife. Concepts such as hell and heaven don't worry me at all

I'm more scared of not getting to experience everything I want to in the one life I get

 

[Kabuki Actor]

Devout Christians are permanent neurotics afraid of themselves, because to accept yourself is to accept eternity in the fire.

We got really into the idea that you should "accept yourself" and now we've got grooming gangs and public S&M fags running about. Modern society jumped into the Dark Side like Anakin Skywalker when it decided to cut loose and enjoy itself.

 

[feedtheoctopus]

We got really into the idea that you should "accept yourself" and now we've got grooming gangs and public S&M fags running about. Modern society jumped into the Dark Side like Anakin Skywalker when it decided to cut loose and enjoy itself.

Who gives a shit if you like getting whipped by daddy bear?

Anyway, my family's priest used to always give me candy and shit. "Oh look at you, you're such a handsome young octopus!". You can probably tell where this is going. Oh, wait, no not that. It was some other kid. With down syndrome. In the bathroom stall. In the ass.

Talk about public grooming.

 

[The Spice boi]

Counter question: If God is so big and powerful, why won't he fight me?

God's a big bitch. Need constant ass pats or he gets mad, took the form of a dude once to fight someone and lost, and had to go send his son to apologize for him, cause he knew he was gonna get stabbed.

Gods a pussy fight me

 

[JokahBaybee]

Who gives a shit if you like getting whipped by daddy bear?

Anyway, my family's priest used to always give me candy and shit. "Oh look at you, you're such a handsome young octopus!". You can probably tell where this is going. Oh, wait, no not that. It was some other kid. With down syndrome. In the bathroom stall. In the ass.

Talk about public grooming.

I feel like you're leaning too heavily into the pedo-pope thing to the point of strawmanning, but you are ABSOLUTELY on point with the permanent damnation thing. As an ex Christian, it was after I had a harrowing moment of clarity that everything that has happened and ever will happen, every thought, is simple cause and effect (though I don't believe the universe is entirely random, I like to think there's some narrative coherency and synchronicity to life), things started falling into place. Determinism alone spells doom for any concepts of divine justice or what anyone "deserves", much less on an eternal scale. Eternity has no place in any discussion of justice. Punishment with no end in sight is just meaningless suffering. Teaching a lesson means nothing if there is no opportunity to do better.