If there is no life after death, then what difference does it make?

I'll make this short because it was something I was just thinking about. As humans beings, if we have nothing to look forward to after we die then what's the point of following the rules? I mean, if we will not be judged by our actions while living then who cares if someone rapes and kills children, or someone who steals and murders for their own pleasure. If there is nothing to look forward to then why would I care what's morally wrong or right? If there are no punishments for such actions then why do people complain when these things happen?

If there is no life after death and no punishment then wouldn't be fair to say that we can do whatever we want? After all, the thought nowadays, is live your life, do as you as you please and don't let others judge your actions. If this is true then why are people complaining about all of the evil in the world? Who cares? If there is no punishment when you die then what difference does it make?

Example, if I had a gun pointed at a child's head, what can one really say to convince me that I shouldn't pull the trigger, other than the treat of prison?

Just a thought.

Because then someone kills you, and if there is no life after death, your existence is over.
And why use a child as an example? I would be much more concerned if you were targeting an adult.
In any case, what reason IS there to shoot someone for no reason? Is the fact there is no punishment reason enough? I don't think so.

I believe it's that although many believe there is no afterlife, the verification of that belief will not be until about 1 second after our last breath.

In other words, we can not know for sure. We can only believe either it exists or it doesn't so why not try and live a decent life, just in case?

And whether it's true or not, we still have to look at ourselves in the mirror everyday while we are here. Life after death is one thing, right and wrong is another.

Perhaps this reason is behind the advent of some religions, to keep our behavior in check, by promoting hope of something better and/or punishment for anything bad. Just speculating here, not promoting religion.
I believe if there were an announcement of definitive proof there is no afterlife, hedonism might just explode, and the law of the jungle would take over, kill or be killed.
While I do not personally aubscribe to any particular religion, I do like to think there is something else after we die(transform).

I think most people just want to be left alone. They want to enjoy what they have and live their lives in peace. The threat of punishment doesn't prevent anyone from committing a crime if that's what they really want to do. You can easily see that fear of an afterlife doesn't deter the truly psychotic, just turn on the news.

You're stuck in this life and only getting out of it one way. Why indulge in behavior that makes your end come even sooner? Why purposely destroy those things which make this life enjoyable?

Live and let live is the mantra every sane person should follow. Threat of punishment or promise of reward shouldn't even factor into it.

Originally posted by DigitalControl

In any case, what reason IS there to shoot someone for no reason?

Sorry, but.... just had to point to it!!!! :-)

reply to post by RealTruthSeeker


Your words are just standard satanism rearing its ugly head in the world: "anything goes", "everything is permitted", "there are no rules", "morality is unnecessary", trying to tempt people into satanism, making them think the only important things in life are power, money and every type of sexual depravity.

reply to post by Tib50


Just bout yeah. Anything that #s on god is good really.
HAIL SATAN, MY RED HORNED MASTER!

reply to post by RealTruthSeeker




"Everything is lawful."

Ivan Karamazov, as quoted by his creator Fyodor Dostoevsky


...


Primal answer : because if your best loved one was under the gun, you probably would not ask such questions.

Long answer (conceptually speaking) : because Mankind constitutes the most complex being of the known world as culture proves this, and if every one had ever acted without any moral sense, then probably Mankind would have long ago wiped itself out.

Short answer (philosphically and literarily) : Cf. Immanuel Kant and... Fyodor Dostoevsky. - Albert Camus could give some good insights as well.

Oh, Christ. This is going to make the rest of us heathens look morally deprived...

Think of it this way: we are the most powerful beings in all of existence as far as we know. Just the fact that we inherited an ecosystem that allows us to be sustained is reason enough to keep taking good care of it (and the human race). We can cause a virtually infinite amount of "good" in the universe if we continue to evolve and are careful not to rape the natural world in the process. We can't be sustained for very long if everyone just decided to do what they want. If we go extinct, it would be like an entire race of gods disappeared and left a universe of unlimited potential behind- never to be cashed.

Because you'd be spending the only life that you actually have rotting in prison. Yeah, sounds like a super way to live out the one chance that you get.

Why does there need to be a life after this one to have morals while alive?
I don't know much about atheism, whether they believe in heaven or an afterlife without, but I'm sure all atheists don't go around raping and murdering,
We are human beings with feelings. We love, hate, mourn, laugh, cry, scream and every other noun, verb or adjective that conveys or describes emotion.
We have rules because everyone deserves a peace of mind while we are still intact with our feelings and each other.

Originally posted by Tib50
reply to post by RealTruthSeeker

 

Your words are just standard satanism rearing its ugly head in the world: "anything goes", "everything is permitted", "there are no rules", "morality is unnecessary", trying to tempt people into satanism, making them think the only important things in life are power, money and every type of sexual depravity.

I disagree with that, I don't think for a minute that everyone has not asked themselves that question in one point of their lives. I do disagree also that it is an excuse for anything goes,[sic] that would be patently obvious.
However, that does not necessarily mean that Satan abounds, as it is also patently obvious that a religious non Satan aspect does not guarantee avoidance in an end result of anything you already mentioned.

That alone does not make a belief in anything an anachronism, but merely that you do in your life, as much that is 'good' in our human perspective as possible.

What comes around, goes around, so why anything else?

Whos cares what might be.

We are here now. Why would you want to encourage or do hurtful things.

And honestly if you are feeling the way you say, you need to be smacked upside your head HARD.

I would say that surely the question is not why shouldn't you, but why would you? People have already touched on this but the bottom line is that the majority of people have a morale compass and wether that is derived from faith in a religion or 'conditioning' is irrelevant. I don't beleive you would want to do the things you have suggested, because you would not be asking the question but out there doing said things; unfortunately in this world there are plenty of people who do.

I would also argue that by your rationale, if there is no afterlife, it should be MORE important to you do things with your life that make you happy, that please the people you care about and benefit those around you. That way you leave a positive mark on this world and not a negative one.

reply to post by jonibelle

Why does there need to be a life after this one to have morals while alive?

That is a very good point! I used to think human kind left alone without order would fall into chaos and madness. But then I realized this may not be the case and I guess I have found a little more faith in my brothers and sisters to think otherwise now.
Maybe many of us are/were too saturated with movies/news and selective history to put trust in humanity, or maybe there really are more bad people than good, or an event of disruption would bring out more bad behavior than good, I really don't know. But my feeling is that people would be okay and take personal responsibility, addressing injustices on smaller local levels.

spec

Originally posted by RealTruthSeeker
I'll make this short because it was something I was just thinking about. As humans beings, if we have nothing to look forward to after we die then what's the point of following the rules? I mean, if we will not be judged by our actions while living then who cares if someone rapes and kills children, or someone who steals and murders for their own pleasure. If there is nothing to look forward to then why would I care what's morally wrong or right? If there are no punishments for such actions then why do people complain when these things happen?

If there is no life after death and no punishment then wouldn't be fair to say that we can do whatever we want? After all, the thought nowadays, is live your life, do as you as you please and don't let others judge your actions. If this is true then why are people complaining about all of the evil in the world? Who cares? If there is no punishment when you die then what difference does it make?

Example, if I had a gun pointed at a child's head, what can one really say to convince me that I shouldn't pull the trigger, other than the treat of prison?

Just a thought.

Because we still have a society and a community to uphold. People still enjoy peace and harmony in this life, regardless of what awaits us in the afterlife. Even if there is nothing to come, why not enjoy our time here?

You say what's to stop you from killing a child? Nothing. Many killers have done it and most of them have been caught and punished. Your choice.

The law in this country has nothing to do with religion or the afterlife, it is the law of the land while you are alive. Obey it if you choose.

Khar

reply to post by RealTruthSeeker


The threat of "Hell" and needing to be redeemed from "original sin" is laughable, and just a tool by which uneducated people were kept in thrall by the Popes.

Those who say Jesus died for our sins are idiots, and they fail to recognize the flaws in a God concept wherein God behaves like a jealous 5 year old - worship me or suffer eternal torment.

As for pulling the trigger on a kid, I'd not wait for divine retribution. I'd bring hell to that perp up close and personal, and immediately, no God needed.

I think the idea that there is no life after death alone is reason to try to make the best of the one unique thing we have.. when the clock runs out the game is over and there's no second attempt.. so enjoy it.

I seriously doubt that enjoying it would mean senselessly killing someone which would in turn either get YOU killed, or land you in prison to live out your existence as the boyfriend of a much larger guy.

i'm sorry if i'm restating things here but if our world was living for the moment then where would we be now