Religion

PassingFair

(22,451 posts)

70. Funny, I still remember acts of kindness and ethical counsel from my father...

Sat Jun 1, 2013, 11:24 PM

Jun 2013

and he's been dead for 15 years.

Your question is a silly one.

"Mathematically, our actions are irrelevant.

Right?"

Wrong. Actions and words can ripple across time.

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How do Atheists explain death to their children? [View all] hrmjustin May 2013 OP

You sure are curious about atheists. Warpy May 2013 #1

they live on in your memories only Skittles May 2013 #2

Just curious... Bay Boy May 2013 #3

To some extent. hrmjustin May 2013 #6

Shouldn't we prepare them for the possibility of nothingness? Bad Thoughts May 2013 #22

Isn't 'nothingness' what we live in now? PotatoChip May 2013 #24

Why does it have to "mean" something? brooklynite Jun 2013 #73

That is a good point. I don't have kids but I think I would be honest and say we just don't know. hrmjustin May 2013 #25

Why prepare them for nothingness? demwing May 2013 #26

Do you mean Emptiness by the word nothingness? BlueToTheBone May 2013 #61

I am not familiar enough with Buddhism to give an adequate response Bad Thoughts May 2013 #62

well, you're aptly named BlueToTheBone May 2013 #64

Buddhists are atheists and they believe in reincarnation BlueToTheBone May 2013 #60

We tell them imbecilic nonsense stories. Warren Stupidity May 2013 #4

I am asking an honest question! hrmjustin May 2013 #7

Is there something wrong with telling children imbecilic nonsense stories? Warren Stupidity May 2013 #10

You tell your kids the life story of George W. Bush! hrmjustin May 2013 #13

No I tell them when you die you turn into a fluffy bunny and live forever on cheese mountain. Warren Stupidity May 2013 #16

Very Amusing! hrmjustin May 2013 #17

After you die, you go to the same place as before you were born. Scuba May 2013 #5

Moms uterus? Renew Deal May 2013 #51

Stork's blanket. Scuba May 2013 #58

Do the best you can on earth LynnTTT May 2013 #8

we tell them that humans are no different than other earthly species ... Trajan May 2013 #9

I tell my kids we become worm food NoOneMan May 2013 #11

It sure can't be any more traumatic than what I was taught in Catholic school MotherPetrie May 2013 #12

Did they give you the fire and brimstone? backscatter712 May 2013 #34

I would expect they say that you just die..... Marrah_G May 2013 #14

That is a generalization.... Purplehazed May 2013 #15

Being with your family in a spiritual environment is a basic tenet of the Mormon faith. demwing May 2013 #41

People eventual die. Deep13 May 2013 #18

My children don't give a flying woof at a rolling donut about death ... DreamGypsy May 2013 #19

My mother was dying (a freethinker) and asked me where do we go when we die. no_hypocrisy May 2013 #20

Don't have any kids LostOne4Ever May 2013 #21

We live. We die. That's life. Iggo May 2013 #23

If you believe that demwing May 2013 #39

How do you mean? Iggo May 2013 #40

Well, "We live. We die. That's life. Have fun while you're here" can easily lead to demwing May 2013 #43

The question was "How do atheists explain death to their kids." Iggo May 2013 #45

I think that's completely wrong. backscatter712 May 2013 #46

All the atheists I know are very empathetic demwing May 2013 #48

It matters LostOne4Ever May 2013 #50

I agree demwing May 2013 #54

Its all about relativity LostOne4Ever May 2013 #63

Funny, I still remember acts of kindness and ethical counsel from my father... PassingFair Jun 2013 #70

15 years is a very long time demwing Jun 2013 #71

I impart the same outlook and messages to my children. nt PassingFair Jun 2013 #74

Mitt Romney is a religious man. Mariana May 2013 #66

Romney is an excellent example demwing May 2013 #67

I'm an agnostic, so I tell them the this I don't know. When they ask for more, I say... Agnosticsherbet May 2013 #27

Told them you just die. We all do. bowens43 May 2013 #28

It's a good question demwing May 2013 #38

Perhaps, it would be better to ask them what they think. Big Blue Marble May 2013 #29

I like this approach very much. cbayer May 2013 #36

I always frame this stuff in "some people believe" then "I think" and finally "what do you think?" Ed Suspicious May 2013 #53

How it was explained to me, and how I"ll explain it to my nonexistent children Heddi May 2013 #30

Lol! I loved that movie! (The Wickerman) PotatoChip May 2013 #31

Atheists don't tell children anything. Act_of_Reparation May 2013 #32

If this life is all there is demwing May 2013 #37

Why wouldn't it count? Bad Thoughts May 2013 #42

But if all there is is this life, followed by non-existense demwing May 2013 #44

The only meaning we have is what we create. backscatter712 May 2013 #47

It's an honest answer /nt demwing May 2013 #49

The honest answer describes only death Bad Thoughts May 2013 #55

Death IS what might follow demwing May 2013 #56

Codswallop Act_of_Reparation May 2013 #65

Double fucking super codswollop. TransitJohn May 2013 #68

I can think of two ways: Gore1FL May 2013 #33

Death is the normal end of life. trotsky May 2013 #35

Well, in the first place, most atheists wouldn't start out by passing off some superstitious ladjf May 2013 #52

The body wears out, or an accident or illness is the cause. Nt brush May 2013 #57

It is like sleeping without dreams is the simplest intaglio May 2013 #59

Vital functions ceased, the body is inert and won't respond ever again Socialistlemur May 2013 #69

I've explained death to them EvilAL Jun 2013 #72