As an atheist, how do you cope with the thought of death?

[strongbad]

I've never really been religious, and have considered myself agnostic for the last few years of my life, but after some solid critical thinking, I would definitely consider myself an atheist. I've also put some serious thought into the concept of death and nothingness, and the idea that our lives are just a small part of existence's timeline. And for a while I felt really fucking insignificant and unimportant. I've thought about it more, and decided that as long as I can live a happy life, my life will be worth living, but that still doesn't shake the feeling that once you die, everything is over.

How do you cope with this?

[Thyme]

"It sucks, but hey, what can you do" is pretty much my general attitude towards it.

[Nyerp]

i have no reason to think about it

[Andria]

For me there isn't much to cope with. It is just something that will happen eventually. The fact that is an end and there is nothing after doesn't bother me.

And for the record I think it is perfectly ok to feel extremely insignificant and unimportant in the larger scheme of things. Most people aren't going to do anything with their life and even the one's who do are insignificant on a cosmic scale.

[Travis]

it's like it was before you were born

[Selkie]

I like to frequently ponder all the different possibilities.

Even though I am pretty much an atheist, I still sometimes wonder if maybe my life will be repeated sometime, or if I will ever become a different consciousness in a different universe, or any crazy idea really.

It's better than being bound to one belief, or none at all.

[Socks]

This question is killing me.

[Hiro]

it's like it was before you were born

[Dullahan]

This question is killing me.

[Socks]

I say that because it is a little contradictory. In any case, I have resigned myself to death, physically, and this is the only sane thing to do. I cannot will myself to live forever. I do not think much about it, in the after sense, I have settled and moved past that. I only think about my legacy. And the ones and things I leave behind. That is the thought that keeps from killing me. Therefore I want to live, I want to make and give, I want to cultivate, and pass on.

Sure there are concepts and ideas that embody and represent everything that begins and ends. But it has no conscience. We fit into it, and create it symbolically. In the end it is a messy state, and nothing has an order or purpose after that.  It's best just to lay low and sleep alone.

If I die and I am unhappy, it's because I am greedy and wanted more. And that's not a bad way to die.

[just1more]

I completely ignore the thought of death. If it happens, it happens. Can't do anything about it after you've DIED. I just need to avoid it.

[Dullahan]

It's killing me because it's just not worth talking about. The fact that it interferes with our relationships between other human beings is what sickens me. People think one thing happens when you die, others think something else happens. They believe it. Stop giving a shit.

[snoorkel]

It's not something to avoid or fear, I view it simply as another birth.

[piano moths]

I'm energy always

[snoorkel]

I'm energy always