I have heard a comment from a usenet Discussion group where a deist asked about how atheist react to death and how do they mourn their lost loved one's if they don't believe in a deity. Here I am going to explain how I deal with death (or near death), how I deal with loved one's that are lost and gone. Keep in mind that even though I am an atheist, I am only speaking for myself. I am not speaking for others because everyone is an individual on this planet and have their own way of doing things.
Also, about other deaths that involve people trying to kill themselves, like suicide, illegal drug usage, smoking (yes I do feel that smokers are trying to kill themselves when smoking, don't ask me why), etc. I have some thing to say about this, it is your life (I don't care about age, gender, disability, religion (of course), nationality, etc). If you want to end you life though those methods, then that is fine with me, but why? Why is death more important than living first? Of course some people don't realize that they are killing themselves through methods like illegal drug usage and smoking, but still. Again, I am not going to stop anyone from commiting suicide if they wish, because everyone have a right to their life, including ending it.
Yes I do enjoy life on this planet very much, but again, things must come and go. If I was asked this question about death in the next 20 years when I'm like 40 or so and learned and experienced many things, then I would have a different answer.
I have no belief that an afterlife exist (besides that fact that there is no substantial proof that it does exist) because it defeats the whole purpose of death. The word "death" means that your life have ended. If there is an life after death, then death cannot exist. It doesn't make any sense to me. Life and death cannot occur at the same time. On a personal note. Regardless whether there is an afterlife of not, I still would not care. The only plain of existence that I know of is this existence here on this planet earth. Since I only exist here, then I am only worried about my life here, not some sort of afterlife after we die. Since I was born right here on this planet, and since this is that only existence that I know of, I am only worrying about this existence and trying to preserve life on this planet the best that I can. If most religious people honestly think that there is sort life after death that is much better than life right here on this planet, then why don't they just kill themselves right now and go there (and while there at it, send us a postcard to let us know)?! OH! That's right! I forgot, according to there religious scriptures, there dieties want them to meet certain criteria in order for them to get to their afterlife they believe exist. But why would an omnipotent being like a god would have christians meet certain criteria like worshipping it for instance in order to go to heaven when it should know for a fact whether it's followers is trustworthy or not, especially being omnipotent and all.
Of course that is the problem right there. Why would a omnipotent being put it's followers or creation through such ridiculous stuff just so they can get into heaven? Why not just create those it can trust and put them in heaven in the first place and those that it can't trust into hell with Lucifer? Why create beings and put them here on earth, just to test them to see if they are worthy to go to heaven when it can just create them to be good in the first place? This god doesn't sound very intelligent at all to me.
