Misconceptions about atheism and the afterlife

"When you die, I mean, there is supposedly a better life, right? Well, if you are an atheist and you don't believe in anything, if you die, what is there to go to? Nothing. You are worm dirt. So for their son to die for nothing, and now he is no more -- that is pretty hard to get your head around that. So I don't know how an atheist thinks. I can only imagine that that would be pretty tough."

Lt. Col. Ralph Kauzlarich made these remarks in reference to the death of Pat Tillman in Afghanistan. Let me address them in the order they occur to me:

• "Die for nothing" - I thought he died to further the causes of freedom and safety for Americans. Not so much for the Afghanis, but ... not for nothing.
• "Now he is no more" - His body and mind are gone to us, but we remember him. I never knew him, but there are many who did. (Let's ask why we remember someone ...)
  
• "Supposedly a better life" - Maybe, but there's no proof of that. It's what we call "faith."
• "Where is there to go?" - What's wrong with nowhere? Why does there have to be a better place? What's wrong with this one? It sucks, maybe, but we're here and we can make it better, can't we?
• "Worm dirt" - Everyone becomes worm dirt, eventually. The body does not continue, no matter how much you believe otherwise.
• "Don't believe in anything" - Patently false. Unless you define "anything" as belief in a god. I don't define it that way. Atheists believe in lots of things, just not the supernatural. Frankly, I don't believe in the supernatural, either.
• "I don't know how an atheist thinks" - Atheists think exactly as you do, except they don't believe in a supernatural god. They have morals, and ethics, and know the difference between right and wrong, just like everyone else. Morals don't come from a god, as far as atheists are concerned. Your mileage may vary. Why an atheist would sacrifice himself (or herself) in war or in any other thing has nothing to do with belief in an afterlife or a god, and everything to do with protecting life. That's purely humanistic, of course, and not an invalid reason for dying. Would you die to protect your child or someone you love? Absolutely.
  

My mother told me she's pretty sure there's no life after death. She thinks she died when she had her heart attack, and said death is just nothingness. Black. Nothing. They revived her, obviously, or I would not have heard what happened.

I can live with that. Heh. Death doesn't scare me any more than knowing that I wouldn't be around anymore to do interesting stuff and be with the people I love. No one wants to die, but does it matter if we live forever? Why should that motivate us more or less than knowing we can accomplish things here? Now. In this life. This life should also be important, but if we expend our energies worrying about the "great beyond," isn't that a little irresponsible? Believe in an afterlife all you want, but don't give this life short shrift.

Live in the now. Do what you can, now, with what you have. If we can do that, the afterlife will take care of itself. At least that's what my god wants.

Hat tip to Ed Brayton.