Epicureans and Atheism
As I was reading through the Epicurean
beliefs, I came across Epicurus and Lucretius’ ideas, particularly ones on
death and sadness. It reminded me of the Atheist way of thinking, and how they
are both logical ways of thinking. Epicureans believe that death is just a lack
of consciousness, a cycle of nature, and that it happens to everyone. To them,
death should not be feared because it is like sleep- you cannot feel pain, or
feel sad about missing out on life. They also believe death is good because it
is important to make room for others so they can enjoy life too- similar to a
banquet. To these people, death is nothing, it is not a bad thing for the
person who dies, and the best thing to do is just not worry about it. Atheists
look at death from a logical standpoint as well, and they believe that there is
nothing after death. They are both Atomists, and believe that there is no
afterlife, since death is just the dissolution of atoms, which humans are made
of.
Epicureans also believe that you
should avoid all unnecessary stress and anxiety. They think that it is bad to
take on extra stress for the things that do not matter. Atheists believe this
as well, and they do not agree with religions that say you should worry about
unimportant things in life. These things include rules like chastity, going to
church every Sunday, and getting into Heaven.
This is a great comparison! However, not every religious group who believes in an afterlife falls into this category, which you discuss in your final paragraph. Certain religions believe that we are saved through predestination and forgiveness of our sins. They do not believe that you have to do work to reach heaven, and certainly do not fear going to a place that is much better than this Earth we live on. I do not believe that people who are a part of a religion that has an afterlife stress about death or what they do/have/need on this Earth. Religious people know that there is nothing to fear after their time here is up, because they are saved by grace. If anything, people who do not know what they believe in a world telling them so many things, whether that be atheism, atomism, catholicism, or christianity, are the ones who most likely fear death, because they do not know what comes next in their mind.
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