I pulled this from Facebook here:

I absolutely 100% agree with this.

Based on the evidence, we do not know what happens when we die, we have no evidence-based reason to believe that we will once again be joining loved ones who have died or that there will be some sort of judgment or a literal heaven or hell.   This are all man-made stories made up to make the end-of-life less fearsome.

But why should death be fearsome?  It is nothingness, but we make it a fearsome event by stories of some deity waiting to judge us. The current tales are just evolved versions of more ancient stories created by superstitious people trying to explain the life cycle.  They had even less evidence than modern science has provided to us; they made up stuff to make themselves feel better about those who have died, promising themselves they’d see their loved ones again “on the other side”.   But there’s no reason to actually believe such a thing.

What we DO know is that when we die, the brain stops functioning.  There is no further sensory input into the brain, no more blood flowing, no oxygen reaching the brain.  All bodily functions stop including all consciousness — we will be unable to perceive ANYthing once the body stops. We have no evidence that a soul or spirit exists apart from the body; these are just made-up explanations from people with a story to tell (and sell).

The physical body begins to break down, the elements that used to make up our bodies is released back to the earth again for some other plant or animals to use those elements a while.  Our elements stay right here on earth.  There will be no resurrection of our bodies because the elements that once made our bodies are now someplace else.

Everything we know in this life, including all perceptions of the “supernatural”, all experiences of being “touched by the Holy Spirit”, and ALL the other feelings and emotions, are all entirely made up in the recesses of our own mind.  They are quite real to the person experiencing them, but their explanations or interpretations of those experiences are utter bullshit, entirely fabricated by man-made fairy tales.

Like, just for example, “speaking in tongues”.  It isn’t a “gift” given by the “Holy Spirit”.  There is no “Holy Spirit”.   Speaking in tongues is a psychological effect known as glossolalia, which the dictionary defines as:

incomprehensible speech in an imaginary language, sometimes occurring in a trance state, an episode of religious ecstasy, or schizophrenia.

Basically it is “ecstatic utterance” originating in the brain of the person who is “speaking in tongues”; just babbling in an imaginary pseudo-language.   I sometimes do it, such as when I recently touched a hot cast iron pan as I pulled it from the oven.  I just blurted out whatever syllables fell out of my mouth, nothing particularly ‘ecstatic’ or ‘holy’ about it.  I find it very useful for expressing whatever it is for which there are no ready words — pain, anger, frustration, joy, whatever — and nearly always and instantaneous, unexpected, and very brief expression.   But it is a psychological release or expression of sudden emotion inside of me, no something holy or “spiritual”.

But that’s just one example.  Religion is full of made-up explanations and interpretations, and it includes the experience of this life coming to an end.  I believe it is morally wrong to lie to children about death.

“God needed another angel in heaven.”  Bullshit!

“You’ll see Grandpa again in heaven.”  You have NO WAY of making such a ridiculous promise.

I think children would be a lot better served, with a healthier worldview, if they recognize that THIS LIFE is all there is.   This isn’t a dress-rehearsal for some other life after this one.  Too many religious people squander this life, in all its wonderous experiences, because they are afraid of “sinning” and thus missing out on some promised “better life” later on.  BULLSHIT.  We have no way of knowing, and thus no way of assuming, some better life exists.   Based on the evidence, this is all there is.

Religious people say this is a negative viewpoint.  I think otherwise.  Knowing (based on available evidence) that this life is the only one we get, and the only chance to experience what we can, makes this an exciting opportunity to live life as fully as you wish or not wish.  We have no evidence that there’s a god waiting to punish us or judge us later on; it’s a made-up story from people wishing to control the lives of others.  Making decisions in this life based on a hokey promise of a future life is just a waste.  Make up your own mind what you want to fill this life with.