Thread: Who grieves more? An atheist or theist?

Assuming an atheist and a theist each lost someone they love to a disease. Who would grieve more? Would a theist grieve more since he has no belief and the atheist less because he believes that the soul of the love one would have gone to a better place ie heaven.

I don't think it matters what one's beliefs are. I think it matters how sensitive they are, how much they cared, and, in general, who they are as a whole.

Seems theists would be ecstatic their loved ones died, as those loved ones are now at the side of their gods. Life on earth is a mere nuisance, a stepping stone to the afterlife, the actually goal of a theist.

Why would theists grieve, they should celebrate the deaths of their loved one for attaining their goal; death.

Originally Posted by (Q)

Seems theists would be ecstatic their loved ones died, as those loved ones are now at the side of their gods. Life on earth is a mere nuisance, a stepping stone to the afterlife, the actually goal of a theist.

Why would theists grieve, they should celebrate the deaths of their loved one for attaining their goal; death.

(Q), think of it like sending a family member away, not to see them again for many years. This is why theists grieve.

when i was a believer, and my grand aunt died, i didn't cry.
actually it didn't bother me at all.
i had many nice memories with her, she was a really nice woman, but i just didn't think it was sad that she died.

anyways, its all personality, and has nothing to do with religiosity, IMO.

(Q) and dejawolf hit the nail right on the head.

I can see drowsy turtle's point, but I think if the argument is to be accepted, we can't help but notice that "grieving" is over-reacting.

Death is death. It comes for everyone. You, me, and everyone we know will someday be dead. This is unavoidable. Anyone that accepts this (theist or atheist) is going to grieve differently than someone who doesn't.

some religious preach indifference, no joy, no sadness

Take one sect of Hinduism. I forgot what they are called but they preach "Krishna Consciousness"

It is very similar to Buddhism except for the whole idea of God's.

Originally Posted by Arcane_Mathematician

I don't think it matters what one's beliefs are. I think it matters how sensitive they are, how much they cared, and, in general, who they are as a whole.

Actually I do agree with you. For those who were really close to the departed, really cared for them, would they be able to cope better if they were religious?