What Can an Atheist Tell a Child With a Dead Dog?

[Nloveru]

I could not agree more!

[lifeschild1]

Birth is suffering; from the moment of life's inception we are dying. We and all living things are comprised of trillions of living microscopic organisms, which in themselves are self-entities. Every moment they live, reproduce and eventually die within our bodies. Our mitochondrial components power the cellular structures of cellular production. When they stop replicating they eventually die and so shall we die. BUT...The joyfulness here is that: "We will return again".

[lifeschild1]

"Where we once came from is where we will once again return to!" Life and energy on this earth continues as long as the earth and we are here. Our family, friends and yes even animal spirits remain here surrounding us always. Protecting us and being with us. You felt this. That Ora is here awaiting to enter the bodies of newly born children as products of the cellular biological unification of genetic material at birth.

[TheDrewManXD]

as an atheist THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!

[stevelikes2curse]

@TheDrewManXD Thanks!

[LloydChristmas777]

Very deep and interesting thoughts on the subject of death. Thanks for sharing.

The bad thing about religious explanations is that it's a lie. The good thing is that it's psychologically comforting to the child and the child's mental state would likely be more healthy despite the lie.

I personally would be as honest as possible to my child, and do it with the most hope and happiness as possible given the circumstances.

[enticed2zeitgeist]

Damn atheists doing that "questioning" thing again.

[MrPlanx]

Good video. Absolutely children should always be told the truth.

[IRaceBarrels]

The hardest part about being an atheist to me is knowing I will never see my dog again. I want so hard to believe they are living on, but I know they aren't - just as I wont. They are only alive in our memories. For some reason I'm ok with the fact that people die but bawl my eyes out when I think about dogs dieing. FUCK YOU GOD. Why can't you be real so my dogs and I can play for the rest of ever!

[zippythewildone]

If I had to explain death to a child I think I would say death is when a person or animals body doesn't work anymore and they go to sleep. And that some people believe that during this sleep that you continue to live in dreams and some people believe that you just rest peacefully.

This is the most positive way I can think to spin death, but I wish I knew another way to word it because I don't want my children (if I have any) to be afraid of going to sleep and not waking up.

[ihaveseenyounaked]

"What Can an Atheist Tell a Child With a Dead Dog?" I´m pretty sure that there are greater concerns than that with religion. If you "lie" to a kid about santa,easterbunny the toothfairy and so on they will eventually stop believing in it. Unfortunatly it is not the same thing for the God concept that some people force on their children...I was never raised with the concept of heaven/hell and i turned out just fine...Pets show us how to live our life to its fullest, live for the "moment"...

[Android369]

Just use simple thermodynamics to explain to that child that energy cannot be destroyed. Nothing more or less.

[LloydChristmas777]

@Android369, LOL, genius explanation.

[amberview30]

Some Christians do not believe that animals end up in heaven. It sounds like much like the letters to Santa sent each year. Could you imagine all the cockroaches in heaven? What would make a dog or other human pet more special than a cockroach to a god? I've known people with pet rats, would the rat be in a heaven, too? Comfort? The comfort is that the dog is not feeling any pain now. You have a good answer.

[KspekEvo]

atheism is not a worldview.

[stevelikes2curse]

@KspekEvo Fair enough, though I think that's coming dangerously close to splitting hairs. It's a position, a conclusion, a point of view, rather than a worldview. Though, now that I think about it, I didn't say atheism itself was a worldview; I merely referred to an "atheist worldview." Surely you acknowledge that such a worldview exists, and that many (if not all) atheists hold it.

[KspekEvo]

@stevelikes2curse i understand, but not beleiving something can not be a world view. is lack of beleif in leprechauns a world view? not at all, now there are things that can result ina world view that stem from atheism, you can be a secular humanist or buddhist, but to say a lack of belief in something is a world view is just not accurate. i didnt mean anything malicous, just wanted to point it out :)

[stevelikes2curse]

@KspekEvo No worries! I didn't take it as malicious.

[BelieveNoGod]

@KspekEvo Worldview ?

What do you put in that expression ?

I thought it's a persons view on the world. NOT a type of religion.

[KspekEvo]

@BelieveNoGod would you call your lack of belief in aleprechauns a world view? or not collecting stamps a hobby?

think about it.

[BelieveNoGod]

@KspekEvo No I don't.

[KspekEvo]

@BelieveNoGod then why call atheism a world view?

[meridianfrost]

What a fantastic video. I found this in the sidebar of my most recent post, and wanted to leave a comment letting you know that I was moved by your story. Thanks very much for sharing it. Subbed. Take care.

[stevelikes2curse]

@meridianfrost How strange and cool that I just watched your video on the still-thriving atheist YouTube community earlier today! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch mine, and for subbing. It's an honor. I enjoy your work.

[PancakeWarrior545]

Something you didn't touch on as you described how an atheist worldview can offer comfort is the Epicurean idea that a period of happiness and good feelings doesn't have to last forever to be good. An atheist could tell that little girl that, though her dog has died and that she has to accept that the dog is gone, the fact remains that the times she spent with the dog were good, and she can always hang on to that truth, and take comfort in it, because it is true. Otherwise she wouldn't be sad.

[Rettequetette]

Good video. YouTuber The Thinking Atheist once had a podcast on this theme: "Grief without God". You might want to check it out.

For me personally, it's good to see I'm not the only one struggling with these things from time to time. Your story about recognising your own atheism is very similar to mine. I also just recently finally let go of all kinds of supernatural beliefs.

[stalkingcat123]

wow you tricked your daughter what happens when she grows up and decides god probably doesn't exist. she resents you for it. your dog dies and becomes part of the cycle again. some of the matter from your dog may end up as part of you.

[endthedisease]

Animals don't go to heaven because they are not created in the spiritual image of god as man is. This is clear in the bible. However since most Christians believe in tons of BS anyway they have no problem lieing to their kids about this.

[boscoblack]

Simple. Commonsensical.

Great video

[MrRazorz]

"How do you know he's 'up there'? How do you know he's not 'down there'? Somehow it never occurs to people that their loved ones might be in hell." ~ George Carlin

But seriously... you pretty much nailed it. Kids tend to believe whatever you tell them, so you pretty much have a responsibility to tell them the truth. Especially about the big stuff like death.

[TheGreatOldOnes]

Wow...that letter from God is SO fucking disgusting.

"You have a wonderful mother. I picked her out for you"

You had to make it about yourself in some way, didn't you you lying bitch....

Also...what kind of all powerful deity doesn't have pockets. I'm a random asshole. I have a sweatshirt with like..15 pockets.

[1stCainite]

Remind the child about the good times it had with the dog, and celebrate that, in stead of being sad.

[SiriusMined]

My father-in-law died last year, and we found that approaching it from our atheist position actually made it easier. I believe that believing someone is waiting for you in heaven just extends the grief; the person isn't really letting go, they are masking the pain. But for us, instead of that, we just celebrated the man we loved. Sure, it hurt, but I know it hurt a lot less than any other loss we had. We speak of him often, so it's not like he is forgotten.

[ttopperr]

We, as humans, have no real reason to die other then the fact that time tends to degrade our immunity and time is nothing more then being meticulously conscientious passing of events.

[bary1234]

Thank you for this clip, please keep up the good work.

Respect is absolutely the wrong approach towards religion. Ridicule and laughter is what superstitious people deserve when ever they voice religious ideas or opinions. Religion is poison, and it depends on indoctrination of defenceless children to survive. If we can stop religious people from brainwashing children with their sick lies, organised superstition would end in one generation.

[givingmantoo]

Why do Christians think they are doing well, by lying to children? Really, these people actually think telling lies is a good thing, as long as those lies makes a person "feel" good. Still, its a lie

[dehbee]

i grew up in a christian house and was told animals do not go to heaven. i had a problem with that lol. even at a young age. but i never really truly believed in "god". at one time in hs i was a devote christian, then fell back into atheism. i actually feared life, and death more being a christian. once i accepted who i was and what i really believed in, atheism....all my fears went away. im content just being. and content knowing im not going anywhere after death. i dont have to worry about it.

[compter2008]

But I thought all dogs go to heaven.... :(

[kataang321]

I recently lost my cat Sophie (15 years old). She was very very sick and my parents made the decision to put her to down. It's been hard but I have all those memories and those memories are real. Having a finite life makes this life MUCH more valuable. Thinking life goes on forever, makes this life meaningless. If I had a child who lost a pet I would tell them she lives on in us, because our memories live on in us.

[allreligionskill]

Reality has no obligation to make us confortable

[moonchild793]

i don't believe in any other existence either. i'm 18 and i find it hard to have any motivation to do anything because i'm just always thinking that in the end it wont really matter. did you ever feel like that? what did you do? you seem pretty happy and comfortable with your beliefs.

[stevelikes2curse]

@moonchild793 Things you do matter, it just depends on the context. Does your life make a difference on the largest possible scale? No. And neither does anyone else's. The universe doesn't even know we're here. But does it make a difference to people you know, people directly affected by your actions and words? Yes. Does it matter to you, yourself? Hopefully. That's what I did. I realized that my life and the things I did and said mattered to me, and to people who knew me. And that was enough.

[moonchild793]

@stevelikes2curse thank you

[SiriusMined]

@moonchild793 "in the end it wont really matter. did you ever feel like that? "

Never. It's a stupid way to look at like. We have this life to live. And you CAN make a lasting impact if you don't have a defeatist attitude.

[8698gil]

@moonchild793 What you do in your life does matter, much more than you realize now. Do you know how many people you affect in your life? Life is always worth it, and it can be very rewarding. Make the most of this life, its the only one you have.  I've been an atheist since my early teens, and now I'm 50. I have 3 children, one grandchild, a great marriage, and my life has been wonderful and happy. So can yours. Don't waste it on worrying about the afterlife. Live in this one.

[stevelikes2curse]

@8698gil Bravo.

[MorganTheHeretic]

My dogs are like my family. When they die I´m sad but they are with me in my thought.

[RattlyGooch000]

Tell her the dog died, simple as shit.

[TerminalHamster]

Tell her:

Your dog was a unique and special existence, nomatter how unfair it was to end, your dog left an impression on your heart that is a wonderful and beautiful thing.

And tell her the cycle of life and death, and how her dog becomes part of a cycle of new life, new things living new adventures as new forms all benefiting from the good life the doggy had with her, not a moment was wasted, those moments were preciously just for her and the dog.

*shrug*

[BornWithoutReligion]

I think your stress on speaking the truth in the face of pain is extremely important. I was raised atheist and my first encounter with a death wasn't really until high school, but we as a family focused on how wonderful it was to have that person / pet as part of our own life experience. I'm sure that believing in an afterlife dulls the suffering in some way, but I find that approach tragic as you can't appreciate life if you don't see it as short and finite.

[TheStigma]

Very thoughtprovoking and good video.

I have to say though - as much as death scares me (and probably every other sane person out there) - I think the thought of eternal life of some sort would scare me even more. At least with death there is a closure and an end.

Perpetual existence would at some point or another become a torment and/or insanity from which you could never escape. I'd probably want a few hundred years more life if I could choose it, but preferable death to eternity I think...

[time2learnnow]

Awesome vid.

[stevelikes2curse]

@time2learnnow Thanks!

[time2learnnow]

@time2learnnow You're welcome

[viicISrotcib]

the truth hurts but I hate lies.

[gr8z0mbiejesus]

When i was a kid; my family's Boston Terrier had to be put down, and that was devastating to all of us... my mother- a nurse, who in all honesty i have no idea if she has faith- explained to me and my younger bother the truth about the natural process of life/death... and it was one of the most difficult, tear-filled conversations we have ever had; but it was the most important and she could NOT have done any better by us through lying or fairy tales

[stevelikes2curse]

@gr8z0mbiejesus Good mom.

[LogicalStatements1]

Great video btw.

[stevelikes2curse]

@LogicalStatements1 Thanks! And thanks for your comments. How you feel is more or less where I'm at now. I struggle from time to time with feelings of frustration or fear over death, but I tell myself that none of this was owed to me, that an afterlife isn't something that was taken from me, that it's something I never had, and never had any right to expect. As Penn Jillette has said, everything in the universe will just have to be enough for me.

[LogicalStatements1]

(I'm a life long atheist)When i was like 5 , my hamster died , nothing was said to me other than my hamster has died, (sounds cold?) i had to deal with it , i was amazingly upset , from then i have lost loved ones friends and more pets , for every1 that i lost i balled my eyes felt immense pain and it hurt , but after a while i think that the time that I, ME the only ME that was lucky enough to spend that time with those beings that i loved so much makes that time seem so much more special.

[LogicalStatements1]

@LogicalStatements1 an ex-theist might look at what i said and not understand, from moment zero of my life there was zero% religion in it, so when i learnt about death it was from losing something , i new it was gone forever , i think knowing it was gone forever made me appreciate the time i spent with it more special than thinking oh i will see it him her again one day , and i think telling a child that when you die you don't actually die can have serious long term effects.

[alliaskis]

You got through a video without swearing. You owe the No Cussing Jar a quarter.

[stevelikes2curse]

@alliaskis Goddammit.

[TheBlasturtle]

It's not often that I'll take the time to watch a video this long, but I'm glad I did for this one.

[stevelikes2curse]

@TheBlasturtle I really appreciate that. The length is a barrier for a lot of people, I know.

[crazyninjaofdoom]

good video. I like your 59-50 hat lol.

[stevelikes2curse]

@crazyninjaofdoom Thanks!

[hnbbs]

I told my kids that the Republicans killed our dog and sent it to hell.

[stevelikes2curse]

@hnbbs Which, for all anyone knows, is a true story.

[EdgePitSwing]

The way I handle the death experience is knowing that one who is dead cannot experience regret. They lived, and upon death, don't have any idea that they had lived. It is truly ultimate peace through lack of existence.

[ShadowPa1adin]

Coincidentally, I became an atheist a few months before my grandfather died. In the time between hearing the news of his death and the funeral I became what evangelicals would call "more open to the gospel." I bought a new Bible, started praying again (or at least trying to). At the funeral and wake I kept hearing friends and relatives say things like "we will see him again," and "Jesus promises us eternal life," and that was when I realized that nobody there knew how to deal with death.

[angrywhenroused]

I don't like the idea of lying to kids, its probably a good job I have no kids, the Santa lie would probably get me in trouble

[Gravegore]

But great points in your video :)

[Gravegore]

I think the whole story is made up. A lot of religious crap has been floating around facebook. Most of the storys are to pull emotional strings.

[stevelikes2curse]

@Gravegore It may very well be a phony story, yeah. That was one of the first thoughts that crossed my mind when I saw it.

[tanyavs1]

Great video!! :) I have had this problem but more with myself. I have a two year old dog and knowing when she passes it will be forever, it does make it hurt a little more (and she isn't even gone yet!) But honestly, I accept that that. She is having a geat life with us and I hope in the time she was here, she enjoyed our company as much as we enjoyed hers.

[SycorTheosPhilos]

I guess what I could add, is to tell a child that the reason she is sad, over the loss of the dog she loved so much, is because of how good that dog was to her, and that's what matters. As it is for all people. We are remembered for who we were, and what we did in our lives, even our pets.

Mortality is the beacon to encourage action, and contribution. It designates a period to do things we appreciate, like playing fetch with your dog, for example. This is a good thing, not a bad thing.

[OneClownShoe]

Thank you, Steve. I have seen that dog story over and over again on facebook. The best advice I can give a kid who lost a pet (or whomever) is to promise them that they will never feel any kind of pain ever again. The good memories of the departed is something that we will carry with us for our entire life. Be happy that you got to know them. Cheers!!

[TeddyAndy68]

Thank you...I enjoy your videos a lot. What happened to the awesome beard??!! ;-)

[stevelikes2curse]

@TeddyAndy68 It's coming back. I just hate to maintain it, so I trim it all the way down when it starts getting too bushy for me and let it grow out again. It's beard maintenance for the slothful.

[TeddyAndy68]

@stevelikes2curse hey you can participate in Movember then!