Some atheists believe in life after death. Some believe there’s some sort of “energy” that we turn into, that we are reincarnated, or that we become ghosts or spirits, in addition to many other beliefs. There are varying opinions among atheists.
Some atheists do not believe in an afterlife and I am one of them. People are nonbelievers for different reasons. I am an atheist because there’s not enough solid evidence for me to believe in a god. The same thing goes for an afterlife or multiple lives. I think the closest thing there is to still living after death is to live on, in a sense, through what we’ve done. If our work and our words inspire others, then we are kind of still carrying on. If we continue to ‘live’ in the memories of people still alive, then what we’ve done still affects others. There are musicians who only lived until age 27, but their work and personas helped shaped the lives of countless others for years to come. So, while they are dead, part of them ‘lives on’.
So, when people ask, “What’s the inspiration to do good in this life if it’s there’s no heaven or hell?”, that’s part of it. There’s also making sure you meet your goals because this is probably the only shot we get. Also, just being and doing good for goodness’ sake and because you enjoy it in the moment.
The above was a question someone submitted on my tumblr blog. I will start cross-posting certain Q&As to my cherryteresa.com blog.