Here are some interesting famous atheists’ last words before dying.
Voltaire, philosopher: ‘I am abandoned by God and man…I shall go to hell.’
Thomas Paine, English and American political activist during the American Revolution of 1776: ‘I would give worlds, if I had them, that I had never published “Age of Reason”, (a treatise challenging religion and the legitimacy of the Bible) Oh, God, save me; for I am at the edge of hell……alone’
Thomas Carlyle, Scottish philosopher: ‘I am as good as without hope, a sad old man gazing into the final chasm.’
Mahatma Gandhi, leader of Indian nationalism: ‘I find myself in the slough of despond…All about me is darkness; I am praying for light.’
Sir Thomas Scott, Chancellor of England: ‘Until this moment, I thought there was neither God nor Hell…Now I know and feel that there are both, and I am doomed to perdition by the just judgment of the Almighty…’
Edward Gibbon, author: ‘All is dark and doubtful.’
Mazarin, French cardinal: ‘Oh, my poor soul. What will become of thee? Whither wilt thou go?’
Thomas Hobbes, political philosopher and sceptic: ‘I am about to take a fearful leap into the dark.’
Sir Francis Newport, sceptic: ‘I know I am lost forever! Oh, that fire. Oh, the insufferable pangs of hell.’
All these and more can be seen on a compelling YouTube presentation called ‘Famous atheists’ last words before dying.’ Contrast the above with the words of two men who truly knew God.
King David of Israel: ‘Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Thou art with me.’
Paul the apostle: ‘Oh Hades, where is your victory? To live and die through God and our Lord Jesus Christ is victory and gain.’
Philosophers and many scientists claim that God did not create man but instead man created God. However, many scientists, including Albert Einstein, believed that this type of mindset is self-centered, shortsighted and an easy path of least resistance or, in other words, ‘demonic’ when trying to scientifically explain the incomprehensible, inexplainable origins of that ‘magical spark’ which precedes every particle and substance ever formed in the universe. “Devilish ways” are always trying to deceive, distract and lead us astray.
Acts of terrorism, negative thinking, worry, envy, jealousy, hopelessness, foul language are all considered ‘diabolical’ in nature. ‘Demonic ways’ have even led devout religious people astray for centuries by dividing them, breaking them up into hundreds of denominations or religious faiths. Divisiveness is abnormal in a normal society. If so what does this say about the actions of America’s current political parties?
Too many of us simply allow abnormal thoughts and actions to walk right into our lives. Many holy, faithful and devoutly religious people question why tragedy, sickness and disease exists. These atrocities make one question one’s own faith but we all know it is useless to even question Mother Nature’s intentions or capabilities. Regardless, you have to do ‘the legwork’ to get answers and figure things out the best you can do with the strength, knowledge, wits and power Mother Nature gave you.
Some believe that where there is no quest or thirst for knowledge, there is no faith and where there is no faith there is no ability to succeed. What you are then left with without such character is a hellish existence.
Ever lost a loved one and blamed God? Life is easiest explained as a gift from heaven. Devilish misfortune and wickedness takes life away, robbing and stealing from us that which is precious. You can only blame yourself for not understanding life’s fortunes and misfortunes. Not acknowledging and/or seeing past your own inadequacies and abilities is your problem and not that of the universe.
The sooner you realize that flesh and blood is only temporary–the better. A positive approach to this reality is the spirit of our soul lasts forever and whether or not your spirit will reside forever in a heavenly state or hellish state is up to you. To think that mankind is all-knowing is selfish and naive. The “unknown” is more powerful and overwhelming compared to that which is “known”.
Faith can potentially heal. The power of the mind can possibly heal. Non-believers and “doubters” can only doubt. Doubt is fiendish. Knowledge can deliver each of us to everlasting peace within. Without a presence of knowledge and the faith of self- confidence it provides, negativity will always find work to do to tear you down.
Life lays back and awaits your commitment. Seek and you shall find. Demons, on the other hand, find you. You can always count on opportunities for destructive, counter-productive thoughts and actions to come ‘knocking at your door’. Oftentimes, it is solely up to you to let them in or not.
Spiritual resistance is the ability to stand firm at the center of our convictions when everything around us asks us to concede. North American Indians taught us that our capacity to face the harsh measures of life comes from the deep quiet of listening to the land, the river and the rocks. There is a resonance of humility that has evolved with the Earth.
The North American Indians, the forgotten founders of America better known as the REAL Americans, helped shape the American identity with ideas like mass participation in government, leaders as servants of the people and not their masters, impeachment for wrongdoings, freedom of expression and religion, as well as freedom from unlawful searches and seizures.
From the year 1500 until the 1700s in America, the Europeans and especially the English, (later known as the ‘Brits’ of Great Britain) figured what North American Indian would not want to be converted to the superior, European way of life. They believed that no “civilized” person would want to live like an Indian, and ‘inside every American Indian was an Englishman waiting to get out.’ Right? Wrong. By the end of the 1700’s few Indians became Englishmen but many Englishmen escaped into the woods choosing the Indian way of life, disgusted with the care and pain necessary to support the “English” way of life.
For this, and other reasons, the North American Indians were almost driven into extinction. Scientists admit that the extinction of all species of life on Planet Earth is probably inevitable, including mankind too, due to the natural selection of nature. Some species just make it on Earth longer than others. The “meek shall inherit the earth” may simply mean the ants and cockroaches will outlast us all.
Scientists also claim that 99% of the Earth’s species have already gone extinct and that every 20 minutes another species may disappear. The only thing constant is change. In the meantime, Western civilizations should try to help Third World countries fight poverty and sickness, but at some point you may have to ask yourself are you simply prolonging the inevitable?
Mother Nature has her own way of letting us know when we may be overpopulated, creating too many questionable concoctions and pushing the Earth’s resources to the limit and the Earth’s ability to accommodate and cope with all mankind’s creations and mutations by creating unstoppable forces like disease, fire and maybe even war.
With any kind of system, like eco-systems, man must learn to control it and use it without abusing it or it will control mankind. Ignorance leads to unrealistic expectations. Salvation is understanding and know-how.
When physicians commit the act of “mercy killing” for their terminally ill patients many doctors may not receive much prior training on how to handle their relationship with their deathly ill patients. Even if you are careful and request that you do wish to be kept alive at all costs, your request could possibly be ignored by the attending physician in charge.
You or someone you love could be euthanized against your will. You could be “un-plugged”, meaning taken off life support, without you or your family’s consent.
Amazingly, the reason your life may be so easily terminated is that the doctor in charge of your case may simply declare that everything possible has been done and, IN HIS MIND, anything more to try and bring you back to life, or keep you alive, may just waste available time and resources.
Approximately 100 to 200 million human dissections (autopsies) are performed worldwide each year. Typically, all the organs, even your brains, are pulled out of your body during an autopsy and placed in a plastic bag which is then placed in your thorax (abdomen). Your organs are neither replaced back into their anatomically correct positions nor are they reconstructed.
The worst part is that you do not own your body dead or alive. The government owns it, just like in the feudal system of the Dark Ages. This is why it is illegal to sell your own body parts, or bury a loved one on your property, or exhume a family member from a grave and move the body to a different location. To do any of these things requires written government approval from a licensed government agent. You cannot even formally be declared dead until some government representative, like a medical examiner, signs your death certificate.
Moreover, there is no law forcing medical examiners to inform your family of the government’s right to perform an autopsy on you when you die. In your last will and testament you can object to an autopsy on religious grounds, or state that you want your body to be preserved (frozen through cryonics) after you die for possible reanimation at a later date, via nano-technological repair of your damaged or diseased cells. These may be your only chances to keep from having your body carved up in an autopsy. You cannot ever be frozen and then reanimated if your body was mercilessly carved up in an autopsy. If you or your family objects to an autopsy, it may possibly automatically trigger a legal mechanism forcing the government to petition the courts for a court order before they can proceed with an autopsy.
Therapy is “in” your mind, not always “outside” it. Americans are addicted to “distractions”, like movies, TV, pop music, gambling and so on, then they turn around and blame those who created and profited from our addictions for our addictions and distractions, like the moviemakers, record companies and consumer culture corporate conglomerates. What Americans may really need is nourishment for the soul.
“Retreating”, like meditating or going to a spa or spiritual retreat, may be the best way to help purify the mind and keep us from turning into toxic consumers. Tap into your inner mind instead of just responding to advertisers’ creation of “artificial” needs, fears and desires. Without all the typical day to day distractions, you may discover just how your life has become so programmed to desire pleasure and avoid pain at all costs.
A ten day to forty day “retreat” may help you chip away at all your conditioned, robotic impulses so you can gain more mental space and freedom. Turn off the TV in your house and turn on the TV in your mind. Your mind has the ability to talk to itself as well as display a barrage of images, sensations and feelings.
In retreat, silence may be the key. The longer you go silent and restore your inner peace, the less likely you may continue to be addicted to distractions. Then when you return to the REAL world, you may find yourself uninterested in the ‘chatter’ on the radio, TV, even music, if it distracts from your NEW sense of serenity.
RETREAT and discover a powerful sense of knowing that your mind contains the answers to many of your questions. You may not have to run away from or run toward something or someone else for answers. YOU have the capacity to cultivate awareness and knowledge. RETREAT and learn the difference between soul-nourishing resources and our toxic consumptive, commercial culture.
If you cannot retreat simply try staying still for a weekend and go deep inside your own mind. See what emerges. Investigate silence and discover how the demons of our ‘all pleasure, no pain, buy ‘til you die’, consumptive society constantly tries manipulating us into distracting our minds and diverting our energies.
Americans tend to live and think in the past, meaning when they are faced with a totally new situation they may tend to react according to the beliefs and opinions they have always held, instead of trying to accept or adapt to new ideas. This is similar to interpreting the “present” through a rear view mirror, which is like walking backwards into the future.
SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCES: THE BOOK: THE MEDIUM IS THE MASSAGE BY MARSHALL McLUHAN PUBLISHED 1967 and THE IMMORTALIST MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2000 and THE FREEPRESSONLINE.COM JUNE 6, 2010