Religion
Related: About this forumGrief Beyond Belief
June 23, 2014
By Adam Lee
Ive been writing about atheism for some years now, and one of my great joys has been watching the secular community grow and thrive. Once, our main pastimes were debating philosophy on the internet and filing church-state lawsuits. Now we have political lobbying arms, atheist parenting guides, secular student clubs and summer camps, humanist communities and celebrants, and more. Were getting closer and closer to the ideal of a true secular community whose members offer tangible support to each other at every major stage of life. But theres one area where I think secular philosophy still hasnt made its mark.
Thanks to medical science, were living longer and staying healthier than past generations could ever have imagined, and we can rescue people from injury and disease that would surely have been fatal one hundred or even fifty years ago. But at the same time, weve also come to a clearer recognition of the limits of our powers. The aggressive, paternalistic medical intervention that aimed to keep a person alive at all costs is largely a thing of the past, and good riddance. Instead, weve gotten better at dying: more hospice and compassionate care, more respect for living wills and the right to refuse treatment, and more support of assisted dying for the terminally ill.
These are all advances to be welcomed. Nevertheless, I think we atheists still cede too much ground to religion when it comes to death, especially in the area of comfort and support for the grieving. Thats probably the last redoubt that the churches have: too many people believe that religion has some advantage, some special hope or consolation to offer, when it comes to helping people deal with loss and grief. I believe that atheists can cope with death, but theres a need for more community and philosophical resources for those of us living under that shadow.
Thats why we should welcome the brand-new relaunch of Grief Beyond Belief, an online community for nonbelievers whove experienced grief and loss. In this secular safe space, atheists and freethinkers can mourn, support each other and heal without thoughtless afterlife platitudes, exploitative proselytizing, and other unwanted intrusions of religion. GBB was founded in 2011 as a private Facebook group, but its evolution into an independent site will make it possible to offer more services and resources to its members. Heres what the people behind the site have to say:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/daylightatheism/2014/06/grief-beyond-belief/
http://www.griefbeyondbelief.org/